did anyone listen to the Ascension Day Service from St Martins in the Fields on Radio 4 this evening? because that address by Rev Dr Giles Fraser was just wonderful in the opinion of this hardened atheist

[harpsichordcarrier]

and the music wasn't bad either
he made some fantastic points about poverty and about the priorities of today's church
compared the attitude of the media/public to the Dewsbury Estate/"chav" culture to the well to do in the 19th century visiting Bedlam to mock the mad.
and that mocking the poor was blasphemous (they are blessed after all ) and that thoughtful Christians shoul dforget Jerry Springer and concentrate on our attitude to the poor in our society

very eloquent and beautifully expressed and radical

I would recommend it for all thoughtful Christians and humanists and anyone interested in the role of religion in our society
I now have a big crush on him, which will come to a crashing halt in about two minutes when I google image him

phwoar, look at the intellect on that...

lololol he does look like an inspiration HC.

Ah yes, Jesus had a similar message didn't he? Church of the poor and all that.

Excellent.

[hardened atheist too emoticon]

Though really, that's what they do well don't they? I mean vicars or whatever they're called. They are social workers, in cardigans, running youth clubs and things. With patience. Very moving really.

Can we have a link?
I need my soul to be nourished.

I think you are going to be radicalized, and told who will inherit the earth Moondog. Possibly not much nourishing.

(Oh and [whispers in the pews} someone told me to talk to you about dd's speech. Was it you? Can I sometime? Not now obviously, our minds are on higher things).

Yes, feel free.
Everyone else does.

Oooh thank you. Now? In church?

It's only quick actually [speaks loudly, ignores looks from the verger} She lisps, does the f and th mix up, but also w and r, and s and sh very hard. She is 6. Someone said I should leave until big teeth come through? True? Leave all together and all will be fine?

Sorry to ambush you in church when you were looking for nourishment.

[whistles, consults flower arranging rosta, remembers radical thoughts, looks serious]

I didn't hear it, but have been thinking more and more lately how the C of E is looking like the last bastion of the Left. Seems bishops and the like are the only people in positions of authority who are not in thrall to the tyrannical law of the Market.

Must be something to do with not knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing...

here is the listen again
bless you my child
there is some wonderful Latin Amercican baroque music too - if you like that sort of thing
which I do

thank you for this HC, will listen later.

(I did laugh when I opened the image link)

I know bero he has a great face for radio

leave it Hunded.
It will come right on its own.

Hear hear Iorek
Our dwindling suburban parish consists almost entirely of feisty pensioners who do day trips to go and stand witness with the protesters outside Zimbabwe House on the Strand, and write grumpy unanswered letters to the Burmese Military Junta
Our vicar is nothing more than an old Spart, an Old School Christian Socialist, bless her
I find this really cheering in a Tory heartland
Am going to listen again later, thanks for the link Harpsi...and...I'm afraid that by C of E standards the Rev Dr Giles Fraser is extremely fit

I listened too and loved it all. Isn't it great when the Church returns to the bible ?

Thank you Moony - that is EXACTLY the kind of advice I love.

Though you know, it does stick in the craw a bit.

Because for all that Jesus taught about the church of poverty, the Church itself has been hugely rich and influential and corrupt and power mad hasn't it? Over the years? Probably still is. Despite the odd socialist vicar and outreach worker.

I agree with him though. But I haven't listened. I need to install real player.

One of his articles (in the Guardian, of course!) is quoted approvingly by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion.

Wonder if he leaves that one off his CV...!

As a broadminded and radical cleric I bet it doesn't bother him in the slightest HelloBeastie. Plenty of Christians are open to discussion and debate with atheists
If Dawkins did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him (with apologies to ace Humanist Voltaire)

the Constituency might be Tory smc, but the parish, a much smaller area, has a special ministry to the poor and homeless of the West End
It doesn't tend to appoint complacent One-Nation parsons

The Archbishop of Canterbury is also one of the few truly moral voices in our public life (when church politics allows it). Ditto Archbish of York.

Bisdh. of Cant. went to Sudan though didn't he and said nowt about Darfur?

he's not the vicar of st martin's, he was a guest speaker for the service. here's guardian today on church refurb.

homelessness work is done by a separate organisation not the church itself.

Thanks for the link fishie, that was a great article
I think the writer's point that St Martin's gives house room and thereby support to such a worthwhile and successful mission, where other churches do not, is one the C of E would do well to heed

So, if we follow smallwhitecat's logic through, presumably a BNP constituency should only have racist priests? And priests in Lib Dem areas should wear sandals with socks?

Maybe his message will encourage Christians who think it's OK to exploit the poor to take a long hard look at themselves...

(By the way, I believe the Rev Dr's home turf is in Putney somewhere.)