"For Such As Care To Attend....."

Susanna Cibber - a scandalised woman but
at the premier of the Messiah her faith
showed through and her sins were forgiven!

On Monday night Pat’s choir took part in the annual Community Messiah in our local Church – St Peter’s. As I have blogged about before for many, including myself, hearing Handel’s great work marks the beginning of Christmas.  It is a “Community Messiah” – in other words anyone can come along and join in. The conductor, instead of having his back to the audience as is usual in a concert, on this occasion faces the audience and choir as they stand together in the pews and join to sing Handel’s great music. And at the end everyone, choir and people stand side by side to applaud – not, perhaps, the quality of the performance, although that is always wonderful, but rather the great music, the coming together and, most importantly, the message that the Messiah brings.

After the event Pat commented that the four soloists had all been good and in particular she mentioned the bass – a gentleman who has sung the part with the choir since the choir’s inception half a century ago. She was right, and she was also right when she commented that he sang every word as if he believed totally in the words he was repeating. We know that he is a committed Christian so, I suppose, that was to be expected but the fact that he was not just reciting the musical score made the performance even more memorable. The great music and words when combined with his obvious belief gave it an extra “edge.” It reminded me very much of the oft told tale of the first performance of the Messiah in Dublin in 1742. The women soloists on that occasion were Christina Maria Avoglio and Susannah Cibber well known opera singers of the time. In those days opera singers, actors and the like, although stars of the theatre, were every much regarded as rather dubious and amoral people. To have these two women singing part of a religious work was, in 18^th century terms, risqué. In the case of Cibber, however, it was worse - only three years before she and London society had been scandalised because Susanna had been at the centre of a great court case having been proved to be part of a menage de trois with her husband and their lodger! During that first performance of the Messiah, however, a Dublin clergyman, Rev. Delaney, was so overcome by her rendering of "He was despised" that reportedly he leapt to his feet and cried: "Woman, for this be all thy sins forgiven thee!" Clearly her faith showed through!

We will be back at St Peter’s over the weekend when, as usual, we will be attending the annual carol service. I have no doubt that the church will be packed as it usually is for this event. And on Christmas Eve, we will go with our children and grandchildren to their local church to join in the annual Christmas Eve children’s service where any child can dress up as a member of the Christmas story and take part in the retelling of the great tale. At the end of the service the children will be at the front in tableau form - the Christmas message will be passed on. And each year up and down the country and across many nations the story will be told of those happenings in a far off country over 2000 years ago.

In this day and age I’m sure few actually believe that the events as described in the Bible actually took place in the way that they are depicted in carols, in nativity plays and on Christmas cards. The story, though wonderfully told, is to most of us, a matter of faith – we believe it no matter how unlikely it sounds. Perhaps it is all little more than a few facts becoming entangled over 2000 years - the Roman rule of Palestine, a great census, an unusual birth in a small town in Palestine, a rather bright comet that happened to appear at about that time,  a young preacher achieving a certain notoriety in the Roman occupied land - and all the rest - maybe this is all there is to Christmas myth.  Author Doris Lessing’s comment that “myth is a concentration of the truth”  - is maybe right, that disparate events are simply concentrated into one tale to make a “whole”. Certainly,  if one looks at the story as told in the Bible or as seen on millions of Christmas cards it would be easy to find yawning gaps in the absolute “truth” of it. "Clever" people like the famous atheist and humanist Richard Dawkins would have no trouble at all in demolishing the events of Christmas story but that, however, misses the point. It is not the story but what it represents that is important and this in turn brings in the notion of faith; I cannot prove there is a God, or that Christmas happened as the Bible says, but I believe it to be so. That is faith. And it is the nature and nub of all of the world’s great religions.

Putting away the Sikh Holy Book

Some years ago Pat and had the good fortune to visit the Golden Temple of Amritsar, the spiritual home of all Sikhs. It was a hugely humbling and moving experience where the innate faith and goodness of that religion were positively tangible. We walked through the Golden Temple at night and listened to the Sikh Gurus reading from their texts and at the appointed hour watched, fascinated and in awe as the great Sikh Holy Book was transported from the Temple, as it is each night, to its resting place. The crowds gathered around desperate to touch the golden Ark carrying the book – this was faith in its rawest form and humbling. The book, in addition to any guidance that it gave Sikhs, was a symbol of their faith and belief as the Christmas story is to Christians.

I was rudely reminded of this faith issue last week when there was a minor uproar in the UK. A vicar was taken to task by parents at a school in Wiltshire. He had been talking to the children and explaining the legends of Santa Claus and his links with figures from the past like Saint Nicholas. I have done that many, many times in Christmas school assemblies  – indeed the tales he was telling were the very ones that I have used over and over. Unfortunately some incredibly stupid parents accused him of ruining the belief that young children have in Santa – and, bizarrely,  that the children might no longer believe in the tooth fairy!!!!!. Hmmmm? They took it still further by threatening to burst into his church on Christmas Day and shout that the Christmas story is not true. Clearly, that says more about the parents than it does about the unfortunate vicar. Obviously they didn’t quite “get” the bit about faith – most Christians like adherents of most great religions do not, I suspect, believe in the literal story of their God or spiritual icon, it is faith as represented by the tales and symbols of the religion that sustains them. Were I in that church if and when they burst in my response would be “and your point is? – we know the story is myth and it matters not one jot – I believe it”! Of course, this sort of thing is not new when people hear things that they don't like! It's all rather reminiscent of the story of the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket in the 12th century.  The King, Henry II, did not like the stance that Becket took and in a fit of fury angrily asked "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest"? The rest is history: his comment was heard by four of his knights who travelled to Canterbury and killed Beckett as he knelt at the altar. People, be they kings or parents of young children in Wiltshire, don't like their worlds being upset, their desires thwarted or the fun and cuteness of Christmas being sidelined by such people as  priests! So far as the Wiltshire parents are concerned and using sporting parlance it seems to be Santa, Rudolph, presents, turkey & partying 1 the sacred, the serious and faith 0! 

Angry Wiltshire parents and their troublesome priest!

But there is another dimension of this. In the UK (and I am sure, too, in other western nations) it is common for the right wing media to complain that our essential national identity is being sidelined, eroded and compromised by the beliefs and traditions – especially religious - of other nations. The globalisation of the world and the mass movements of people that are a characteristic of the modern age mean that the faith and beliefs of others can easily clash and, over a period of time, be marginalised. There is perhaps an inevitability about this – and it causes problems at an everyday level – as immigration alters the ethnic make up of populations. I recently read that the Girl Guides Association have, rightly, changed their Guide’s Promise so that it is inclusive of other faiths. Their action has, however, caused much consternation. Issues such as this are often depicted as “threatening” to the indigenous culture by right wing extremists. Whatever the truth of that I do not believe that our society helps itself. As a society we have consistently secularised Christmas and confused the Christmas story as set out in the Bible with a hotchpotch of other beliefs and celebrations – Santa, parties, mince pies, Christmas trees and so on – things that have little or nothing to do with the essential nature and message of the Christian Christmas story. Christmas, like other great religious events throughout the world is, of course, a time  of celebration – but increasingly in the west we have allowed and encouraged the celebration aspect over its religious foundations.

I have just been looking at the TV schedules for this year’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; despite there being some 102 hours of TV programmes on the six main terrestrial channels there are only five religiously based programmes -  BBC has four and ITV has only one. This gives a total of two hours and fifty minutes devoted to the Christmas message – less than 3% of the time available. Equally, when I turn my TV on and see adverts for programmes or goods all are prefaced and based upon Santa, reindeer, snowmen, elves and the like – God is nowhere to be seen! It has not always been so. As a child I can remember that each year we watched (for example) on our little black and white TV the story of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” – the opera by Menotti. My parents were not opera enthusiasts nor particularly religious, and to be fair my father grumbled all the way through, but it was a way of “keeping Christmas”. And throughout the days of Christmas we would tune in to the various carol services and the like that were then offered as part of the scheduling. In short we are today giving away Christmas in favour of fun and party poppers.

If you haven't read it you are missing a treat

I am reminded of George Layton’s wonderfully poignant and explosively funny short story “The Christmas Party” (in the book “The Fib and Other Stories”) . In the story, on the day of the school Christmas party the teacher, Miss Taylor, asks her class what is the most important thing about Christmas. “Presents, Miss” shouts out one of the children. Miss Taylor replies “No. Tony, not presents. Christmas is when the baby Jesus was born, and that is the most important thing, and when you are all enjoying your presents and parties, you must all remember that. Will you promise me?” And, says Layton, “Everybody promised that they’d remember baby Jesus...... .”  Sadly, however, I fear the birth of Jesus will not be on the minds of the majority in our allegedly Christian societies as we enter the festive period - but I find that hard to blame on Hindus or Moslems or Sikhs or indeed confessed atheists, agnostics or humanists! As a society we increasingly choose the flippant, the mercenary and the cute over the profound, the serious or, in this case, the sacred! But, hey, let's have a good time - get another drink in, pull another cracker, turn up the radio so we can hear the latest Christmas number 1 we don't want seriousness or religion to mess up Christmas.

The effect of this mixing up of Christmas messages, of confusing the Bible story with the ancient mid-winter celebrations and beliefs about Santa, reindeer, elves, parties, presents and the rest means that as a society we are actively “watering down” our own beliefs. Given that scenario it is not surprising that the strong convictions of those other religious groups within our society – Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and the rest begin to look threatening. It is not the fault of these other religious groups – they are simply being true to their faith. We, on the other hand, increasingly wish to be less true to ours and substitute the essential Christian messages with tales of reindeer and jolly men with long white beards. In short, our beliefs and traditions are being overridden not by people of other faiths but by our own disinterest and commitment to our own. One only needs to think about the tale I quoted above about the parents in Wiltshire or look at the TV scheduling to see the truth of that – Santa is quite simply more important to than the Christian message. And if any further proof is needed, then consider the recent comment by Sarah Palin the American politician and one time presidential candidate:"I love the commercialization of Christmas because it spreads the Christmas cheer the most jolly holiday on our calendar ... obviously." American blogger, Leann ruefully and rightly commented “I can't make this stuff up people!” (http://crazyworld-leann.blogspot.co.uk/ ).

Rudyard Kipling

Each Christmas I am reminded of the importance of faith and belief when I think of Rudyard Kipling's great, powerful and thought provoking poem, Eddi’s Service (AD 687). I used this poem often at school in the run up to Christmas and it has formed the backbone of a number of the carol concerts that I organised over the years. Although Kipling wrote this almost a century ago and it refers back to a time in the distant past it has that strange and wonderful quality of being almost more relevant today than it was then. When I first discovered the poem many years ago I was mystified by its title and it was only when I did a little research that it all made sense.

Eddi, refers to Eddius Stephanus who was chaplain at the tiny church of St Wilfrid's in Church Norton, Sussex in the late seventh century. Church Norton was also known as Manhood End. Little is known about Eddi except that he was a follower of St Wilfrid and it is thought that he was also called Stephen of Rippon. Wilfrid had been shipwrecked off the Sussex coast in about the year 680 and so violent were the local Saxons that he only escaped with his life to the north of England to York. Wilfrid is mentioned in the writing of Bede, the mediaeval monk and scholar and he was appointed to be Bishop of York where he set about rebuilding the church – later to become the great York Minster - which had fallen into some state of disrepair. It was while in York that Wilfrid appointed Eddi as his singing master to teach monks plainchant. Presumably that is also the connection for Eddius with Ripon – for that town is just down the road from York.  Eventually, Eddi and Wilfrid set off in the late 7^th century and travelled together to convert the unruly Saxons throughout the length and breadth of England and at last they arrived back in the Sussex area.

Eddius Strephanus' "Vita Sancti
Wilfrithi"

During that time Eddi is thought to have written of the life and work of Wilfrid in one of the first Anglo Christian documents. Vita Sancti Wilfrithi. This  document, written in mediaeval Latin, is now housed in the British library in London and in the Bodleian in Oxford.  Wilfrid was determined to convert the Saxons of Sussex to Christianity and was lucky in his dealings with them. He met the local Saxon king who was impressed by Wilfrid’s religious conviction and  his bravery in coming to such an unruly and heathen place and so he gave Wilfrid land upon which he could support himself and his followers and where he could build a church. This church became a cathedral and local folklore has it that this is now under the sea near Selsey which is at the very tip of the Manhood Peninsula. Legend has it that its bells may be heard ringing in stormy seas warning sailors and recalling Wilfrid’s first visit to the area when he was shipwrecked. As Wilfrid’s influence spread other churches were built – one of them was at Church Norton or Manhood End as it is also known and Eddi became its priest.

Eddi’s Service (AD 687)

Eddi, priest of St. Wilfrid, in his chapel at Manhood End,
Ordered a midnight service for such as cared to attend.
But the Saxons were keeping Christmas, and the night was stormy as well.
Nobody came to service, though Eddi rang the bell.
“Wicked weather for walking,” said Eddi of Manhood End.
“But I must go on with the service for such as care to attend.”

The altar-lamps were lighted, - an old marsh-donkey came,
Bold as a guest invited, and stared at the guttering flame.
The storm beat on at the windows, the water splashed on the floor,
And a wet, yoke-weary bullock pushed in through the open door. 

“How do I know what is greatest, How do I know what is least?
That is My Father’s business,” said Eddi, Wilfrid’s priest.

The chapel at Manhood End - scene of Eddi's
Christmas Service

“But - three are gathered together - listen to me and attend.
I bring good news, my brethren!” said Eddi of Manhood End.
And he told the Ox of a Manger and a Stall in Bethlehem,
And he spoke to the Ass of a Rider, that rode to Jerusalem.

They steamed and dripped in the chancel, they listened and never stirred,
While, just as though they were Bishops, Eddi preached them The Word,
Till the gale blew off on the marshes and the windows showed the day,
And the Ox and the Ass together wheeled and clattered away. 

And when the Saxons mocked him, said Eddi of Manhood End,
“I dare not shut His chapel on such as care to attend.”

by

Rudyard Kipling

St Wilfrid

Rudyard Kipling lived quite close to where all this supposedly took place and knew of the tale – hence his poem – and each time I read it I am reminded of the simple faith of Eddi. Its truth doesn’t matter – it is a matter of belief – and has just as much resonance today as the true meaning of Christmas is so often under threat by the commercialisation of the season, the drunken office parties and pub crawls  and  the silly parents complaining about a vicar “ruining” the tale of Santa or the tooth fairy for their spoiled children. Our church was full the other night to hear the Christmas story as told by Handel in his great Messiah  but it was not so full as the pubs clubs of Nottingham. And the church will be full again on Sunday for the carol service and my daughter’s church will be standing room only for the children’s Christmas service on Christmas Eve. But the reality is that the majority of the population will not be there. Just as in the heathen 7^th century Saxons were celebrating mid-winter and ”keeping Christmas” in their way so, too, will the modern Saxons be keeping theirs in the shopping malls, the pubs and the clubs and by watching "Strictly Come Dancing" or "Downton Abbey" and the rest on their flat screen TVs. Most will not, as Eddi put it, “care to attend” their local church or Messiah.

Fra Angelico's 15th century painting of the
Christmas story - no Santas, reindeer, or
shopping malls. There is, however, an ox and an
ass - just like the ones who cared to attend Eddi's
Service!

 Eddi’s service and the Christmas story, as told in the Bible, are the real messages of Christmas  - not Santa, not Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, not the latest supermarket offer or technological must have, not the over used and meaningless “Merry Christmas”, not the excess of alcohol, part poppers or partying. There is nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of Jesus – for Christians it is a time of joy and celebration. Nor is there anything wrong with celebrating midwinter – be it in pagan AD 687 or in (perhaps even more pagan!) AD 2013 - or believing in Santa, or leaving a mince pie and carrot out for Santa and Rudolph, or partying or revelry, or spending a fortune on trivial and unnecessary gifts. There is nothing wrong with all this so long, that is, that we don’t confuse it with the Christmas story, which has a totally different and opposite message to those trivial and secular matters. The Christmas story is about the nature of life, belief and humanity and as Miss Taylor, asked in George Layton’s story, we need to know what is the most important thing about it. Eddius Stephanus would have understood that perfectly.