The modern reader encounters frequent difficulties in the Bible – the acceptance of slavery, the place of women, the angry God who commands the wholesale slaughter of his enemies. We often feel that ancient Biblical culture was so barbaric in comparison to our own. Yet in regard to their treatment of the poor, the Bible is far in advance of our own times: it’s a pity we’re not similarly horrified with own failings in that regard.

There are so many fine passages to choose from in the Old and New Testaments with regard to generosity towards the poor. I’m sure you can call some of them to mind. Similarly, there are many passages in Swedenborg’s work which tell us how these “poor” are to be truly understood. What has particularly spoken to me in preparation for this year’s harvest celebration is the concept of “gleaning:

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:9-10)

Elsewhere we find the “Sabbath year”:

“… but the seventh year you shall let [your land] rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.” (Exodus 23:11)

Now, remember, these provisions are not part of the system of “tithes” (Leviticus 27, Numbers 18, Deuteronomy 12), which is the offering of a tenth of your income. This is in addition to it. You don’t reap to the corners of the field, you don’t strip the vines bare, and only harvest in six out of seven years. What remains is provision for the poor, the stranger and the beasts of the field. Then, out of the harvest you do gather, one tenth is dedicated to the Lord.

It is a generous inefficiency. Doesn’t that contrast with modern life! Business claws back every cent, underpays staff, rips off producers, dilutes the goods, charges more for less, and with increasing determination as each year passes, only stopping to think if it’s caught out. I’m sure you’ve also witnessed people who get caught up in “looking after number one”. When everyone else is doing it, love towards the neighbour becomes so much harder to practise.

Of course, there are spiritual lessons behind the Biblical notion of gleaning. But don’t think for a minute that it lets us off the hook! The reason for our ruthless pursuit of wealth is that we have lost hold of the fundamentals to which this generous inefficiency relates.

Firstly, I am not the source of the blessings I enjoy. I may plough the field, sow the seed, and tend the vines, but I certainly don’t make the seed sprout, grow and bear fruit. Even if you don’t believe in God, agriculture remains a cooperative venture, as do many human endeavours. Nature and opportunity are forces over which we exert no control, though we may strive for it. But we frequently forget this, and forge on – all take and no give – as though we owe nothing.

Then, just as I will never be the author of my own success, neither am I the master of my own destiny. I cannot control the future any more than the past or the present. At least with regard to the future we have the common sense enough to acknowledge that there is much uncertainty. Unfortunately, that only leads us to stockpile, as though somehow I can amass enough of anything to insulate me from every unforeseen circumstance that might arise. Sometimes we do see the folly of such actions, as in the recent craze for hand sanitiser and toilet paper, but much of the time it lies hidden, lurking just below the surface of respectability.

And lastly, I am not the point of my own existence. Sometimes, we treat life as though it’s a bucket to be filled, as though the winner is the person with the biggest …, or the most … (insert your own here, there are so many to choose from). But such an existence is meaningless: the only meaning to be found is in the realisation that I am here to bless others.

Now, it’s very easy for us religious types to read that, nod our heads sagely, and comment upon the materialistic world we live in. But it applies just as much to us as to anyone else! We can be so caught up in our own salvation that we forget others. We can delight in our knowledge of spiritual principles. We can find comfort in the good deeds we perform, or even our own spiritual growth. The riches we treasure might be so-called “spiritual” ones, but they can be just as much of a handicap and a stumbling block to us as worldly wealth. We can lose sight of what that knowledge and action is really for.

When we turn our attention to the church, then, asking questions like, “What is the church here for?” I hope the answer is abundantly clear: it is for others. Yes, we have our own needs. Yes, we must be devoted to the worship of the Lord. But we must also be here for something greater than self. Swedenborg describes the church as the heart and lungs of the universal human, but it’s important to realise that he doesn’t just mean those organs: he is talking about the whole circulatory system which those organs drive and nourish. Individually and collectively, we are channels through which the Lord’s Love and Wisdom flows … to someone else.

Given that, when participating in conversations about the church – how we define membership, for example – I remember that generous inefficiency as an absolute necessity. Sure, “membership has its benefits”, but we’re not a credit card company (actually they only tell you that to justify charging exorbitant fees). Rather, membership has its responsibilities: I join because I seek to support the work I believe in. We do have to provide for our own needs, whilst providing for the needs of those around us. Actually, our greatest spiritual need is to be of use.

I’d like to leave you with this lovely picture of abundance from Luke’s gospel. We’re familiar with the words in Matthew, but I particularly enjoy the continuation, which only occurs in Luke:

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:37,38)

One of the curious things about New Church teaching is that we’ve always known this was going to happen. We’ve been taught about the end of an old Christian era, the increasing irrelevance of traditional forms, the abandoning of religion as it was known for almost two thousand years. But somehow we find ourselves caught out by it. Perhaps, in acknowledging the spiritual reordering that took place 250 years ago, we have forgotten that it must have continuing ramifications in our own world and time, as those events continue to filter down into the physical realm we inhabit. And perhaps, our wildest imaginings of this new world is not nearly wild enough.

As a church, we continue to face new challenges to our very existence. So, despite our teachings, it’s easy for us to bemoan the decline of religious sentiment, spiralling church attendance, and our failing influence upon the hearts and minds of the broader population. But there are two things I take from our teachings, as New Church Day comes and goes this year.

Firstly, the certain knowledge that the change we see about us does actually have to happen. As painful as these events are to live through, we know that humanity must endure them in order to live. If it were not for the Second Advent – and all its manifestations – we would destroy ourselves in a maelstrom of self-love and love of the world.

Secondly, we know that the Lord is in charge, although He seems to us to be asleep at the helm. We know the dawn will come, and that new day will be good. It reminds me of a midwife, all those years ago, describing childbirth: yes, it’s pain, but it’s pain with a purpose, and once the end result is reached, she assured us, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

So, the only question in my mind, is whether I am married to the very things which must pass away?

David Moffat

Induction of Rev Howard Thompson

One of the real highlights of the last few months has been the gathering anticipation of welcoming Rev Howard Thompson as a new minister to the Sydney Society, in Roseville. So, it was a real pleasure to lead the service of induction for Howard on Sunday, 2 September welcoming also his wife Debra and their son Lance to the congregation. Howard and Debra also have two other children, Chelsea and Ben, resident in the US. It was a happy occasion which included a barbecue lunch hosted by the society. The day gave us all opportunity to look forward in eager anticipation of the journey ahead, as well as looking back with gratitude to the work done by past ministers and leaders.

Australian New Church College

I continue to feel excited as I watch the growth of the work done by Rev David Millar and the Australian New Church College. The study of the teachings of our church through the Logopraxis programme continues to grow, gathering new participants across Australia and overseas. Rev Todd Beiswenger’s presentation at this year’s General Church clergy meetings attracted some interest and stimulated new participants to join the programme.

Participation in the College’s formal programme of study also continues to grow, especially from those experiencing Logopraxis. There are now eight active students in Australia and overseas, participating in the certificate and diploma courses, including a group in a Lesotho in Southern Africa.

Pam and I are on the cusp of an extended holiday in the UK and Europe, and I hope to be able to meet with Rev Robin Wooldridge, in Birmingham. Robin completed his training with the College and was ordained by Rev David Gaffney on behalf of The New Church in Australia, in August 2016.

Communication

As I visit societies, and as I talk to people over the phone, I am reminded of our need as a board to improve our communication. There are a number of ways I can imagine that we might do that, but I wonder what you think? If you have any ideas I would be glad to hear them.

In the meantime, if there’s something you need to know about the wider church, your first port of call should perhaps be your local representative. Society reps receive regular updates from the board, and these should be made available and brought to the attention of all society members.

I’m also happy to respond to emails or discuss any matter over the phone. My email address is

d_a_moffat@yahoo.com.au

With every blessing,

David

Occasionally, I hear of people asking, “What is the New Church in Australia for? How does it benefit us?” For me, the number one priority of the NCIA is that it exists to support our member societies in today’s – and tomorrow’s – challenging world. The NCIA provides resources such as this journal, The New Age, it administers the national website, and assists with running annual family camps. Not one meeting passes without some report regarding the state of our societies. It is also aware that in the near future some of our societies may struggle to meet their administrative needs, and the NCIA has measures in place that can be enacted at any time to keep societies’ doors open. If you need help, where do you turn? Hopefully, you will turn to the New Church in Australia.

And speaking of societies, no doubt there will be a report on it later in this journal, but the Adelaide society has been going through some challenging times, with an out of control car demolishing part of their building earlier this year. I understand that repairs are under way, and they hope to be back to normal before Christmas. Our thoughts and prayers go with June Johnson, the committee and all the members of the Adelaide society as they cope with the aftermath of the accident.

What does charity look like?

In the last issue of The New Age, I asked where the church might hope to be in ten years. I challenged each society to develop a sense of useful purpose beyond its own walls. In essence, I wrote about our need to practise charity.

Of course, it’s a concept all members of the New Church can agree upon, indeed, that principle is a cornerstone of our doctrine.

The conjunction of the Lord with man and the reciprocal conjunction of man with the Lord is effected by loving the neighbour as oneself and loving the Lord above all things. (Divine Providence, paragraph 94)

But what does charity look and feel like? How do we actually carry it out? To answer that question, I’d like to look at one specific activity, central to the life of our organisation: charity within the context of worship. It would easy to assume that the mere act of turning up is charity – it is, after all, centred upon the Lord and His Word – but there’s more to it than that. There’s the question of why I might turn up, and how that motivation might lead me to behave.

I don’t want to get complicated and highly theological here, I want to arrive at some down to earth, practical suggestions that might illustrate the principles at work. And I’ll begin with something my mother taught me: JOY. Yes, that’s my mother’s name, but it’s also what she taught me. Jesus first, Yourself last, and Others in between. It’s simple, easy to remember, and ought to provide an insight into the WHY, the WHAT, and the HOW of anything we might do, including “turning up” to church.

Here’s how I see that working out for a worship leader. JOY helps me understand that the worship I lead is not for me. It’s not about pushing my agenda, it’s about leading people to the Word and to the Lord, and helping them to apply spiritual principles to their lives. It’s not about persuading people to appreciate what I find meaningful, it’s about beginning where they are and leading them towards heaven and the Lord. It’s not about satisfying my needs, it’s about theirs. It’s not about my choice of music or activities with which I am familiar, but what speaks to and leads a congregation. Everything I do in leading worship ought to be focussed upon those others (ANY others) who may attend.

“Love consists in feeling the other’s delight as delight within oneself. That is what it is to love. In contrast, to feel one’s own delight in another, and not the other’s delight within oneself, is not to love; for this is loving self.” (Divine Love &Wisdom, paragraph 47)

And what about a congregation? Can I also practice charity in my attendance? Yes, of course, once I realise that attending worship is also not about me.

Yes, by all means, I should attend and support. I should recognise that whatever has been planned is the result of hours of work and study, carried out with me in mind! It would, therefore, be appropriate to respond with gratitude in whatever way I can: actively participating and attending to what is going on, expressing thanks verbally when given the opportunity.

Of course, no one gets it right all of the time, so if I do have a criticism, it would be entirely appropriate to offer it. But I should make such criticism constructive, and take the time and care to give appreciation for what I did enjoy, or found stimulating too.

Perhaps I can offer to help? After all, if worship is something I benefit from, it makes sense – even from a selfish perspective – to take practical steps to enable it to continue. But even MORE importantly, perhaps I can volunteer to serve others who may be present. The core of worship is about preferring the needs of others to my own:

The Lord cannot possibly be present with someone whose end in view is his own good. (Secrets of Heaven, paragraph 1316)

Would you attend (or volunteer at) a service when you expect to gain nothing from it yourself? I would suggest that doing so might offer a nice surprise!

How do I respond to something that doesn’t meet my expectations? Worship is about the Lord and how I can apply His truths to my life. But truth is a doubled-edged sword. True worship is not about confirming my own thinking – what I already know, or what I find comfortable – it’s about challenging those boundaries, loosing the chains of preconceived ideas. So, will you say, “Thank you for challenging me today! I needed to be set free!” or will you grumble because a hymn was unfamiliar?

I realise that these are challenging questions. I also realise that this is very much MY list, you may have other suggestions, which I’d be grateful to hear. My final suggestion recognises that. We all have a built-in sense of what charity actually looks like: the Lord Himself taught, “whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) However, our tendency is to believe that what I want is what you want, and when it comes down to the details of which hymns we like, or what we find most meaningful, or what helps us to learn, we can see that is not necessarily the case. The most important thing I can do for another is seek out what IS most needed, meaningful and instructive for someone else. It is in discovering, allowing, engaging and facilitating those needs that we find our truest expression of charity in our worship.

So, ask someone else, “What is most meaningful to you?” And then act on it.

David Moffat

Given the success of last year’s General Assembly, planning is now underway for our next one, to be held on 4th & 5th of May 2018. This time around it will be held at The Tops, where family camp was held earlier this year. Watch this space for further details.

It is particularly pleasing that Mrs Bev Sheppard is being welcomed as our newest Board member, from July. She brings a wealth of experience with her, and expands the Board’s geographical representation to Queensland. Bev replaces Rev. Julian Duckworth, who is stepping down from the Board following our July meeting. Julian was President between 2001 and 2016, Vice-President during the last 12 months, and a long-standing member of the board. I’ve been grateful to have his assistance in my first year as President, and the ability to call upon his expertise wherever and whenever needed.

I also wanted to share with everyone the exciting work of our Australian New Church College. The Board received regular reports from Rev David Millar, and we are often astonished about the sheer amount that David achieves. Most recently we have heard about the explaining Logopraxis programme, and its spread both nationally and internationally. If you talk to any of the local participants they will quickly recommend it as a valuable tool for reading and applying the teachings of the New Church. But we have also heard how College is commencing the training of ministers for service in the Lord’s New Church in Africa.

Where will we be in ten years?

In my report to the Board of the New Church in Australia (in April 2017), I wrote about the general state of decline I see around our societies. It is right, then, to consider why this is happening, and whether anything can be done to reverse that trend.

In our teachings we read:

“In its beginning, every church regards goods of life in first place, and secondly doctrinal truths. But as a church declines, it begins to regard doctrinal truths in first place, and secondly goods of life. And in the end it at last regards faith only, and it not only divorces goods of charity from faith then, but even gives up practice of them.” (Apocalypse Revealed, paragraph 82)

When we read passages like this – there are plenty that state the decline in charity is the root cause of the end of our church (see Heavenly Secrets 1843, 2417, 2910, 3489, 4689) – we instinctively gloss over and reject them. I look at my own life, and I say, “Well, I am a good person: who would say that I lack charity, or that I don’t have the good of life?” And so, we look for other explanations. We might look at others and assume that, if there is charity lacking, it must be THOSE people who are to blame: it’s their fault, because I know it isn’t me. We might look at our external circumstances in the world: people out there just aren’t interested in religion any more. We might look to some detail of our worship practices: perhaps we’re doing our religion wrong in some way.

These are all understandable reasonings, but let me tell you that every one of them is an illusion of the senses and the proprium. Our teachings point to ONLY ONE cause of the decline and death of a church. How can that be?

Let me explain it like this. Any nation, society, community, or organisation, is exactly like an individual person in the eyes of the Lord. We learn this from Swedenborg’s description of heaven as the Greatest Human (for example, in Heavenly Secrets, paragraphs 457, 3986, 9613). If, on any level, our sole purpose is mere survival or self-interest in any form, we may as well not exist. That applies to me in my own spiritual journey, and to us as an organisation. Whenever and wherever self-interest rules, the seeds of self-destruction exist. However healthy and prosperous we may initially appear, however long it takes, decline and destruction are inevitable. Our organisation may be made up of spiritually-healthy individuals, but if an organisation’s only purpose is its own survival, then what use does it serve? If I can serve my Lord and my fellow man without my church – or worse still, despite the organisation we call church – then, it is destined to fall apart at the seams.

So, when I see that we are in a state of decline, and I say it out loud, I do not blame any one person. As far as I can tell, every single person I know in our societies has charity operative within his or her life. Each of you, in your own way and in your own sphere, serves the Lord, you serve your colleagues, neighbours, friends, other members of our nation and society.

Neither do I look at the world around us, with helpless sighs, as though there’s nothing to be done, as though it’s a lost cause. I look to take responsibility for what is happening to our church, and for the changes that can – and must – take place if we are to survive. But remember, it’s not about mere survival, it’s about serving.

Each society of the New Church across Australia must come together with a shared useful purpose greater than its own existence, and greater than the number of people in our pews. What is the value of its continued existence otherwise? No value whatsoever. It ought to die, and in the Lord’s mercy, it will. This is the challenge we must face: that of finding a shared useful purpose.

“… a person must be concerned about his soul not for its own sake but for the services it must perform in both worlds.” (Heavenly Secrets, paragraph 5949, section 2)

So, let me pose two questions. Firstly, what purpose SHOULD we exist for, as a church? What would excite and inspire you? What would allow you to serve in a way that no other earthly organisation can?

And secondly, what will you do about it?

David

It is easy for any organisation to lose sight of the fact that these are real people, who give freely of their time to keep things moving along and ticking over. “The Board” can so easily become faceless, nameless, a whipping boy for our dissatisfactions even. Being on the Board can be difficult work, frustrating at times, but it should never be thankless. So, I would encourage you to make yourself known to any member of the board (some of them will be at camp). Ask them what they do! Express your thoughts and feelings, hopes and joys, concerns and fears, but most of all, your thanks.

November saw a joint meeting of the Board and the Council of Ministers. These were two days of discussions regarding a wide range of topics – for example, our various web sites, new youtube ministries, same sex marriage, the ordination of women, the strategic plan – and included a General Meeting approving changes to the constitution which allow and provide for individual membership of the New Church in Australia.

Aside from focusing upon the Advent and Christmas season, this edition also includes some articles about the Church’s practice of Natural Charity. This arose from discussions at the Assembly. I would encourage all of our societies to do something, however small. It can be difficult to find something we can do as smaller organisations, something that I’ve certainly noticed in Canberra. But a little imagination goes a long way. Talking to one of our local politicians, I heard of a youth group who invented a service painting out graffiti on private property (with the owner’s permission, of course) in their local neighbourhood.

We can support the larger organisations who engage in valuable work in our communities, by joining in or fundraising.

Engaging in activities has a number of benefits:

• It involves and inspires young people.
• It gets church members working together.
• It provides a common cause beyond merely intellectual theology.
• It is of tangible benefit to the wider community.
• It’s an expression of our faith.
• It’s also a better selling point to newcomers.
• It’s a non-threatening way to engage new contacts in activities, something to invite local community members to join in with.

Wishing you all an enjoyable and fulfilling Christmas and New Year.

I am married to Pam, and we have three children: Alycia (22), Alexander (20) and Ebony (18). My father, Rev Trevor Moffat, is also a minister in the New Church, now retired. He and Mum live in Perth, WA. As a boy, my family lived in the United Kingdom, and my youngest two sisters were born there. I hold a degree in music (from my years living in Melbourne), and a diploma of education (from Sydney). Following my ministerial training in Manchester, UK, I served the New Church in Birmingham (UK) for three years from 1997. We returned to Australia in 2000, moving to Canberra, where I served the church full-time for 6 years before returning to teaching. I am currently self-employed as a piano and theory teacher and as a freelance accompanist. I continue to work for the church in an honorary capacity.

My present employment situation is very different from many of my predecessors, whose work for church congregations more easily dovetailed into presidential duties. However, there is some time available to me, and I intend to dedicate 1:30pm to 4:00pm on most Fridays to work for the New Church in Australia.

Having said all of that, I do wish to make myself as available as possible, whilst respecting the needs of my private students and other clients. So, I invite anyone to call or email me at any time during the week. Whilst I do not pick up the phone while I am teaching, I will respond as soon as possible – but please allow that it may be a day or two before a response is possible. My personal mobile phone number is 0402 944 889, and my email is d_a_moffat@yahoo.com.au

The Assembly
I will leave others to write full reports on the Assembly which was held in Canberra from the 6th May, but let me offer my own observations and comments.

The positive atmosphere and the spirit of cooperation evident at the gathering were a pleasure to participate in, with a range of diverse opinions being expressed – and heard.

We live in a time of change, which can feel uncertain and threatening, but there is good reason for optimism. While it seems that the traditional church formats are running out of steam, other ministries are taking their place: we heard fascinating news of logopraxis, internet ministries, non-traditional services of worship. Comment was particularly made regarding our own full-time ministers, many of whom are retiring: but there are others – including myself – who are simply working to a different model. The Lord continues to work and we will always find opportunities to cooperate with Him if only we are prepared to seek them out.

We all heard heartfelt pleas to foster a sense of belonging, at national and local levels.

There is need for clarity in our definition of “The New Church In Australia”: Are we talking about the Board, the association, the societies, all members of the New Church, or something altogether different? What is each organisation’s role and relationship with one another? There is also a need for better communication between the board and societies, and society to society.

There was discussion around our need and desire to reach out, to get the Lord’s truth out there and allow it to do its work. This included a specific exploration and implementation of a greetings cards ministry.

In all these areas, and throughout the assembly, the important of personal responsibility was emphasised. We cannot expect one to two individuals to carry the load. Where I sense a need – be it our own or that of another – I have to ask, “Who will fulfil it?” Often the answer will be, “me!” Don’t leave it to the ministers, the office-bearers, or the employees. We do not have a huge, monolithic organisation with thousands of members. Each of us must recognise our own responsibility to work for the Lord’s kingdom and our part in it, and it is small organisations such as ours where we can see and most easily express that. To put it another way, in the New Church one person CAN make a real difference. What difference will you make today?

Finally, I want to express my particular thanks to Rev Julian Duckworth. He has served as President for around 15 years, with energy and enthusiasm in his uniquely personable way, and done so through some significant challenges. He remains on the Board as Vice-President until May 2017 to assist my transition into the Presidency, for which I am very grateful.

One of the things that has grabbed me is the difference between many blundering governments and many local people organising direct help.
People in Iceland have offered to take in 11,000 people in to their homes, way more than the 50 their government decided on. One family have a ship in the Mediterranean and spend all their time searching for drowning refugees. People in towns and villages on the Hungarian train line towards Austria feed, give water, hand toys and provide clothes and nappies.

This is ‘the power of one’ except that it is thousands of ordinary people sharing what they have with those who have almost nothing but their will. Yes, we are a long way from it all here in Australia – except that we are involved in our own refugee handling situation – but we do not have to be far away on the other side of the world with our prayers and
voices.

We live in a tremendously individualised world, where people want to take up more of their own responsibility for what they do and to happen in their lives and those of others. No doubt this has several downsides to it, but it has a definite upside. When people are led by their own conscience and what they believe is right and true, they do not follow the dictates of others like a flock of sheep only doing what they are told.
Taking responsibility and focusing on a life of charity – love for others – seems very close to the kingdom of heaven.

To defer the proposal about changes to the Constitution and to take steps to have an Assembly in April 2016, probably in Canberra, at which people can discuss the future needs and direction of the church openly and together, including such things as changes to the Constitution. Societies are being asked to come up with their items to be included in the Agenda for the Assembly.
In late 2016 there will be a General Meeting of the New Church in Australia which would put decisions made at the Assembly into formal adoption.

To consider the possibility of having a physical centre primarily but not only for the Australian New Church College. This has already been worked out in some detail in a Business Plan for the College and societies have been invited to consider financial support for this.

To run a project aimed at contacting and introducing university students to spiritual activity and some of the teachings of the New Church in an interesting and exciting way. This will be later this year and will be happening in Canberra.

Promotion for the Vision Valley Camp in January 2016 has gone out widely to societies and to people who are likely to be thinking about coming to the Camp. A reminder letter will go out early in July. The church needs to have either actual bookings or definite expressions of interest by the end of August at the very latest. Please note this need.

I have mixed feelings about this when I hear it. Like anybody in today’s world, I can see that organised churches are declining for a whole range of reasons. Some are growing because of certain factors which people find attractive or helpful, but most are not.

When I hear people saying “I’m not religious but I am spiritual” I suspect that they are thinking about churches because that is still most people’s association with religion. There such buildings are, along our roads and streets, and we see them and picture what goes on inside them.

To me that’s a pity, only to equate ‘religion’ with ‘church’. I know some church-going people who I believe are very religious. I know some people who do not go to church who, from what I hear them say, acknowledge they are very religious. I know some church-going people who don’t seem to be particularly religious. I don’t make judgments about this; I rely on my senses and on what they come out with.

So then, the question becomes: what do we mean by saying we are religious? Well, it’s fairly well-known that the word religion means ‘tied back to’ – think of a ligament – which helps us see that whether or not we go to church we have secured ourselves to something more than just our own ideas.

This can show itself in several ways. A religious person may have a very strong belief in God or a deep sense of personal values (or both). But it’s often more. A religious person may be very aware of how much they are prone to being selfish or whatever personal difficulty they have to live with. Their need of religion then becomes such a help to them because, by drawing on it in their need, they come back to its steadying influence.

This is why a religious person seems to find words like ‘lead’, ‘guide’ and ‘keep’ particularly meaningful because it’s their own experience. They know what it would be like for them without such ties because that’s been their experience as well and they don’t want to be like that any more. They seek the disciplining of following the religious life. They do not claim they are now good.

I wonder whether a person who says they are spiritual has that sense of being tied to something or of returning back to it and accepting its discipline. I don’t know of course. From what I pick up when people use the word spiritual, it seems to have a much freer meaning and at times not be much more than coming into contact with a feeling in yourself that you have never felt before. That sounds nice but it could start and finish only in ourselves and and leave us feeling there is nowhere else to look.

Julian Duckworth