Month: March 2025

We have recently nominated a Wednesday lunchtime at work as a time to meet over a cup of tea and chat about whatever we want. Sometimes it may be about science, when people can share their joy (or disappointment) at their latest results. However, this week I had a lengthy conversation with a colleague about Latin. It arose out of some banter we had shared earlier in the week, about the word “viva”, used in universities to mean an oral examination, but which is a Latin term. It turned out that both of us had done Latin at school; I took it for O-level, my colleague wanted to do the same but her parents thought it was of no use and made her do German instead.  Quite a few years later, she still has a passion for Latin but has forgotten most of her German. I also enjoy Latin; I am not very good at it, but being able to get some sense from a Latin inscription written hundreds of years ago helps me connect with the person who wrote it. Of course, I do not have to do this, but I enjoy it. My colleague is thinking about taking up Latin again as she loves it so much. We  owe our identity not just to the “useful” things we do, the objectives which can be measured, but to all our activities including the “useless”. Thes things make us rounded people and they are vital (note the Latin root). As the 2nd century Christian teacher Irenaeus wrote  (in Latin), “The glory of God is a human being fully alive”.

Rev David Poyner

I am writing this the morning after the partial eclipse of the moon, the spectacular “blood moon” that turns red and disappears as it  passes into the earth’s shadow. I didn’t see it, largely because I think it happened early in the morning when I was asleep and in any case it was cloudy. However, many years ago I did seen a lunar eclipse and it was beautiful. A few weeks ago I did gaze out on the planetary procession, to see Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury. I am not really into astronomy, but I enjoyed looking at the planets; even last night before I went to bed, I was struck by the red glow in the clouds around the moon when I could see it.

In times gone by, the doings of the stars and the planets were given supernatural significance; we see this in the Bible and it is still present in some form with horoscopes and astrology. Of course, science has given us a much deeper understanding of what is actually happening; the universe is ruled by the laws of physics. But my instinctive reaction to seeing the planets, or colours in the night sky, is awe; I am most deeply moved by the beauty of what I see. As a Christian, intellectually I believe that behind the laws of physics is God, who chooses to work through them. But more  than that, I respond to that God with my emotions and that is the same response that I have to the night sky. The heavens can indeed tell of the glory of God when they speak to us of awe and beauty.

Rev David Poyner

It has been a depressing week to follow the news. We seem to be entering a new world of international relationships, where old conventions no longer hold. Even more worryingly, there seems to be in some a hankering after autocratic leaders who disregard any interests other than their own and listen to no one. There is of course an argument that people need to be confronted with realities with vigorous argument, but even in these cases, there still needs to be an element of dialogue. At some point, the various sides do need to listen to each other, no matter how forcibly they press their own point of view. This morning (Friday 7^th March) I heard “Thought for the Day”, in which the Rev Giles Fraser spoke convincingly about the importance of good argument. However strongly we feel about our own position, we gain if we allow ourselves to be challenged. It may be that as a result of that, we hold our views even more firmly, but at least we know that we have tested our position and have greater confidence that it is correct. Of course, there is also the possibility that we may modify our views after being challenged. As a vicar, I am aware that the Bible is often a book of contradictions; its writers frequently disagree. It’s readers are the richer for this as they weigh the arguments. In open argument, truth is the winner.

Rev David Poyner