The Feast of the Ascension

'...Christ's Ascension to the right hand of God is marvellous, because it is a sure token that heaven is a certain fixed place, and not a mere state. That bodily presence of the Saviour which the Apostles handled is not here; it is elsewhere,—it is in heaven. This contradicts the notions of cultivated and speculative minds, and humbles the reason. Philosophy considers it more rational to suppose that Almighty God, as being a Spirit, is in every place; and in no one place more than another. It would teach, if it dare, that heaven is a mere state of blessedness; but, to be consistent, it ought to go on to deny, with the ancient heretics, referred to by St. John, that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh," and maintain that His presence on earth was a mere vision; for, certain it is, He who appeared on earth went up from the earth, and a cloud received Him out of His Apostles' sight. And here again an additional difficulty occurs, on minutely considering the subject. Whither did He go? beyond the sun? beyond the fixed stars? Did He traverse the immeasurable space which extends beyond them all? Again, what is meant by ascending? Philosophers will say there is no difference between down and up, as regards the sky; yet, whatever difficulties the word may occasion, we can hardly take upon us to decide that it is a mere popular expression, consistently with the reverence due to the Sacred Record.

'And thus we are led on to consider, how different are the character and effect of the Scripture notices of the structure of the physical world, from those which philosophers deliver. I am not deciding whether or not the one and the other are reconcileable; I merely say their respective effect is different. And when we have deduced what we deduce by our reason from the study of visible nature, and then read what we read in His inspired word, and find the two apparently discordant, this is the feeling I think we ought to have on our minds;—not an impatience to do what is beyond our powers, to weigh evidence, sum up, balance, decide, and reconcile, to arbitrate between the two voices of God,—but a sense of the utter nothingness of worms such as we are; of our plain and absolute incapacity to contemplate things as they really are; a perception of our emptiness, before the great Vision of God; of our "comeliness being turned into corruption, and our retaining no strength;" a conviction, that what is put before us, in nature or in grace, though true in such a full sense that we dare not tamper with it, yet is but an intimation useful for particular purposes, useful for practice, useful in its department, "until the day-break and the shadows flee away," useful in such a way that both the one and the other representation may at once be used, as two languages, as two separate approximations towards the Awful Unknown Truth, such as will not mislead us in their respective provinces. And thus while we use the language of science, without jealousy, for scientific purposes, we may confine it to these; and repel and reprove its upholders, should they attempt to exalt it and to "stretch it beyond its measure." In its own limited round it has its use, nay, may be made to fill a higher ministry, and stand as a proselyte under the shadow of the temple; but it must not dare profane the inner courts, in which the ladder of Angels is fixed for ever, reaching even to the Throne of God, and "Jesus standing on the right hand of God."

'I will but remind you on this part of the subject, that our Lord is to come from heaven "in like manner" as He went; that He is to come "in clouds," that "every eye shall see Him," and "all tribes of the earth wail because of Him." Attempt to solve this prediction, according to the received theories of science, and you will discover their shallowness. They are unequal to the depth of the problem.'

(From Blessed John Henry Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, volume 2, sermon 18 here)

[Image: Ascension of Christ, ivory, c.400. Details here.]

Fake news: talk on 23 May 2017

Suitable for Framing or Wrapping Fish: the Inevitability of Fake News

17:30, Tue 23rd May, 2017

The Chaplaincy Centre, 1 Bristo Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AL

Free.

The talk will be given by Professor Stephen Brown who is Professor of English Literature at the University of Trent, Canada. His talk proposes that the phenomenon of “fake news” is nothing new. Looking at examples from the early evolution of the Edinburgh press, he will explore if news has ever been separate from business and political interests and whether the ephemeral nature of the press on page and screen encourages fakery. The talk will be chaired by Nick Bibby who has a background in political journalism and works for the University of Edinburgh’s School of Social and Political Science.

Scottish Bishops' letter on election

From the SCMO website here:

General Election 2017

A letter from the Bishops of Scotland
To be read and/or distributed at all Masses on 20/21 May 2017

This General Election presents us with an opportunity to reflect on Catholic social teaching. As Christians, we have a civic and moral duty to engage with our democracy. As Catholics, we believe that the primary goal of society should be the common good; that is the good of all people and of the whole person. Indeed, the common good is the very reason political authority exists.

This election provides an opportunity to reflect on the beauty and goodness of Church teaching and to keep that teaching at the forefront of our minds as we engage with candidates across all parties. During elections, a range of issues compete for your attention; we highlight some of them here in the hope that you will reflect on them and raise them with your candidates.

Human Life

Human life at every stage of development is precious and must be protected. Any laws which permit the wilful ending of life must always be rejected as reprehensible and unjust. We must create a culture of life where the most vulnerable are valued and their dignity respected. The undeniable value of human life, created in the image and likeness of God, is fundamental to the Catholic faith. We should remind our politicians that abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia are always morally unacceptable.

Marriage and the Family

Society relies on the building block of the family to exist. The love of man and woman in marriage and their openness to new life is the very basic cell upon which society is built. The wellbeing of society depends on the flourishing and health of family life and those in authority should respond to this with policies that create economic and other advantages for families with children.

Poverty

Sadly, poverty continues to be a scourge for many at home and abroad. Too many people still struggle to make ends meet. This sad reality cannot and should not endure in our country in the twenty-first century. Our concerns should also extend to providing international assistance, while ensuring that aid is not used to support immoral practices such as those which compromise the basic right to life.

Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Immigration

The United Kingdom should be a place where the most vulnerable are welcomed and given the resources necessary to rebuild their lives. At the same time, we should provide for those people living in and around conflict zones, and commit to working towards the peaceful resolution of conflict.

Living in Europe

There are millions of EU citizens living in the UK and millions of UK citizens living across the EU. Mindful of the uncertainty affecting them, candidates should commit to working towards delivering stability and security for them in future. Our politicians should forge and renew international partnerships and establish rights for those who wish to work in the UK, in a spirit of cooperation and friendship.

Freedom of Religion and Conscience

Millions of people worldwide are persecuted for their beliefs. People of faith, including Christians, should be able to freely practise their faith and bear witness to it in their lives, without fear of prejudice, intolerance, abuse or violence. Candidates should be committed to the right of people not to be forced to act against their conscience.

Nuclear Weapons and the Arms Trade

The use of any weapon that causes more than individual and proportionate harm to civilians is immoral and, thus, rejected by the Church. The use of weapons of mass destruction is a serious crime against God and against humanity. While states are entitled to possess the means required for legitimate defence, this must not become an excuse for an excessive accumulation of weaponry which becomes a considerable threat to stability and freedom.

Respectful Politics

Often, politicians are tempted to score points or resort to insults. We need politicians who are willing to change this and to take politics in a new direction, where dialogue is respectful, and where different points of view, including those of a religious nature, are tolerated.

As we cast our votes this election, let us bear in mind the words of Pope Francis when he said, “The greatness of any nation is revealed in its effective care of society’s most vulnerable members.” Our nation, our Parliament, and our Government will be judged on how it treats its poorest and most vulnerable citizens.

Yours devotedly in Christ,

+ Philip Tartaglia, President, Archbishop of Glasgow

+ Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh
+ Joseph Toal, Vice-President, Bishop of Motherwell
+ Hugh Gilbert, Episcopal Secretary, Bishop of Aberdeen
+ Stephen Robson, Bishop of Dunkeld
+ John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley
+ William Nolan, Bishop of Galloway
+ Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles

Reminder for this evening's talk

Drone Wars: The Leading Edge of Emergent Technology and Conflict

17:30, Mon 8th May, 2017

The Chaplaincy Centre, 1 Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AL.

Free.

This talk will address the development of drone technology as part of a wider review of how emergent technology might change the face of modern conflict. Apart from examining the utility of such platforms, the presentation will seek to reflect on the ethical dimensions of their use both by traditional state agencies and non-state actors.

The talk will given by Andrew Dolan who works as a security consultant and researcher, with a focus on designing and executing simulation exercises. Andrew has worked with an interagency group based at the UK Defence Academy, where he was director of projects on counter terrorism, the European Commission in Brussels, the Office of the Special Advisor to the NATO Secretary General, and prior to that he served 12 years in the British Army.

The talk will be chaired by Professor Zenon Bańkowski, Emeritus Professor of Legal Theory, the University of Edinburgh.

Zenon Bańkowski is of Polish descent. Born in 1946 in Germany, he was brought up in England and studied in Scotland at the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow. He is emeritus professor of Legal Theory at Edinburgh University. His book, Living Lawfully, looks at the relations between Law and Love and the ethical life of Legal Institutions, using metaphors taken from computing. In his recent work he has taken this further and in particular has looked at the place of visual and movement arts in Law and Legal Education (Arts and the Legal Academy and the Moral Imagination and the Legal Life – jointly edited with Maks Del Mar and Paul Maharg).

Attendance is free, but donations of £5 are invited.

The talk is held in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy Centre and the Catholic Students Union.