WWOLD

I went to my church away day on Saturday. It will come as no surprise to anyone that it was not the most fun I have had on a Saturday morning. Not least as I wasn't really sure what the point was - and there wasn't enough drinking.


But the real problem was the theology. We were asked by the bishop of Ramsbury to answer - in respect of what we should do with our church - 'What would Our Lady do?' Now, the original WWJD were naff enough (and somewhat tarnished by Hansie Cronje's sporting of them), but this really was a step too far. The bishop seems a decent enough sort, but the theology was outrageous. Mary, we were enjoined to consider, was of greater interest because, unlike Jesus, she was human. Heresy, heresy. And an old heresy at that. Interestingly, I remember Jane Baun, one of my tutors for my MSt, giving a paper which argud that this same conception existed in the Byzantine popular church about a thousand years ago.

It was of course heresy then, just as it is now. Marys humanity is not different from that of Jesus. Though her role in the divine economy may be different, it is hard to see how this would affect the work of a church in an inner city. Christ's humanity is full and complete, not some imperfect 'skin' which he assumes for the convenience while the Godhead remains what he 'really'. For, in the immortal words, that which is not assumed is not saved - if Christ's only succeeds as a God, there is no route out for man.

The rest was just a bit dull.

Unrelatedly, my priest is doing a slightly barking fundraiser, which deserves supporting. I will restrain the Marian idolatry.