Trauma & what it means

Three years ago, I fell badly on a tall ship which was racing its way from Denmark to Holland, and damaged myself to such a degree that it took over a year to recover and become mobile again.

Cut now to last Wednesday, and we suddenly found ourselves during Sail Amsterdam just 50m from the tall ship where my accident occurred, now moored as part of this huge celebration of Dutch marine history in our city.

At that moment, my wife and I parted company without a word - Annie spontaneously made for the ship (despite efforts by the stewards to stop her!), whereas I walked agitatedly in the opposite direction and took the next bus home.

What I realise now, rather too late, is…

Dear Friends,

Over the next few weeks, leading up to our Courageous Conversation on 14 September, I thought it might be worthwhile to share a few ideas about what it means to enter into conversation with others. This is the first of these reflections.

In the introduction to the Record this week, I mentioned the Archbishop of Cape Town’s reflection on what he calls Indaba: “a Zulu word describing a journey of slow discussion on controversial matters with the aim of furthering community life, not just solving an issue”. I will not repeat everything I wrote there, but I do want to return to how remarkable this phrase is. Our goal in the church is not simply to solve an issue. At least, that is not the first thing. The first thing is that we talk to one another in ways that deepen our life together. Can we speak with one another in ways that strengthen our community? And how might we do that?

I once met someone, Adri-Marie van Heerden, who likes to say, “How we gather matters”. Her point is that…

Dear Friends,

Over the next few weeks, leading up to our Courageous Conversation on 14 September, I thought it might be worthwhile to share a few ideas about what it means to enter into conversation with others. This is the first of these reflections.

In his book Talking to Strangers, Malcolm Gladwell tells the story of a high-ranking CIA operative known as “The Mountain Climber”. During the Cold War, The Mountain Climber was the top name in the spy world. He built an impressive network of informants in Cuba under Fidel Castro and was successful in passing valuable information to Langley. His entire career and his promotions were built on this incredible feat. 

Fast forward a few years and The Mountain Climber, now a cemented legend in the CIA, is called to meet Florentino Aspillaga, his counterpart in Cuba and just as successful. Only now, Aspillaga wanted to defect to the American side. As a gesture of genuineness, Aspillaga revealed that all 48 people in The Mountain Climber’s network of informants had, in fact, been double agents all along. They had deceived him from the very start. Gladwell calls this one of the most humiliating moments in the CIA’s history, not to mention the personal embarrassment to The Mountain Climber himself…

The heart of worship

In this Sunday’s reading, the prophet Isaiah challenges us to look beyond the façade of false piety and return to the heart of worship: cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan and plead for the widow. It is one of my favourite passages in the whole Bible, along with a few others that share the same message.

‘A life shaped not by despair or indifference, but by hope, love, and a deep commitment to life itself’

“Today human life itself is in acute danger. It is not in danger because it is threatened with death; that has always been the case. It is in acute danger because it is no longer loved.”

These words from Jürgen Moltmann’s Ethics of Hope still speak with clarity. Reflecting on the aftermath of the Second World War, Moltmann describes a time when people became “used to killing and used to being killed”. He draws on the words of Albert Camus, who, in the wake of war, wrote: “The secret of Europe is that it no longer loves life.”
Moltmann argues that this loss of love for life stands in direct contrast to the witness of Scripture. The Bible, he explains in detail, is deeply concerned with the fullness of life, “the life that is wholly and entirely filled with livingness.” This is why we proclaim and trust in the Gospel of Life: the good news of Jesus Christ, in whom wholly human life shares in wholly divine life.

Can I interrupt you for a minute?

To be honest, I don’t deal well with interruptions. Those who know me can tell you about the irritable look on my face when someone barges into my office while I’m reading. It takes me a second to remember Jesus’ calling to love my neighbour when faced with interruptions. We’ve all been on both ends of those irritable stares. And that’s not even mentioning the interruptions that come with daily life: a toddler crying, your WiFi provider cutting service again, or those all-too-familiar messages at the bottom of the screen as we wait in vain for a train to arrive: “defecte trein, extra reistijd tot 30 min.

Dear Friends,

Recently, the United States deported five individuals originally from Laos, Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba and Yemen to Eswatini. This followed earlier deportations in which eight migrants from various countries were sent to South Sudan, after a court lifted restrictions on removals to countries with which the individuals had no personal ties.

What surprised me was the…

Dear friends,

A few weeks ago, I mentioned in one of my letters how pleasantly surprised I was during my visit to the Sant’Egidio community in Rome. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with their local priest, Zeger Polhuijs. We shared a coffee and walked through their remarkable building, the Mozes & Aäronkerk on the Waterlooplein. As we know, buildings often reflect the theology that underpins them…..

Dear Friends,

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to hear Sam Wells, the Anglican priest of St Martin-in-the-Fields, speak at De Waalse Kerk. His talk, titled “Faith in the Public Square,” was deeply inspiring. Drawing on the book of Isaiah, Sam offered a compelling reflection on the role of the church in contemporary society.

He outlined Isaiah’s vision as fourfold:

(i) a society that is truly for everyone;

(ii) a society grounded in values that endure;

(iii) a society in which relationships—rooted in trust—are central; and

(iv) a society that leaves room for mistakes, recognising that those who have failed often have the most to contribute.

Reflecting on how the church might relate to such a vision, Sam suggested three possibilities.

Dear Friends,

For some time now, I’ve been observing a growing trend in the fashion industry and retail spaces. The lines are becoming more distinct, the colour palettes more muted: beige, white, soft browns dominating the scene. 

One large fashion brand in particular has become synonymous with this minimalist aesthetic: pristine white walls, clean edges, thin lettering almost vanishing into the background. If you glance too quickly, you might miss it entirely (if it weren't for the bright white lights!). 

The store on Kalverstraat is often too crowded to notice the details, but their outlet at the Cape Town waterfront feels like something else altogether. It’s like stepping into an oversized clinical theatre. It’s striking how we’ve come to embrace this streamlined, minimalist style. Not that I’m trying to pass myself off as a fashion critic; I’m far from it. And I know that minimalism is a thoroughly studied, even celebrated, topic in fashion conversations. As a kid growing up in my gran’s delightfully cluttered 90s home, I totally get it.

But what intrigues me…..