Trump Uber Alles

Heil Donald.

I went to evensong last night and I find myself wondering why.

The answer is assuredly that I find comfort in the extraordinary beauty of the high Anglican tradition.

I have done so throughout my life – from prep school aged 8 when I sang in a glorious Saxon church, through public school when I attended daily morning prayer in Westminster Abbey, through to university when I would sit in the ancient college chapel which doubles as Oxford’s cathedral.

Does this sound snobby, smug and self congratulatory? Highly probably, and there is a certain element, even in my conscious thoughts, of economic and class privilege which has enabled me to lead a life which most would find highly privileged and pampered.

My privileged life is not something I regret and I feel no need to apologise for it. And yet I am very, very grateful. I acknowledge my enormous luck, the random chance of having been born into an environment which has given me so many advantages.  Which I have done nothing to earn.

I was reluctant to go out in the freezing cold last night, but I had a hankering to hear what our good natured priest might have to say about the state of the world.  And in particular the ominous rebirth of fascism in the US and throughout Europe.

For some the church is all about doctrine and so it transpired last night. Had I bothered to reflect a while before going, I would have realised that yesterday was the date for the celebration of the Pauline Ephipnay.

I have to say I have always found good old Saul grating in the extreme. Pompous, bombastic and nonsensical. Jargon ridden hogwash.  I’m a Jesus man, me.  The Sermon on the Mount says it all – all the rest I find absurd.

I cannot and will not believe in god in any conventional sense, and as for the “love” of god, where is it to be found in this brave new Trumpian world?

Although of course there is nothing whatsoever new about the mean Ginger Tyrant’s base behaviour and sick motives.

My heart sank last night when the good preacher mentioned nothing about the state of the world but instead droned out St Saul’s tedious doctrinal balderdash.

What would Jesus the man have made of our world?  Perhaps he would suggest “rendering unto” Trump, Putin and Jinping. Some say the historical Jesus sought not change on earth but adherence to a separate world of god. I’m not so sure. I prefer to imagine the historical Jesus would have suggested practical and positive ways to improve earthly happiness and to achieve an egalitarian and just society.

Even if only by way of example. By the life which he and his disciples led. And that, for me is what Jesus was all about. And is about. And as such he has much in common with many of the world’s spiritual leaders, not least the Buddha.

The trouble is it is rather hard to render unto Trump when he has his boot in your face. When he is dismantling the US Constitution and its precious safeguards.

Just as it must have been hard to render unto Hitler when he was herding you to the death camps.

But if the church is to remain relevant, it cannot, in my view, stand by and preach some imaginary heavenly kingdom when the likes of Trump are creating a real, visceral hell on earth.

It should not be preaching preposterous, convoluted Pauline gibberish when the stormtroopers are marching the streets once again intent on murder and mayhem.

Perhaps the separation of church and state is a mistake. I do not think we should be rendering unto Caesar.

I am with Bonhoeffer. I don’t want to assassinate anybody (even the evil ginger pigmy) but I would like to see the church pushing for more relevance. For egality, for justice, for the rights of man.

I would like to see “my” church, “our” church calling for jam now rather than jam tomorrow. I would like to see our church in all its beauty and majesty contributing to a vision of what life on earth could and should be like.

I have no doubt my views will cause great offence to those of a more doctrinal disposition, and for that I apologise. But I do have “Faith” of a sort and I maintain my right to proclaim it.

My god may be that of Spinoza and Einstein but my god has a profound belief in justice, democracy and “love”.

You will never see any politician up to the job – so perhaps the preachers could make more of a positive and active effort to transform society.

I admit that I have no idea quite how but I must give the matter further thought.

I will continue to reap the enormous benefit I find in High Anglicanism. I will continue to sit in our beautiful churches and listen to the extraordinary music Christianity has created. I will continue to be bowled over by the beauty and vision of our art and our architecture.

And I will hope that the spirit of Bonhoeffer will encourage us all to work towards a world where the meek can inherit the earth.