"When You walked here,
took skin, muscle, hair,
eyes, larynx, we
withheld all honour: 'His house is clay,
how can he tell us of His far country?"
- Margaret Avison
I read these poems in 1967 - 68 they continue to resonate today.
The starting point for this website is the Resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah and its impact on Today ... and Tomorrow.. This website is also a journey to explore events, meetings; paintings; words spoken or written.... the past remembered ... sometimes disturbingly. I have chosen to change from Third Day Dawning to 'The Fifth Act' to more deliberately focus on what The Church is supposed to be and do in the light of Creation, Fall, Israel, Jesus being the first four Acts of the Grand Drama.
About Me
- John Swanston
- Having spent most of my life in education and currently in semi-retirement I've decided to add blogging to my interests - with many thanks to my daughter, Katrina. She set the format and continues to encourage. Hopefully this will prove useful even if just for myself. School, Church and Home were key reference points. Jesus the Risen Messiah has been my key reference person. The Word who became flesh.
Introduction
Several themes will reoccur in this site, with each post labelled with a theme. The Journey is one, Words and the Mystery of Words is important. Jerusalem is more than just a name. The Resurrection of Jesus is crucial. Relationships connect with most - by the nature of things. The writers mentioned below are important not only for the books they wrote but a relationship that developed as I continued to read their books. There is a definite place for MUSIC. The impromptu Jazz Concert on Junee Station at two in the morning; Reg Livermore's three hour performance; the bagpipes of the Black Watch in the Theatre Royal Lithgow; the introduction to Stamitz and Schutz from the footpath outside Palings on George Street Sydney; The music of the film "As It is in Heaven"; the choirs at the Billy Graham Crusades, the enjoyment I had in the various choirs to which I belonged. The music about which Chaim Potok writes, BUT that for another day with suitable preparation! I am not certain about the preparation but in "Two Songs are Sung" that music is revealed.
THEMES
- A QUESTION BEFORE YOU (1)
- ADVENT CALLS (1)
- Advent Challenge (4)
- COLONISING EARTH with the PRESENCE of HEAVEN (1)
- CONFRONTATION (1)
- CONFRONTING RESURRECTION (1)
- CONNECTIONS (10)
- CONNECTIONS or JOURNEY LESS TRAVELLED (3)
- IMAGE SPEAKS TO TRUTH (2)
- JACQUES ELLUL (1)
- Jerusalem (2)
- JOURNEYS LESS TRAVELLED (9)
- JOURNEYS WELL TROD (4)
- MUSIC and CONNECTIONS (4)
- NARRATIVE EXPLORED (5)
- OWING TO THE OTHER (2)
- PICTURES PAINTINGS FILMS AND IMAGES (6)
- POET SPEAKS (7)
- PREACHING (1)
- RESURRECTION (1)
- RESURRECTION LIFE (1)
- SILENCE (8)
- TESTIMONY TO CHRIST (1)
MUSIC and CONNECTIONS
- Bach and Schutz - The Gospel passions, Matthew and Luke by Schutz
- Carl Stamitz - Clarinet concertos. .. excellent sound
- Church, School & College Choirs -Lithgow and Bathurst
- Doch Gipsy Orchestra in October 2007 at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
- Jazz on Junee Railway Station at 2.00am I was a passenger on a train
- Jerusalem Quartet - Hayden
- Les Miserables - as musical: a magical event in London on the evening before returning home. A cloud floater experience
- Mozart's Piano Duets
- Palladian Ensemble - an Excess of Pleasure
- Reg Livermore - three hours of musical drama
- Schutz - Musikalische Exequien
- Sissel - the gift of love
- Welsh Choirs - Morte Christe, Pererin Wyf and Mor Fawr Wyt Ti
- Yes, ABBA to be included
JERUSALEM
A Place! ? ; A Relationship ! ; The Place of Peace. The desire to create such a place -Dar-es-salaam, Negara Brunei Darussalam; And the NEW invites the whole world to be Jerusalem.
When you visit www.ntwrightpage.com you can download an excellent paper - "Jerusalem in the New Testament" (122K PDF)
JOURNEYS WELL TROD
Taken so often their import could be forgotten; they can provide security - either true or false security; taking time to reflect on them can be confronting and/or affirming. The reflection is worthwhile from time to time.
JOURNEYS LESS TRAVELLED
Special occasions;
Some less travelled because of fear, of pain, and yes, of uncertainty ... guilt may persuade one not to return but then comes a call to repentance and seeking forgiveness.
The opportunity has been blocked for some reason beyond your control.
Some less travelled because of fear, of pain, and yes, of uncertainty ... guilt may persuade one not to return but then comes a call to repentance and seeking forgiveness.
The opportunity has been blocked for some reason beyond your control.
PICTURES, PAINTINGS, FILMS & IMAGES
Random in a way - Magritte; Derain; Icons; Visits to Queensland Art Gallery - William Robinson; the National Art Gallery in Canberra - every visit has provided something special for both Jocelyn and myself; the surprise delight at Sydney of "Golden Summers": the challenge of Rick Ball and Chris Neild who over four Saturdays in Springwood provided an invitation to an Aesthetic Journey. Recently the Swedish film - "As It Is In Heaven" proved a wonderful, joyous experience. Both as a cloud floater between Brisbane and Singapore, then as a complete screening with Jocelyn in Brisbane.
Katrina and James have photos to show of them, their doings and the people they meet. They are important to us.
Katrina and James have photos to show of them, their doings and the people they meet. They are important to us.
POETS SPEAK
Crafted words speaking into universal need.
A fellow apologised for writing long emails ... he did not have time to write a shorter one!
Exploring the Mystery of Words.
The poet writes ... can we ... do we .... read?
The poet speaks .... can we .... do we ... listen?
The challenge of ambiguity, of nuance.
There is a gain in appreciating the beauty of language. We had students from the past visit our home. The sound of Kadazan spoken there was a sound of beauty.
There is a caution in translation.
The place for metaphor and the practical necessity for Parable. Tom Wright suggests that there is a story to be told so great that it requires Parable to tell it... rather only Parable could tell it.
CONNECTIONS
This spot recognises and explores the connections between paintings, poets, writers, films, events in my own life. The unexpectedness of these connections can surprise, confront, delight. Breathing new life ..... into me ... and perhaps into others ......
SILENCE
One of the mysteries of Word; the gap in conversation; the margins around every page written; the silence in relationships.
Shusaku Endo's book "The Silence" demands attention.
As does Helmut Thielicke' "The Silence of God"
The unsaid word in every conversation and encounter.
There can be great cruelty in silence as many a child knows.
We expect word written, word spoken .... BUT ..... The Word became flesh and dwelt ... among us. Now that is disturbing... confronting and .... immeasurably comforting.
WRITERS TO READ
- Alexander McCall Smith
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
- Chaim Potok
- Colin Thiele
- D.R.Davies
- Elias Chacour
- Evan Imber-Black
- Harry Blamires
- Helmut Thielicke
- Jacques Ellul
- Jim Wallis
- Kenneth Bailey
- Kenneth Cragg
- Lesslie Newbigin
- Marilynne Robinson
- Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen
- Miroslav Volf
- Orhan Pamuk
- P.D.James
- Robert Linder
- Rowan
Williams - Shusaku Endo
- Tom Wright
- Walter Brueggemann
Family Connections
VALUABLE WEBSITES
- http://avigailabarbanel.me.uk
- http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org
- http://www.australiansforpalestine.com
- http://www.beyondblue.org.au
- http://www.bitterlemons.org
- http://www.covenant-communion.com
- http://www.fsj.org
- http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk
- http://www.fusion.org.au
- http://www.greenbelt.org.uk
- http://www.miftah.org
- http://www.ntwrightpage.com
- http://www.ntwrightproject.com
- http://www.opportunity.org.au
- http://www.palestinechronicle.com
- http://www.rickball.com.au
- http://www.sabeel.org
- http://www.seekingwisdom.ca
- http://www.sojo.net
- http://www.tear.org.au
- http://www.tikkun.org
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