Tony Blair

It is refreshing to see Tony Blair talking about faith. As he says, 'Mention God and everyone thinks you are a nutter.' And he is right. There is an insane hush around the subject of religion in the media and politics.

Still, it will always be a mystery to me how Tony Blair and I can apparently both be Roman Catholics, when I was one of the 2 million or so that took to the streets to express our disagreement with the war in Iraq. Who knows what the eventual decision was in the upper echelons of power, whether Blair even had a choice about going to war in Iraq. (Never, never, never get out of step with America, as Churchill said.) But I was fairly sure that God was telling me to be amongst that grey river of people who drearily trod through London on that cold day. Which is why generally people in power don't mention their hotline to God. They may well believe that God is telling them to do something, but they know that they are fallible and that they might have got it wrong. There is something innately unhinged about someone who expresses absolute confidence in their ability to hear the Divine Being and act on His wishes. Did Jesus intend me to march? Did he intend Blair to go to war? Who knows. I wouldn't dream of pronouncing on the matter.

So when (if) Blair does at last enter the Catholic Church I shall be glad to welcome him. He may not be particularly truthful but his heart is in the right place I feel. I shall still not be pro war, but that is one of the great strengths of Catholicism - to unite people of widely disparate viewpoints through the institutionalised miracle of Christ's Eucharist. We are all one body because we share in the body and blood of Christ, not because we voted for Blair.

the scandal of grace

copyright Fiona Campbell 2007

Over the last few weeks the leaves have vaunted their outrageous colours. This abundant beauty is almost scandalous in its unnecessity. In the bright sunshine it is as though jewels hung from the trees. It reminds me of the 'scandal of grace' which Bible Alive enjoy highlighting and which I spend much of my life depending upon. the scandal of grace is 'that God's love, mercy and compassion can overwhelm and convert even the most hardened of sinners creating in them a new spirit and a new heart. God's grace bestows dignity - the dignity of being a child of God, for that is what we all are. We are saved and justified because of God's lavish, unmerited and undeserved grace.'



copyright Fiona Campbell 2007

We don't do anything to earn or merit Jesus' love. It is unearned wealth - when we accept it we become trustafarians. 'But God's mercy does not discriminate; God has no favourites. God's grace is available in the places of greatest sin and darkest confusion.' What we have to do is seek out Jesus and ask. And receive.



copyright Fiona Campbell 2007