The name of "Jesus"
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The following is an edited copy of a recent long parish magazine article written by Rev. Prebendary Gorran Chapman B.A. of Torquay in the Diocese of Exeter, England. It concerns the international furor that was caused by the naming of a child’s toy Teddy Bear in a school in the Sudan. The Teddy Bear was brought into a school classroom and the seven-year olds asked if it could be given a name. After voting amongst themselves they gave it the name of ‘Mohammed’ which happened to be the name of several of the class members. The British teacher agreed with this, not realizing the implications of her agreement. In the event only high level diplomatic intervention prevented her from extreme punishment for this. Many arguments have been put forward concerning this event but one of the questions that arises is that of our thoughts as Christians regarding the use of the name of Jesus. One of Rev. Gorran’s Muslim friends living in Torquay, asked him - ”How would you feel if children in a classroom in Torquay wanted to name a Teddy Bear ‘Jesus’?”. The article continues - "That was a very good question, because the moment he put it to me I knew that I wouldn’t like it, and that it would be something I would want to discourage or resist. I hadn’t thought before about the contrasting fact that while Muslim people freely use the name “Mohammed” for their sons, we do not use the name ‘Jesus’ to call our children - even to think of doing so would be barely acceptable in our society, as much by people of no particular Christian commitment as by Christians themselves. Why is that? Is it perhaps, that we think it would cross a boundary of good taste and be presumptuous? Could it be that somewhere deep down we all hold the name “Jesus” in more awe than we realise? And if we have that reticence about the name of Jesus why is it that Muslims are at ease with using the name Mohammed for people, even if they are unhappy with it’s use in other contexts? I couldn’t help noticing that at the very same moment that this episode was developing in the Sudan, here in Britain the High Court effectively overturned our laws on Christian blasphemy when they rejected efforts by Christian campaigners to bring a prosecution over a stage show which belittled Jesus. The judges concluded that “Blasphemy cannot be proved merely because some people of particular sensitivity are moved to protest”. When we hear the name or person of Jesus taken in vain, or in any way treated disrespectfully, spoken against or abused, we might remember how Jesus himself responded at his Trial…….The Bible tells us that for the most part Jesus answered not a word. When he did speak, he spoke in sadness; in concern for those who did not understand what they were doing; in forgiveness for those that had done wrong, and in prayer for his enemies. We hear nothing of his demanding revenge……..and there are lessons there for us, about how we might react or relate to those whom we consider are treating the things of Jesus in an inappropriate way. So, we can see that the Muslim religion, and the way they honour the name of their “great man”, far from being a threat to us, actually has something to teach us about our care for our faith, and about the way we honour our “great man”. So how important is the name of Jesus to you? How important is God in your life? To what extent do your prayers, your Church attendance, and your support of Church events and finances take a priority in your life and timetable? How conscious are you in all you say and do, that you are living by Christian values? In short - is your Christian faith and your love of God just one of your many hobbies; or do you really care enough about it to make it the most prized, valued and defended gift that you have, and your Number One priority for 2008 and beyond?
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