The Dean

I offended someone this week. At least I am aware of offending at least one person! What did I say? I called the church the ‘fag end.’ It is perhaps not one of the prettiest epithets for ‘church.’ A ‘fag end’ is after all a rather derogatory description of that unpleasant soggy mess left after a cigarette has been smoked and then stubbed out in an ash tray or under the sole of a shoe. Why is the church a ‘fag end’ for goodness sake?

In my more cynical moments that describes how I see the church; the human activity that many people choose to engage in when there is nothing better to do, which includes staying in bed! ‘We can’t come to church vicar because we go cycling or dancing or shopping’ (the latter apparently the latest ‘religious’ experience). You name it and anything is more worthwhile than ‘going to church.’ At least that appears to be the case for many northern

Europeans who have abandoned their churches and along with that, any notion that as human beings they might be made up of body mind and spirit.

The misuse of drugs to enhance any human experience which includes wilful damage or grievous bodily harm seems to be an accepted part of life. Before we get smug about not being drug abusers we would do well to remember that more people take drugs (sometimes medically prescribed) to make them sleep than those who take performance enhancers. The misuse of alcohol figures somewhere here too; all much more exciting than going to church or seriously attending to things spiritual.
Why then do we have huge sections of the human race who are unfulfilled, dissatisfied with their lot, suffering stress, anxiety and depression and a record number of offenders in prison and high suicide rates?

Is it naïve to suggest that all this and much more of the malaise that afflicts western society, is due in part to the popular trend of denying human spirituality? What are we doing when parents take the attitude that their children can decide for themselves when it comes to matters of spirit and faith? Without some understanding and foundation of personal faith they have nothing to choose with or between. Modern education curricula encourage children to learn superficially about world faiths without any reference to the fact that it might actually be a life and death issue to have a lively faith of your own. Yes, this IS the parent’s responsibility as much as feeding and clothing and teaching children social skills. But society, through education systems also has a part to play.

The idea of ‘fag end’, ‘remnant’ or ‘rump’ is not new when applied to the church or the biblical people of Israel. In Genesis 45 Joseph consoles his brothers when they realise how they maltreated, abused and neglected him. Now in the midst of their adversity God has been faithful and “preserved for you a remnant on earth to save you…” In other words Joseph was treated like a ‘fag end.’ They were now suffering the consequences of their faithlessness, but God is faithful and merciful in the long run.

Later in Israel’s sacred history, as a result of their arrogance and faithlessness the people of Israel are taken into captivity, a devastating blow to their pride as well as their faith in God. Only a rump or remnant remains (2 Kings 19:4). In the New Testament St Paul looks back on the long history of Israel and highlights the faithfulness of God despite the waywardness and apathy of the people right up to the present time: “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” (Romans 11:5)

When the church is treated by its own people as a ‘fag end’ it is not only the church that suffers but the whole people who lose the wellbeing of their souls and those of their children and their community and society suffers. History is punctuated by the dire results of human spiritual apathy.

So, next time you find yourself articulating a ‘good’ excuse for not going to church just remember the fag end you are helping to create!
Alan Hayday