Easter '06
April 2006
I came across a story recently about Nikolai Bukharin.
He was a Russian Communist leader and enormously powerful. He journeyed from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. His speech attacked Christianity using argument and insult.
An hour later he was finished and looked out with satisfaction on the `smouldering ashes' of men's faith. `Any questions?' he demanded of the multitude of attentive faces.
Silence.
Then one man stood and approached the lectern, standing near the communist leader. He looked out over the huge crowd for a moment and then shouted out the ancient greeting well known in the Russian Orthodox Church.
`Christ is Risen', he shouted.
`He is Risen Indeed', roared back the huge crowd.
This great hope, this great certainty is what defines all that I am at this time.
1 Cor. 15: `If Christ has not been raised, our faith is pointless and we have not, after all, been released from our sins. In addition, those who have fallen asleep in Christ are utterly lost. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are of all people the most pitiable.'
Of course I have my periods of doubt. Of course the unjust practises and creaky doctrines which are found, to some extent, in every Christian denomination are off-putting. But I keep my sense of humour and do not reject my mother just because she has warts on her face and thinks that collaborative ministry is doing everything she tells me to do.
I am grateful to the various Christian churches for transmitting to me (and to countless others) my faith in resurrection from the dead and eternal life. I am grateful for the knowledge that death is not a blank wall behind which nothing exists.
I am grateful for the knowledge that the ties of love, intimacy, friendship and mutual respect, into which we have put so much time and energy, will still exist and continue to strengthen after death.
I am grateful to the Christian churches for giving meaning to my life and death; for enabling me to awaken to each new day with a sense of anticipation whether it be for continued life or imminent death.