Here's a closing summary of my blog reflections and overall sabbatical experience which I’ve submitted to the Methodist District There's a word for you near the end....
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'Popular culture is a big, messy of sin and grace, light and dark mixture that plays in deep and subtle ways with the desires of the human ut heart through imagination; it can bestow on us a vision of reality that can influence the way we think about God' Ted Turneau
I have organised this summary around four questions:
1.What did I hope for?
2.What did I do?
3.What were my reflections?
4.What will I do next?
1.What did I hope for?
2.What did I do?
3.What were my reflections?
4.What will I do next?
1. WHAT DID I HOPE FOR?
The theme was ‘Encountering Spirituality in Secular Culture'. My intention was to focus on the emerging phenomena of music festivals which (I subsequently learnt) attract 3.5mill people in UK alone each year. As this was a huge subject, my focus was on two aspects of festival culture: first the lyrics of songs which often explore an innate sense of spirituality, and second, the community aspect of attending festivals. The plan was to attend three festivals, to follow up with reading, reflection and research - wherever possible combining reading with walking. I had also hoped to sample some different types of worship and to finish with a retreat on Lindisfarne. There were plans for weekends away and a holiday in Italy to complement the theme.
The theme was ‘Encountering Spirituality in Secular Culture'. My intention was to focus on the emerging phenomena of music festivals which (I subsequently learnt) attract 3.5mill people in UK alone each year. As this was a huge subject, my focus was on two aspects of festival culture: first the lyrics of songs which often explore an innate sense of spirituality, and second, the community aspect of attending festivals. The plan was to attend three festivals, to follow up with reading, reflection and research - wherever possible combining reading with walking. I had also hoped to sample some different types of worship and to finish with a retreat on Lindisfarne. There were plans for weekends away and a holiday in Italy to complement the theme.
As someone who tries to engage with popular culture and has fairly eclectic musical tastes, I was hoping to discover why the experience of attending festivals and listening to popular music has such a draw for so many people. What meaning is to be discerned in the lyrics that often articulate a quest for ‘the other’ and can even draw on Biblical themes? What can be learnt from the desire to meet in community, experiencing a level of freedom, even anonymity that is missing in everyday life? What does such a desire for authentic experience say to the church?
2. WHAT DID I DO?
In the event, I attended five festivals (Latitude, Suffolk; Tramlines, Sheffield; Greenbelt, Kettering; Fusion, Birmingham; Festival Six, Portmeirion) plus part of the Snape Maltings Prom Season. Weekends and holidays took a different course as Penny’s elderly parents were taken into hospital in Essex at the end of June. Therefore, a number of weekends were taken up with visiting them and sorting out care home places (now thankfully concluded). The Italy trip was postponed but we spent a week in Suffolk and enjoyed several trips out with our own family.
In the event, I attended five festivals (Latitude, Suffolk; Tramlines, Sheffield; Greenbelt, Kettering; Fusion, Birmingham; Festival Six, Portmeirion) plus part of the Snape Maltings Prom Season. Weekends and holidays took a different course as Penny’s elderly parents were taken into hospital in Essex at the end of June. Therefore, a number of weekends were taken up with visiting them and sorting out care home places (now thankfully concluded). The Italy trip was postponed but we spent a week in Suffolk and enjoyed several trips out with our own family.
I managed a number of walks in Derbyshire and urban Sheffield. On the first weekend I went out with Street Pastors. In many ways, their non-judgemental gracious engagement with, and support for revellers, door staff and street people alike, set the tone for my own engagement. On Sundays I have worshipped in a number of settings from Sheffield Cathedral to the secular assembly at Latitude; from the open air Greenbelt communion to a windswept chapel on Lindisfarne; from local Parish churches to larger Evangelical gatherings along with Penny.
The underlying text for my Sabbatical has been in Acts 17. Paul found himself in Athens confronted by spiritual but not religious people. He treated them with respect and drew parallels between the unknown God they idolised and the real God he knew in Jesus Christ. Some hearers scoffed, others walked away but some believed. My prayer was that I might follow that example of patient engagement with the Spirituality of others.
I have probably done more reading and theological reflection than I had anticipated having read about 12 relevant books. As well as keeping a daily journal, I have written this blog which has just under 60 pages. I used this to reflect on the festivals (focusing on my experience, the world view as I perceived it and discerning the presence of God) as well as commentary on the books I have studied and thoughts about events in the news. I will use extracts from the blog in the next section.
Challenged by Richard Rohr, Leonard Sweet and others to see popular lyrics as poems, using words as metaphor to resonate with mystery and depth has even encouraged me to pen a few lines of verse!
The final week at Lindisfarne was an opportunity to be alone with God. Time and space to reflect on all that I had experienced and to review the Sabbatical in the style of ‘examen’ in order to see where God has been present throughout, what I might take forward for me as an individual disciple of Christ and also as a minister.
3. WHAT WERE MY REFLECTIONS?
It was helpful to reflect on the festival experiences in the light of study. The literature suggest two ways of approaching popular music. Whilst both recognise the creative presence of God in music and popular culture, the Evangelical position (Ted Turneau and Steve Turner) looks for Christian meaning within the lyrics and in some cases sees popular culture as a ‘way in’ to evangelization. The alternative approach offered by Clive Marsh and Vaughan Roberts begins from where the music is, and goes on to ask what the musicians, poets and audience are saying about their lives, the world and indeed the human condition.
It was helpful to reflect on the festival experiences in the light of study. The literature suggest two ways of approaching popular music. Whilst both recognise the creative presence of God in music and popular culture, the Evangelical position (Ted Turneau and Steve Turner) looks for Christian meaning within the lyrics and in some cases sees popular culture as a ‘way in’ to evangelization. The alternative approach offered by Clive Marsh and Vaughan Roberts begins from where the music is, and goes on to ask what the musicians, poets and audience are saying about their lives, the world and indeed the human condition.
I found the latter view more helpful and it resonated with thinking prior to sabbatical and in other books I have read (e.g. by Leonard Sweet, Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch) which challenge the church to engage with popular culture on its own terms; even being prepared to refocus resources and abandon outmoded structures in order to develop expressions of church that are relevant for today’s context.
My blog comments probably state these thoughts more powerfully.
After the first festival: I am conscious of being as Paul puts it ‘of this world but not present in it... amongst foreigners’ (Philippians 3: 18) But he also said; (quoting Isaiah 28) ‘with other tongues I will speak to the people’ (1 Corinthians 14:21) and again: Rejoice in the Lord always, whatever is true, noble, right, pure’ lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy’ (Philippians 4) In enjoying myself thoroughly at Latitude I have tried to listen to the voice of God in unexpected places, to hear what others are saying and to look for what is indeed pure and lovely etc. May this be a way of being for all God’s people as we encounter spirituality in the everyday world in which we live!
After the final festival - Number 6, reflecting on a newspaper article which plotted the significant changes in UK society since the Queen came to the throne: Today’s festival goers with their pick and mix approach and openness to something intangibly spiritual, symbolise the world of popular culture which is so often outside the walls of our churches, however they are the people that God loves as much as regular pew-sitters. The challenge is for us to wake up to the reality of that permanent change, to celebrate it and express God’s love within it.
My overall reflection is that we (I) can encounter God in the quest for deeper meaning to be found in some popular lyrics – songs whose words are so often chanted at festivals and concerts, memorised as people walk down the road plugged into their iPhones. Lyrics that speak of love and loss, troubled relationships and a deep search for meaning, but importantly, also lament the state of the world, the environment and the failure of institutional leadership to respond meaningfully to these issues.
I was challenged by Brian Walsh’s thoughts about the importance of lament. After considering lyrics sung at festivals this summer, my blog noted: One reaction to Walsh’s work is to ask whether the church, its preachers (and me?) are taking our prophetic role seriously? Are we too complacent about the state of the church, the state of the world, of our communities? What’s the role of lament in our worship and church life? Are our internal preoccupations making us numb to real needs, threats and pains? It occurs to me that to some extent, the task of prophecy has been outsourced to those outside the church. Surely one thing that we (I) can do, should do, is to discover what are the current issues that concern people in our culture? What makes people lament today?
My reflection on community began with a comment from a 60-something festival-goer as recorded in a BBC documentary: The thing that really calls people to a festival is spirit. They are touched and sometimes that touch changes them forever Amen to that! Dare we hope the same for Church!!
Later I compared this to some poignant words from a much younger festival-goer whose conversation is amongst those recoded by Chloe Combi in her powerful book generation Z: Farzana, 19 (Sheffield)- My boyfriend took me to some gigs and festivals. I thought it was the coolest thing ever… I went to Glastonbury for the first time this summer, and it was so happy and free. Like a great big rainbow tribe. Maybe they should send ISIS to Glastonbury.
Informal conversations and observations backed this up as I saw how festival-goers thrived in the conditions of freedom, self-expression and creativity all around them. After ‘Tramlines’, I reflected on the words of Marsh and Roberts:
‘Music, ritual and worship share a great deal of common ground’ when I noted that: at Main Stage where there were clearly people who were not used to festival going; they donned some of the typical garb found at festivals and with it a more liberated way of being. Transcendence in popular music and religious worship can lead to a different sense of reality but clearly in worship it focussed on ‘the other’ not oneself. How can we help people who experience such transcendence go beyond themselves?
On a personal level as well as affirming the need to engage with popular culture, I was challenged to see the central importance of Jesus even to those who claim no religious faith. He is still attractive to many - although the Church so often is not. (A sentiment I frequently discovered in my study of lyrics). I was greatly aided here by reflecting on the Hebraic nature of the Messiah and the problems of dualism in that many Christians have separated their faith into boxes. Similarly, the divinity and spirituality of our faith is seen as something distinct from the everyday, messy business of living. As the Celtic Christians have discovered, the incarnation is exactly the opposite – there is no distinction. Commenting on ‘The shaping of Things to come by Frost and Hirsh’:
So here’s a call for the rediscovery of the Messianic or Jewish roots of who Jesus is. This means finding God in the everyday, in all aspects of life and certainly in the unexpected. It’s time to stop drawing false distinctions between secular and sacred; spiritual and practical; active and intellectual. The Lord our God is ONE! Therefore, deeds are as important as faith. Whilst the writers do not argue against the centrality of salvation by faith they have no time for aesthetes who are disengaged from the daily reality and struggle of life. Amen to that!
4. WHAT WILL I DO NEXT?
Personally: I met with my spiritual accompanist several times throughout the sabbatical and often came back to this question. With her support, I am considering the implications of integrating my prayer and daily life more and here the Celtic traditions explored whilst at Lindisfarne will be helpful. I will keep up the discipline of journaling (perhaps blogging) as this has been a really powerful way into both prayer and reflection for me.
Personally: I met with my spiritual accompanist several times throughout the sabbatical and often came back to this question. With her support, I am considering the implications of integrating my prayer and daily life more and here the Celtic traditions explored whilst at Lindisfarne will be helpful. I will keep up the discipline of journaling (perhaps blogging) as this has been a really powerful way into both prayer and reflection for me.
Sabbatical has been a wonderful opportunity to (re)discover equilibrium and balance in my life, discipleship and ministry. I am conscious that there will soon by a temptation to take up where I left off and fill every corner of my diary with appointments. On Holy Island I was powerfully reminded that the call to a balanced way of being must be at the forefront of my mind as the diary starts making its demands. Similarly, I need to live faithfully within the reality of a God who is incarnate in the incomplete, unfinished messiness of life -not just in order, certainty and efficiency!
I have enjoyed some academic work. I don’t know if this will lead to anything more formal but don’t want to completely dismiss the notion or lose the benefits. Whether I do anything as formal as this or not, I am determined to keep up the practice of theologically reflecting on popular culture as I encounter it day by day.
In terms of pastoral ministry: in leading worship, to continue looking for ways of including references to popular culture – not as mere illustrations of my Biblical stance but as ways of understanding the spirituality, needs and issues facing those inside and outside the church. I will also try to challenge people to reflect for themselves on popular culture and discern the voice/presence of God in unexpected places. I will continue to aim for worship services that work with all the senses to celebrate the holistic nature of the incarnate Lord of Life. Upcoming Advent and Christmas events will be good places to focus this on!
Circuit leadership: I realise that very little of my time has been reflecting on my general leadership role in the circuit. Yes, I have thought about my personal life as a disciple and a private individual, as a minister to several congregations and as someone who has a public voice for the church. Reflections about using resources to equip ministry in today’s context probably have most bearing on my role as a Superintendent. The insights from spending time away from the church but encountering the Spirit will I believe, inform the ways in which I approach decisions on the use of resources in the future.
As I continue to reflect on the nature of my ministry, I feel affirmed in my role and calling as a minister. At the same time, I feel sure that the Sabbatical will help to inform future decisions about the extent to which I still feel called to a specific Circuit leadership role.
IN CONCLUSION
This has been a wonderful experience. I shall resist the temptation to do a round of ‘what I did on my Sabbatical’ talks; I feel it is important to spend time embedding what I have seen, heard and reflected upon. I am planning to have some quarter days early in December as a formal time to revisit my reflections and a retreat early next spring.
This has been a wonderful experience. I shall resist the temptation to do a round of ‘what I did on my Sabbatical’ talks; I feel it is important to spend time embedding what I have seen, heard and reflected upon. I am planning to have some quarter days early in December as a formal time to revisit my reflections and a retreat early next spring.
I cannot thank the Methodist Church enough and my circuit colleagues for making this time available to me; and of course my grateful thanks to Penny for her support, encouragement and forbearance.
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Thanks also to all who’ve taken the trouble to read these jottings over the summer. I really appreciate that, after all these are precious minutes of your life that you won’t get back!
It would be wonderful if we could find a way of keeping up the conversation about encountering spirituality in popular culture.
Maybe we can set something up, let me know what you think. Perhaps you've got some lyrics that others might find helpful or a band that speaks deep into your soul ? Maybe you have attended events that have taken on the nature of pilgrimage or been taken to another plain by a tingling experience of something 'out there' Perhaps you think I've been spouting rubbish all summer and have some fresh insights.
The blog doesn't seem to like comments so maybe Facebook is the best place to keep it going.
Over to you!
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I’ll leave the last word to Steve Turner wishing that I’d written it myself!
‘Pop culture can enlarge our experience of being human, strengthen faith through reminding us of forgotten truths, challenge assumptions, forge connections with the world and force us to think about practical application of faith.
The church must read the signs of the times. Feeling the world as others feel it can be a healthy check on our temptation to be arrogant or self righteous.’
