Lazonby Church: East of Eden

Alas, we arrived too late. It was 5.15pm, and the church noticeboard claimed it was open each day ‘until 5’. The doors were locked but views of the valley beyond and some interesting gravestones had to suffice. This was the church of St Nicholas in the Westmorland village of Lazonby. In these days of shrinking congregations, limited financial support and a dearth of clerical applicants, Anglican parishes have tended to group together in ever expanding conglomerates, with one or two clergy having to juggle them all. The group to which Lazonby belongs is called ‘East of Eden’: Eden is the district named after the local river which flows from Mallerstang to the Solway Firth. To students of scripture, however (and I’m sure this was not lost on those bishops or archdeacons who came up with the name), ‘East of Eden’ has powerful scriptural connotations:

The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. Genesis 2:8

Within Eden itself, the special garden was planted within its eastern area. 'East of Eden’ therefore bespeaks the very location of paradise, the presence of God.

So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24

Adam and Eve have here been expelled from Eden; its entrance is presumably to its east, and there angelic guards prevent man’s sinful, uninvited re-entry, or others’ enjoyment of the Tree’s benefits.

Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. Genesis 4:16

Later on, Cain the fratricide departs from God and heads to Nod, located to the east of the Eden he was surely forbidden to enter.

The phrase ‘east of Eden’ therefore conjures images of paradise gained and paradise lost. The secured doors of St Nicholas’ Church was a petty reminder of that removal, that exclusion. Kevin Price and I therefore merely removed to our next port of call, but Adam’s family had to toil among the briers and thistles until the days of their death.

Thankfully, Lazonby Church was not entirely bereft of interest to the church-grabber who arrived after 5. A medieval cross base and shaft has survived in its grounds. There are two more recent ones to the rear of the tower, but the older one, albeit without its head, was of greater interest to me. Its top was likely lopped by a local reformer or puritan, but there was enough left to slake my interest and justify the visit.

Eden might have been lost and the Tree of Life was well guarded and out of reach, yet the Last Adam’s terrible crucifixion purchased a readmission. No longer need we live in Nod and without the perimeter; in Christ, Eden shall be restored and the First Adam’s children allowed to enjoy again what he lost.