Connecting with Culture
It’s been said that culture is ‘what we make of the world’, but what does that look like as Christians? How can we begin conversations about what’s goin...
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What an opportunity! What a gift from above! It’s hardly ever going to be easier to begin a conversation about values, beliefs, faith in general, and Christianity in particular than in the next two weeks.
With such a media focus on the Queen, and with more than ten million people planning to be at Jubilee parties, one of the most natural questions you can ask anyone is: what do you think of the Queen?
And it hardly matters whether they are radical republicans or militant monarchists, whether they are indifferent or mega-fans, atheists or Jedis, 9, 19, or 90, you will almost certainly get an opportunity to offer some insight into what she herself has said about what’s important to her.
And according to Her Majesty, as I explore in The Queen’s Way, what’s most important to her is Christ. It is he, she is convinced, who called her to the crown, he whose servant example inspires her, he whose teaching guides her, and he whose strength empowers her. And it is to him that she sees herself accountable.
Of course, other conversational connection points abound.
Interested in women in leadership? Look no further.
Looking for a role model of a young person taking on a big job? She did at 25.
Saddened by the sense of entitlement and lack of integrity of international leaders? Go compare.
Concerned about racism and the legacy of our imperial past? Here’s the woman whose grace, relational skills, and determination transformed our former colonies into the warm, cooperative, egalitarian fellowship that is the Commonwealth.
Looking for a national leader with a genuine concern for the poor? In over 50 of her 70 Christmas addresses the Queen calls us all to proactive neighbour love for the marginalised, the excluded, the grieving. More significantly, perhaps, she has spent a huge amount of time visiting hospitals, shelters, youth initiatives, care homes, the 600 charities she supports…
Of course, the Queen is not perfect, no saint, except in the New Testament sense. Indeed, in New Testament terms, she has also been a winsome witness, a humble servant, and a faithful ambassador. An example and challenge to us all.
So it is that this coming fortnight represents a marvellous opportunity to help our colleagues, friends, and family celebrate the Queen for who she really is, and to give the credit for all that she has achieved where she does – at the feet of Christ.
—
Mark Greene
Mission Champion, LICC
Thanks Mark for this thought. However I do have to disagree with a lot of it!! I cannot see how the model of elitism, extraordinary and unbeliveable wealth and privilege, a life of class division at its most obvious models the Third Way of Christ which is the total opposite? I will not be having any conversations about the Queen with anyone in the same conversation as Jesus, because the term Majesty is reserved for only Him. I don’t want to confuse the early church model of radically holding all things in common and serving each other, with the brand of Christianity that models some have and some have not with an enormous divide. I do not want to confuse people with a model that seems to say its OK for some to speak of the marginalised without becoming one of them. Mother Theresa and Dorothy Day, now these women modelled the heart of God, and noone called them Your Majesty. Much love xxx
Thanks Mark. Important reminder and encouragement to us all.
Interesting piece, but yes I definitely resonate with Rachie’s thoughts here. There is indeed plenty of Christian reflection/interrogation that could be done on the acceptability of the monarchy, with its vast wealth and privilege in the hands of a few, in the light of Christ’s radical example of self-giving on all fronts including material wealth. Would love to see a follow up piece exploring such a concern and the others Rachie outlines. Meanwhile I’ll read Mark’s longer piece…
Mark on the Queen. Spot on. Thank you. However there are challenges eg in the public eye 24/7; working with all sorts of secular/political and religious leaders, in an entirely non-judgmental way! What grace! Philip.
While my questions about the monarchy as a model and structure remain, I applaud the detail in Mark’s exploration of HM’s faith in The Queen’s Way piece…
I do understand Rachie’s and Bruce’s concerns about “vast wealth and privilege in the hands of a few”, and have therefore thought more about whether the Queen’s example and witness stand scrutiny in the light of that elevated status. However, she was born into that royal family; she didn’t ask for it to be so, or strive to earn that status as heir to the throne. That is where she found herself as a young woman, in very sad and upsetting circumstances, with her father dying so young.
Having been anointed by God, the Archbishop and the nation to be Head of State, she has chosen to commit herself to be the best Queen she can be, by devoting her life, her service, her work and her workplace to God and to us, the people. I think she has done that admirably, on her personal frontline, and for that reason I do hold both her example and witness in high regard.
Well said Jeremy. I agree. I wasn’t the fault of the Queen that she was born into royaly. However, her calling people “to proactive neighbour love for the marginalised, the excluded, the grieving” is exactly what Christ has called us to. and her spending “a huge amount of time visiting hospitals, shelters, youth initiatives, care homes, the 600 charities she supports…” is exactly what Christ modeled.
I look forward to reading the longer article.