Checking Theology

Sermon preached at St Peter and St Paul’s Church Swanscombe 21st January 2004 based on Nehemiah viii.1-10, I Corinthians xii.12-31 and St Luke iv.14-21.

Pawn to King’s fourth.

This is how it starts.

George introduces himself
to his new opponent
and makes his first move.

He seals the envelope
and sends it off to the address
that the Correspondence Chess Agency
has given him.

Then he dons his
cassock, alb, maniple and chasuble
and becomes Fr. MacKinnon
of Our Lady of the Snows,
Purbridge.

A few days later,
after the Post Office has lost it,
found it,
lost it,
found it again,
sent it to the wrong road,
had it returned
and finally delivered it to the right place,
a letter drops through the door.

The Rev’d Derek Knox,
a Baptist minister from Falkirk,
opens it and finds himself
in receipt of George’s letter.

He does choke slightly
on his morning cup of coffee
when he realises that he’s been given
an opponent who is also
a Roman Catholic priest.

This, thinks Derek,
will give me the chance
to save this poor chap’s soul.

So he sends George a cheery note
and another Pawn to King’s fourth.

George is surprised at finding himself
in correspondence with a Protestant,
but happily replies to his opponent
asking him about his life,
what he does
and where he feels his ministry is going,
giving him in return
a knight to Queen’s bishop’s third.


Derek replies amiably enough,
but there’s a pointed remark
about his running his ministry
directly from God rather than
through middlemen.

George knows that
Derek is referring to
the government of the Pope and the Cardinals,
and makes a polite but firm reply
about Bishops in the New Testament.

Knight to king’s bishop’s third.


And so on.

Each clergyman makes a polite,
and well-reasoned defence
of his denominational position
as well as a challenge to the other.

The discussion is heated,
but never hurtful, nor impolite.

The game of chess goes on.

George matches Derek’s moves well,
and Derek meets every attack that George makes
with a subtle and cunning counterattack.


Does this theological wrangling matter?

Isn’t it all a simple game of chess
where it doesn’t really matter
who wins or loses an argument?

After all, we all get to heaven don’t we?

[PAUSE]

Well, no.

Jesus Himself spoils that idea
when He says that on the last day
there will be people who will say
“Lord, Lord, this is what
we’ve done in your name”
and to whom He will reply
“in truth, I never knew you.”

There are people who call themselves Christians
who will not be in the Heavenly host.

Is this something to do with
which church we belong to?

Is there a right denomination?

Are you in the right place
being members of the Church of England?

[PAUSE]

One thing is for certain,
a denomination is not
an opinion or a choice.

It is a deep-seated belief
held by many about
what is right and what is wrong
and who has the authority to say
what is right and what is wrong.

Opinion cannot do that,
because it is only personal,
and largely irrelevant in the scheme of things.

People don’t get burnt at the stake
and suffer martyrdom
for their opinions,
but for their beliefs.

Any Catholic will submit his life
to the rule of the Church.

A Catholic’s opinion
does not matter in questions of teaching,
because he relies on the Church
to teach him the truth.

The trouble is a Catholic
could deny his responsibility for thinking for himself
by saying “the Church tells me what to do.”


A Protestant relies on the Bible alone.

If the Bible says that it’s allowed,
a Protestant will do it with gusto.

If the Bible says that it’s not allowed,
not only will the Protestant not do it
but quote chapter and verse as to why it is wrong.

The trouble is that a Protestant
can make up his own interpretation of the Bible
to justify killing all the Jews or the Blacks.

This has been done and is still being done.


Why are there many more
Protestant denominations than Catholic ones?

They are all based on personal interpretations
of the Scriptures.

They can’t all be right!

So which is the right Church?

[PAUSE]

There is a car crash.

George’s mother dies very suddenly.

His letter to Derek is filled
with heartache and sorrow.

Derek replies,

Dear George,

Over the last months
I have enjoyed your letters
and this wonderful game of chess.

You certainly have a talent
for putting me in check.

You also have a talent
for putting me on the spot with doctrine.

I’ve learned a lot about myself,
and about Catholicism,
as I hope you have learned
about yourself
and about the Baptists.

You won’t change and I won’t change,
and only God can unify us.


I am so very sorry to hear about your Mum,
and I see how hard this must have hit you.


Yesterday I popped into
our local Catholic Church for Mass.

Don’t get excited.

You know how I disagree with you
fundamentally
about this Mass business,
but I know that you believe that
all Masses are linked by Christ
to any other Mass that’s been said.

Well,
I want you to know that I am here for you
in your hour of need,
and by attending this Mass
– although I couldn’t take Communion
and you know I wouldn’t do so
– I hope you will feel me
standing beside you.

Your friend in Christ,

Derek.
P.S. Queen to King’s rook 6.

Check.

What do you think of this letter?

Is Derek right to have done this?

If not what could he have done?

[PAUSE]

How do we know
which Church is The True Church?

Well the True Church is where
we find love expressed clearly and unreservedly
– a love that will risk all for us,
a love that will not be frightened to be angry
with us when we seek things
that will only harm ourselves
and each other,
a love that will weep with us when we are sad,
uphold us when we are fallen,
rejoice with us when we are happy,
challenge us when we are wrong.

It is utterly and completely devoted
to the Commandments of God.

It is not a place where everything works.

It is not neat and tidily put together.

There are many unanswered questions,
because the Church is comprised
of fallen Human Beings
who have been washed clean
in the Blood of the Lamb.

Where you find God,
there you will find love,
and where you find love,
you will find the Church.

Does this fit the description of your parish?