This week I wish to devote the whole blog to my dear friend Laurie Brokenshire and his wonderful family. Please take the time to look at this video which will best explain the situation that Laurie is in and the amazing way in which he is dealing with it. The featured song “My Jesus My Saviour” taken from a Risen! concert in 2014 features Chloe, Laurie’s daughter -in -law and also Laurie himself as he played the role of Clopas. He is standing at the back wearing a blue tee shirt. It would be great if you could support Laurie and his family.
“A family – that’s what we’ve come to be” featuring The London Touring Cast – Risen! The Musical at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
Judas – “This perfume could have been sold for the poor.” John- “Judas is felt to be a reliable man” – John and Ensemble – “Hosanna”
Last week I said that Professor Stephen Hawking’s first wife was Jane Wilde. She is now 70 and married Hawking in 1965 after meeting him through his sister at a party when he was 23, a year after he was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease.
Wilde wrote the book “Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen” from which the award winning film “The Theory of Everything” was adapted.
So I have two very good friends, Tony Smith and his wife Anne who now live in Cambridge. When I saw them a couple of years ago I said that I had just seen the film “The Theory of Everything” in which award winning actor Eddie Redmayne does such an amazing job playing Stephen Hawking. Actor Felicity Jones also received high acclaim for her portrayal of his wife Jane Wilde.
My friend Anne then told me that she too had recently seen the film and that she had an interesting story to share with me.
Anne had been speaking to some friends before the start of their choir practice. She could not understand why they started smiling and even laughing when she spoke of how good the film was and what an amazing woman Stephen Hawking’s first wife was.
Anne asked what the hilarity was all about and her friends pointed to another member of their choir – another person who Anne knew well but only by her first name which was Jane.
Yes you have guessed it -that member of Anne’s choir was Jane Wilde – the first wife of Stephen Hawking.
“My Beloved King” featuring Chloe Brokenshire as Mary sister of Martha and Lazarus – from Risen!- The Musical CD recorded and produced by Joffy Girling
I have named some famous scientists who are Christians – Isaac Newton for example and I have also said that others like Albert Einstein would be better described as agnostics. I have also mentioned Brian Cox and Richard Dawkins who are atheists but what about Stephen Hawking, arguably the greatest living scientist?
In his book “Searching Issues” Nicky Gumbel writes that Stephen Hawking makes the point that
If the density of the universe one second after the Big Bang had been greater than one part in a thousand billion the universe would have re-collapsed after ten years. On the other hand if the density of the universe at the time had been less by the same amount the universe would have been essentially empty since it was about ten years old. How was it that the initial density of the universe was chosen so carefully? Maybe there is some reason why they universe should have precisely the critical density.
Gumbel continues to say that although Hawking does not believe in a creator God his own theory would seem to point in that direction.
Back in 1988, in his book A Brief History of Time, Hawking said, “If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason — for then we should know the mind of God.” However now he is saying that God didn’t create the universe but instead “Nothing created everything.” This statement has caused some to say his statement has violated the basic laws of science. “It is embarrassingly unscientific to speak of anything creating itself from nothing. Common sense says that if something possessed the ability to create itself from nothing, then that something wasn’t nothing, it was something — a very intelligent creative power of some sort.”
One thing is for sure and that is Hawking’s first wife Jane Wilde is a strong Christian. She tells of how she once received a phone call from a hospital in Switzerland letting her know that he was close to death.
“Please Lord, let Stephen live,” was the prayer she recalls saying.
The doctors said that there was nothing else that they could do, and asked her for permission to turn off Hawking’s life support, but Wilde refused.
“Turning off the respirator was unthinkable. What could be more shameful then for such a heroic struggle for life to end! It would negate everything that I too had fought so hard for,” she said.
My response was instant: Stephen should live.
Due to the critical situation at hand, doctors had to perform a tracheotomy on Hawking, which succeeded in saving his life, but left him unable to speak and requiring the electronic voice synthesiser that the world now associates with him.
Wilde is now 70. She married Hawking in 1965 after meeting him through his sister at a party when he was 23, a year after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.
Wilde wrote the book “Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen” from which the award winning film “The Theory of Everything” was adapted.
I have a story about that to share with you next week.
“Mustard Seed of Faith” featuring Ross Gill from the album For Unsung Heroes recorded and produced by Ross Gill
I was watching Professor Brian Cox present BBC’s “Forces of Nature” and was most impressed with his great love for and deep appreciation of nature. What I found difficult to understand is how all the wonders he celebrates can be caused by accident. Professor Cox is a well know atheist – in my blog of June 30th I listed some of the many great scientists who are Christians but there are, of course many well-known scientists who are not – Professor Cox being one and Professor Richard Dawkins, author of the “The God Delusion” famously another.
What about Albert Einstein?
Wikipedia states:
Einstein stated in his final letter: ‘I am not an atheist.’,[19] explaining at one point: “I have repeatedly said that in my opinion the idea of a personal god is a childlike one. You may call me an agnostic, but I do not share the crusading spirit of the professional atheist whose fervor is mostly due to a painful act of liberation from the fetters of religious indoctrination received in youth. I prefer an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and of our own being.”[1] According to Prince Hubertus, Einstein said, “In view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what really makes me angry is that they quote me for the support of such views
So not an evangelistic atheist like Dawkins but one who would call himself an agnostic.
And Charles Darwin, author of “Origin on the Species? “
Nicky Gumbel in his book “Searching Issues” states that towards the end of his life Charles Darwin wrote of :
“The impossibility of conceiving this immense and wonderful universe including man as a result of blind chance or necessity. When thus reflecting, I feel compelled to look to a first cause having an intelligent mind in some degree analogous to that of man and I deserve to be called a theist.”
And Professor Stephen Hawking ? Lets see where he stands in next week’s blog.
“Allow His Loving Arms”- featuring Ross Gill recorded by Ross Gill from the album The Season of Singing
Just putting the question of is there a conflict between science and Christianity on hold for a week as the Shearsmith family have been going through very difficult times recently and I am sure we are not alone.
Gareth Benton of Kings Church, Portsmouth said the other week that when we are in a storm, Jesus either stills the storm or stays close by guiding and helping us through the storm. My family can testify that He has been with us helping us through the storm.
These reassuring words from Isaiah 41:10 are very special to me. They were said over me by Mr Mill’s father when I renewed my Baptism vows at Holy Rood church on 18th May 1997 (see blog April 17th 2014 ) and I read them out when Caroline, my wife was baptised in the Solent on September 4th 2011
So do not fear for I am with you
Do not be dismayed for I am your God
I will strengthen you and help you
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
I wrote “Allow His Loving Arms” during another desperately difficult time in our lives and I thought it appropriate to feature the song again this week.
“Give Us Your Heart Lord” featuring The London Touring Cast – Risen! The Musical at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
“The Fire of Sacrifice” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Precious” recorded and produced by Ross Gill
When looking at this question I finished last week by saying that I would take a look at Christians that are scientists- of course the fact that some scientists are Christians does not prove there is no conflict in the same way the fact that some scientists are not Christians does not prove that there is. Nevertheless it would be still be interesting to see what notable scientists are also Christians.
Let’s start with Mr Hodge – For many years Head of Science at Crofton School and a great friend who recorded and produced the early Mustard Seed songs- he is a Christian.
Nearly as famous is Isaac Newton (1642- 1727) who in addition to giving us the famous laws of motion also wrote theological books wishing to share his Christian faith with others.
Robert Boyle (1627- 1691) well known for his “Boyles Law which describes the behaviour of gases – he also wrote “The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of Creation.”
Michael Faraday (1791- 1867) Pioneer of electromagnetic induction
Louis Pasteur (1822-95) the French chemist who gave his name to pasteurised milk
Sir James Young Simpson (1811-70) the first surgeon to use the anaesthetic properties of chloroform
Lord Joseph Lister (1827- 1912) who established antiseptic surgery.
So what again is the significance? It simply shows that science and Christianity are not opposed for “If two teams really are in conflict against one another no key player can be on both sides at the same time” (John Young “The Case Against Christ.”)
But what about the really big names – the household ones of Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein and yes Richard Dawkins? Next week I’ll look at what they say and what is said of what they say.
“You Have Opened Our Minds” featuring the London Touring Cast – Risen! The Musical at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
You Are My Rock featuring Lucy Rutherford from the album “For Unsung Heroes” recorded and produced by Ross Gill
Last week I finished by saying that in Genesis, the focus is on the “why” and by “whom” rather than the “how” – so there is no conflict with science. This week I would like to explore this point still further.
Stephen Gaukroger in his book “It Makes Sense” says that science makes observations, carries out experiments, formulates hypotheses, tests them, defines them and then produces a theory which it believes best explains the facts. It is trying to get at the truth as to “how” our world works. But science only offers one aspect of the truth. For example a scientist could say that playing a violin is “rubbing the entrails of a dead sheep with the hairs of a dead horse” and the facts would be described accurately- but not all the facts. You would not be answering “why” the music is enjoyable and “why” the violinist is playing at all. Strictly speaking science can only answer the “how” questions not the “why.”
Gaukroger goes on to say :
This is an important fact to grasp. To the question why is the grass burning a scientist could answer by talking about the presence of oxygen, the combustible nature of grass and so on but this is an explanation of “what” is happening not “why”. The answer to the “why” question could be that a cigarette was carelessly discarded or a farmer was clearing his waste ground. It is precisely in this “why” area that Christianity has so much to say. Science cannot help us with issues such as right and wrong, beauty, peace, joy and love. These subjects do not yield their secrets to the laboratory or the study. God cannot be put under a microscope or the Christian faith examined in a test tube. These things are beyond the scope of scientific enquiry.
Next week I will look at scientists who are also Christian/ Christians who are also scientists. Can I make a start? – Isaac Newton – yes the apple – gravity and all that!
Caption – “Give Thanks To The Lord” featuring the London Touring Cast – Risen! The Musical at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
“Yours Is A Jealous Love” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Precious” recorded and produced by Ross Gill
Last week I started to consider if there is a conflict between Science and Christianity and began with a look at the issue of evolution. I made the points that evolution is a theory and not a fact and that not all notable scientists believe in evolution. Also that science is constantly being refined and corrected and so it is bad science to regard any scientific theory as anything more than provisional.
What I wish to consider today relates to the story of Creation in Genesis – one of the main reasons why some think there is a conflict between Science and Christianity. There are different interpretations amongst Christians as to what the Bible means by God creating the world in six days, however the point of Genesis 1 is not to answer questions of “How” the world was created but “Why” and by “Whom.”
Nicky Gumbel in “Searching Issues” writes:
The Bible is not primarily a scientific book but a theological one. It offers a personal explanation rather than a scientific one. The scientific explanation does not prove or disprove the personal one; rather it is complementary. Even Stephen Hawking has admitted that “Science may solve the problem of how the universe began but it cannot answer the question: “why does the universe bother to exist?”
Dr John Lennox uses the following illustration:
I show various academics the most magnificent cake ever seen and ask them to analyse the cake for me. A world famous nutritionist talks about the balance of the various foods which make up the cake. A leading bio- chemist is more interested in the basic chemicals that form the cake and the physicist states that it really is about protons and quarks. The mathematician argues that the cake is, in fact, all about the fundamental equations governing the motion of the electrons and protons. After their exhaustive analysis of the cake I then ask them one more question “Please tell me why the cake was made?” And there before them is Aunt Matilda who made the cake. Irrespective of all the amount of scientific analysis she is the only person who can answer the question of why the cake was made. And then Aunt Matilda puts everyone out of their misery by explaining that she made if for her nephew’s birthday party.
The maker of the cake/ the maker of the world is the one who has to speak to explain why the cake/world was made. Aunt Matilda tells us why the cake was made and in the Bible God tells why the world was made. In Genesis, the focus is on the “why” and by “whom” rather than the “how” – so there is no conflict with science.
And now for something completely different! If you are in the London area today or tomorrow it would be great if you could see some members of the cast of Risen! The Musical – Jodie May Quirke ( Mary Magdalene) David Murray ( Thomas ) and Johnny Fitzharris (James) who are performing in “Ordinary Days” at the Hounslow Centre, TW3 IES – 7.30 pm
Hosanna ! featuring the London Touring Cast – Risen! The Musical at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
What More Could You Do Lord? featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album “Where Would I Be Without You” recorded and produced by Ross Gill
I have for some time been considering why there is suffering in the world. This is probably the most challenging question to ask of anyone- not just Christians. Is there a conflict between science and Christianity is another often asked question. In order to attempt to answer I will refer to three books which I have quoted in previous blogs: “It Makes Sense” by Stephen Gaukroger- “Searching Issues” by Nicky Gumbel and “The Case against Christ” by John Young.
I think I will grasp the needle right from the start and look at the issue of evolution- as Gaukroger states “Of all the issues which have caused concern about the relationship between science and faith, evolution is the most explosive.”
Gaukroger goes on to say that although the impression may be that the entire scientific world believes in the theory of evolution and only a few eccentrics and religious cranks would deny it, the fact is that there are a great number of notable scientists; Christians and non -Christians who do not believe that the commonly stated evolutionary theory is the best explanation of the facts we have. Creation is a perfectly reasonable alternative to evolution. He goes on to make it clear that evolution is not a fact but a theory and to teach it dogmatically as fact presents an erroneous view of science. Science he says “Is constantly on the move refining, correcting and reviewing its theories… in the past it has held views totally contrary to the views held today.” Indeed Gumbel states that to regard a scientific theory as more than provisional is bad science. He cites the example of Newtonian physics being regarded as virtually incontestable until Einstein and others showed that its laws break down when Quantum Mechanics and Relatively become relevant.
And if I may include a personal note here- I am angry that children are taught in schools that evolution is a fact and not a theory – like Gaukroger I fail to understand how such a dogmatic approach can be defended. It is not just Newtonian physics that shows that scientific theory is provisional – after all it was only months ago that we were told that nothing is faster than the speed of light but apparently there is now evidence that this is not the case.
I believe in evolution of the species, sometimes called “Micro -evolution and can see that the domestic dog has evolved from wolves but to believe that human kind has evolved from fish or apes (Macro- evolution ) is for me much less believable than that we were created as humans by God.
A Time for Everything – featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album The Season of Singing recorded and produced by Ross Gill
Over the past months I have been considering one of the most often asked questions and one of the most challenging to answer- Why is there suffering in the world? Another often asked question is “Can Christianity and Science be compatible? I will start to look at this next week but today I would like to give a short update on what is happening with Risen! The Musical.
The last production was at my brother’s church, St Peter’s in Ravenshead, Notts – I thanked all concerned in the blog of May 19th. Prior to that there was the production at the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth in April. It was at these NTL performances that Risen! was filmed by Global Fire Creative. The visual footage is now being edited by Ross Gill at Global Fire and the audio by Joffy Girling. The intention is to have this finished by the end of this month and then for us to continue to negotiate its broadcast on Christian Cable TV channels, such as Revelation, God TV and TBN.
Furthermore we are hoping for Risen! The Musical to be produced in DVD format with distribution to churches and prisons.
With the help of Martin Wise, a Trustee of Mustard Seed Songs, we are applying to the Arts Council for funding for a UK Tour in Easter 2017. The plan is to perform in up to six different venues all within a 2 hour drive of London. The productions would take place on Saturdays or Sundays between the weekends of Easter and Pentecost .
We are also looking at one- off productions between now and then so please watch this space.
