Letters - 12 January 2024
From Climate change to Peccata/peccatum
Climate change
The catastrophic effects of climate change on our planet, humankind, and many other living species, will be worse, I suggest, than any other event that the world has encountered in historical times, including nuclear wars, genocides and pandemics. The inability of politicians to take effective action is appalling. Short-term political gain is the name of the game with no care for the future, it seems.
Such a perilous situation requires a dramatic response. For example, in the second world war Winston Churchill saw the need to transcend political differences and formed a coalition government so that short-termism was put on hold for the time being. Maybe some such actions are the way forward for England and other democracies?
The younger generations will curse us if effective measures are not taken now – it is almost too late already. Friends, we are not without influence.
David Austin
Kinder ground
I was pleased to read about the theme for Yearly Meeting this summer. Sessions will include ‘exploring how to find kinder ground on which to listen, acknowledge and disagree, and enable a shared quest for truth’. Each of these words is important. The theme recalls the 2021 Swarthmore Lecture by Thomas Penny, which seems even more relevant now than it was then.
Thomas Penny describes the disciplines needed for moving from ‘my truth’ and ‘your truth’ to ‘our truth’. We need to use language carefully, we need humility and reflective discernment, and above all we need patient listening. He writes of Quaker experiences in promoting dialogue in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, saying: ‘Creating kinder ground isn’t always agreeing – in fact, it’s at its most vital as a means of exploring disagreement. It’s about building a calmer environment in which there’s space for constructive dialogue.’
Friends, I hope that in the various heated controversies about which we may feel passionately, we will listen respectfully, avoid attributing base motives to those with differing views, and try to live up to the best of Quaker peacemaking.
Robin Waterston
5 Caledonian Road
I was most interested in the review of the history of this building [5 Caledonian Road in London] (1 December 2023). During the 1960s I was one of a team of volunteers who turned up every week to pack copies of Peace News for posting to individuals and peace groups throughout the land. One issue contained a revelation that the powers that be did not wish to be known. Two Special Branch officers turned up to impound the issue. On their arrival in the shop, they were met by the shop manager, Harry Mister, while we were packing in the back room. Dear old Harry suffered with a terrible stammer. Having got a message to us in the back, Harry deployed his stammer to great effect while we rapidly threw all the copies – packed and unpacked – into the yard at the back. When they eventually got past Harry’s stammer, he told them they were too late – the copies had already left the building for the post.
Frustrated they left, assuring Harry that actions would be taken to shut down the paper – which never happened.
We volunteers waited a good while, retrieved the copies and left in ones and twos, having stuffed the packed copies up our jumpers, and posted them in different post boxes all over London as we made our way to our homes.
An interesting evening!
Roy Payne
1970s articles
I so much enjoyed your Christmas issue with articles from the 1970s, especially the story of Balthazar’s cloak by Geoff Weeden, which brought back so many memories (22 & 29 December 2023).
Geoff wrote a story each Christmas for the children of Kingston Meeting. He read them in the programmed Meeting for Worship held on Christmas morning, and there were always parts for the children there complete with the necessary props. Somehow they usually ended up with candles being lit by the children.
The Meeting house was crowded with people squashed up on the benches, and our three children were always eager to go. Mainly for Geoff’s story but also for the stollen afterwards homemade by a member born in Germany.
I’m happy to say that there is still a Christmas morning Meeting at Kingston, though with much smaller numbers, and sadly we moved from the Meeting this year.
Audrey Hills
‘Derry Christmas’
Thank you for reprinting the article by my grandfather, Will Warren (22 &29 December 2023).
It was lovely to read an article with a family connection over Christmas.
A small correction, for future reference, he died in 1980, not 1990 as printed.
We have some of [his articles] amongst his papers, but I would be interested to discover more as I delve into the family history.
Ingrid Warren
Peccata/peccatum
I was intrigued by the letter from Keith Denerly on ‘Qui tollis peccata mundi’ (6 October 2023).
While ‘peccata’ is the Latin plural, web-searching many sources, I find that the Greek word in the early biblical texts that have come down to us seems to have been ἁμαρτίαν, ‘hamartian’, the accusative feminine singular form of the word ‘hamartia’ which can mean ‘sin’ but comes from a root word meaning ‘to miss the mark’, so is error, failure, misjudgement.
In drama since ancient times it has meant ‘the fatal flaw’. John may have used this word as an accurate translation of the Hebrew word ‘chata’, or the Aramaic ‘hataha’, indicating an unintentional sin, a word that also derives from ‘missing the mark’.
The main value for me in looking back into the origins of words and what the authors or even Jesus might have meant by them is to challenge my preconceptions and to open up other possible readings.
About a year ago, I found this version of The Lord’s Prayer on the website of the Diocese of Portsmouth and Winchester in the original Aramaic.
‘Abwûn’ Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes, ‘d’bwaschmâja’ who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.
‘Nethkâdasch schmach’ May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.
‘Têtê malkuthach’ Your Heavenly Domain approaches.
‘Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d’bwaschmâja af b’arha’
Let Your will come true – in the universe (all that vibrates) just as on earth (that is material and dense).
‘Hawvlân lachma d’sûnkanân jaomâna’ Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need.
‘Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna daf chnân schwoken l’chaijabên’ Detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma) like we let go the guilt of others.
‘Wela tachlân l’nesjuna’ Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations), ‘ela patzân min bischa’ but let us be freed from that which keeps us off from our true purpose.
‘Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l’ahlâm almîn’ From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act, the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.
‘Amên’ Sealed in trust, faith and truth. (I confirm with my entire being.)
I really value the image, stripped of 2,000 years of confusing overlay, of the universe as being made of/by vibration and light that renews itself, the prayer for wisdom to understand our true needs, to be disentangled from our personal faults, and filled with the strength to act.
This advice would be corroborated by today’s physicists and psychiatric counsellors, and helpful to most people wherever they are on the secular-spiritual spectrum.
Frances Voelcker
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