Sir, - I do not think it is right for Frank Flanagan (September 19th) to admonish anorexic Christians for not reading the Christian menu. Christians are charged to spread good news. That the Irish Times publishes correspondence about these matters exemplifies a certain success. Some people must consider it relevant.
Sir, - I do not think it is right for Frank Flanagan (September 19th) to admonish anorexic Christians for not reading the Christian menu. Christians are charged to spread good news. That the Irish Times publishes correspondence about these matters exemplifies a certain success. Some people must consider it relevant. But the menu needs constant updating. "Sacrifice", "sin", "mystical body" and "Pentecost" are not flavour of the month. The food we proclaim needs another vocabulary. Mr Flanagan's theology will not do.
The Christian good news is about God being an answer to human experience.
This answer is his son, whom Christians believe to have shared our life, to have been executed as a criminal and to have risen to a new kind of life. Pure nonsense to most people, an obstacle to many. Or so Paul of Tarsus thought. He was unable to square it with Greek thought patterns of the first century, so I can't see it being easy for the fast food generation.
The Mass, the sacraments, the whole liturgy of Christian tradition are fossilised in a dated vocabulary that appears irrelevant today. The way we transmit Christ is desperately important. New wine needs new skins. There is nothing strange or sinister in this. Faith always seeks understanding. That is the meaning of theology. Jesus spoke to shepherds about sheep, seed, wine, corn. If he arrived today in Derry he would use the language and imagery of Ulster, not of Trinity or Maynooth.
How we celebrate Mass and preach the word is not insignificant. The spirit of God does not flutter around; he works through men and women who speak to each other. It is a most sacred task to speak and celebrate as well we can so as not to hinder this spirit.
So change the menu. You are not doing justice to the food. - Yours, etc.,
TOM FINNIGAN,
Lagg Road,
Malin,
Co Donegal.