Missionary Gas

Each day my class starts with a devotional led by students, and manipulated by me (for sanity’s sake: most students are climbing-the-wall Pentecostals). My latest antidote is for them to form their prayers using Scripture. Today we read about the woman from Samaria, so the student interceded for relationships with neighbouring Venezuela. Colombia’s elections are in 4 weeks time, and Venezuela’s President said yesterday that if a particular person were elected it would mean war. He was speaking about the most popular candidate, right-wing Juan Manuel Santos. One conflictive issue is the influence of the USA. Colombia has 7 US military bases and Venezuela claims these are for espionage. Venezuela has an anti-capitalist policy, particularly anti-USA, which has led to the seizure of assets and an exodus. Colombia is pro-USA, gets 550 million dollars and lots of enemies. Both policies are wonky; for the sufferers are the poor, the educated and the voices cryi...

It’s 2 years since I’ve been going for an early morning run and can now get beyond the bottom of the road. Recently I’ve been running up a hill called the Volador (Flyer). It’s where Olwen takes her sewing ladies for an outing: they walk up the road and at the top have their picnic and look out over the city. However there are dirt paths going up which are not well known. One of these, at the back of the hill, is through gates which look as if they belong to a castle. Behind them is a clean tiled street, where horses are stabled. Sometimes a pack of dogs greets you or a cat stares. And this is when you feel you’re joining Alice in Wonderland. At the bottom of the street there is a bridge leading into woods. These were once the haunt of guerrilla gangs but are now eerily quiet. This morning a mini leopard jumped out on me, well it was a big cat – but frightened me just the same. Eventually you reach an old sign, “The Castle” where there is a poli...

Classes started back today. I teach the Synoptic Gospels at 7 am and Johannine Literature at 10 am. Each one has about 20 students and lasts 90 minutes – without a break. And you have to keep them moving: if you don’t control them, they’ll control you. So in my preparation I divide each class into blocks of 20 minutes with inter-active participation. Materials are then put on the Seminary web site for the keen ones to download. At times I feel like an electrical current – all flow, and with the threat of an odd explosion. Students’ Bible knowledge varies: a third very good, and a third terrible. The biggest challenge is keeping everyone, including me, focused. Once your mind enters the Biblical world there’s so much to draw your attention. Jesus had the same problem with the sons of thunder and the impetuous, questioning followers. And I also suspect that those Galilean fishermen laughed as much as students did today. Photo: Students studying John´s Gospel ...

Easter in Medellín is when you need to fight your way into church. The priestly wail, like a mantra, sounds out full blast through the packed chapel and neighbourhood: “Pardon us, Lord … pardon us, Lord … pardon us ….” Crowded Resurrection Sunday parades carry a semi-naked Jesus leading a demurely clad Virgin and a host of lesser saints. Two days later, I wander into a large, but now nearly empty chapel: a few kneel before a statue, an old man is reading his Bible, then a white-gowned priest arrives and genuflects beside me. I decide it’s time to leave; as thousands are doing. Almost half the world’s Catholics live in Latin America but there is a notable shift to evangelical Protestantism. Our own Seminary limps along, crisis-driven, but pulsating with students wanting theological education. People email me asking where they can get correspondence course materials. Christ is building his church and Mary, the saints and the sacraments won’t stop that. Easter Su...