St Mary, Noke Stew
St Mary’s Church, Stoke Newington, is a massive Victorian edifice, the building of which, thankfully, did not require the demolition of its predecessor, which sits contentedly across the road, and about which I’ll doubtless present some future musings. The ‘new’ church looks like it was modelled on Salisbury Cathedral: a gigantic tower and soaring spire; all within is equally large and impressive. On the church’s website, noticeboard and welcome stand, great pains have been taken to tell the world what an inclusive church it is. The various ‘diversities’ are listed in approving manner and...oh...but what’s this? Someone has crossed out ‘gender’ and written ‘sex’.
Was the sign going too far, or not far enough? Is there a rebel deep inside St Mary’s? Was it a genuine printing error which has been officially corrected? A celebration for the thirtieth anniversary of the ordination of women priests is to take place here this year: might a feminist have come and graffitied the official mantra? As soon as one starts crossing words and phrases out, the worms are out of the can. Why aren’t folk with criminal records specifically mentioned? Members of other religions? Folk with divergent views of the trinity? St Mary’s calls itself a ‘beacon of belonging’, yet the more inclusive we claim to be, the more divisive we become. Only sin unites every human being, and only Christ can forgive, save and restore. Christ is the greater Includer, who welcomes all who come to Him, but He is also the great Excluder, who keeps away from His heaven all who refuse to heed His call. Churches can claim to be as inclusive as they like, but the true gospel will always be divisive and disruptive.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Matthew 10:34, New King James Version.
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