The Gates of the New Jerusalem
Went last night to see my friend Chris Collins installed as the priest-in-charge of 'the united Benefice of Cobham with Luddesdowne and Dode' (what an Anglican mouthful). The Bishop of Tonbridge gave a sermon that was too short. Yes, really. Only ten minutes, needed further unpacking. What he said was intriguing and deserved further exposition. How many times do you say that about a preacher?
In particular he referred to Revelation 21:25 where John says that the gates of the New Jerusalem will never be closed. He said that if the New Jerusalem in Scripture is the ideal city, then what model of church does that provoke for us? We need to be churches with 'open gates', but that isn't how we're always perceived. We look very 'closed' to many non-church people. He referred to a survey in Coventry Diocese in 2003 of people outside the church, asking them which was the one question they most wanted answering in life. The top six were ones many in the church also ask. The Bishop used this to raise the issue of how we go on a search in our culture for meaning in relation to these questions, as they are being posed in the arts and the media. The trouble is, he didn't give any tools to help his listeners begin on this quest. That's where I'd have liked to have heard more from him.
I turned up a Bible commentary on Revelation today which puts a slightly different light on the verse. The gates are open because there is 'no night', i.e., security measures are no longer needed because evil has been conquered. Maybe that in itself is a challenge to the witness of the church. There are areas in which we tragically do need gates in position - child protection is one issue that comes to mind - but our world is fast becoming a 'gated community' not always literally but metaphorically. That's the last thing the Christian Church needs to be.
In particular he referred to Revelation 21:25 where John says that the gates of the New Jerusalem will never be closed. He said that if the New Jerusalem in Scripture is the ideal city, then what model of church does that provoke for us? We need to be churches with 'open gates', but that isn't how we're always perceived. We look very 'closed' to many non-church people. He referred to a survey in Coventry Diocese in 2003 of people outside the church, asking them which was the one question they most wanted answering in life. The top six were ones many in the church also ask. The Bishop used this to raise the issue of how we go on a search in our culture for meaning in relation to these questions, as they are being posed in the arts and the media. The trouble is, he didn't give any tools to help his listeners begin on this quest. That's where I'd have liked to have heard more from him.
I turned up a Bible commentary on Revelation today which puts a slightly different light on the verse. The gates are open because there is 'no night', i.e., security measures are no longer needed because evil has been conquered. Maybe that in itself is a challenge to the witness of the church. There are areas in which we tragically do need gates in position - child protection is one issue that comes to mind - but our world is fast becoming a 'gated community' not always literally but metaphorically. That's the last thing the Christian Church needs to be.
posted by Dave Faulkner at 1:09 pm
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