Southwold Lent Lectures 2020: Topics of Public Concern
Explore the 2020 Southwold Lent Lectures focusing on topics of public concern such as Debt & Poverty, The Environment, and Disagreeing Better. Delve into the Biblical perspectives shared by various speakers and understand the importance of addressing societal issues from a compassionate lens. Don't miss the recordings available online and the opportunity to contribute to charitable causes.
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Welcome to the 2020 Southwold Lent Lectures TOPICS OF PUBLIC CONCERN TOPICS OF PUBLIC CONCERN Debt & Poverty The Biblical Basis The Revd Canon Simon Pitcher Southwold A recording of these lectures will be available on www.stedmundssouthwold.com/media and they will be broadcast on www.eastpointradio.com
Southwold Lent Lectures 2020 Topics of public concern The Environment 1 March Dr Hilary Marlow, University of Cambridge 8 March So what can I do? The Revd Sandie Barton, Suffolk Diocesan Environment Officer The Biblical Basis Debt and Poverty 15 March The Revd Simon Pitcher, Southwold 22 March So what can I do? The Revd Nic Stuchfield, Saxmundham; Christians Against Poverty The Biblical Basis Disagreeing Better 29 March Professor Hugh Williamson, University of Oxford Speaking the Truth in Love
A recording of these lectures will be available on www.stedmundssouthwold.com/media There is a plate in the porch for a retiring collection. After expenses the collection will be split between Tearfund, Christians Against Poverty and the Care Leavers Foundation
MATTHEW 25:31-40 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, "I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. (NIV)
When I needed a neighbour Were you there, were you there? When I needed a neighbour, were you there? And the creed and the colour And the name won't matter Were you there?
I was hungry and thirsty Were you there, were you there? I was hungry and thirsty, were you there? And the creed and the colour And the name won't matter Were you there?
I was cold, I was naked Were you there, were you there? I was cold, I was naked, were you there? And the creed and the colour And the name won't matter Were you there?
When I needed a shelter Were you there, were you there? When I needed a shelter were you there? And the creed and the colour And the name won't matter Were you there?
When I needed a healer Were you there, were you there? When I needed a healer, were you there? And the creed and the colour And the name won't matter Were you there?
Wherever you travel I'll be there, I'll be there Wherever you travel, I'll be there And the creed and the colour And the name won't matter I'll be there
Poverty in the UK 2020 14 million people living in poverty Average UK annual household income 29400 Average UK household unsecured debt 15400 58540 when including mortgages Minimum wage 8.72 an hour equals 348 .80 for a 40 hour week 1395 a month
Global Poverty 2020 10% of the world s population lives on less than $2 a day. 41% in sub Saharan Africa 33% of the worlds population lives in an urban slum 39 out of every 1000 children born will die before their 5thbirthday Average life expectancy in USA is 78 years and falling. Sub Saharan Africa 60 years and rising.
Old Testament 1 Chronicles 29:14 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
Deuteronomy 15 verses 1-6 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.2This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the LORD s time for cancelling debts has been proclaimed.3You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.4However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,5if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.6For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised.
7If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tight fisted toward them.8Rather, be open handed and freely lend them whatever they need.9Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near, so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.10Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.11There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open handed toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
Amos 4 verses 1-3 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, Bring us some drinks! 2The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks. 3You will each go straight out through breaches in the wall, and you will be cast out toward Harmon, declares the LORD.
Amos 6 verses 4-7 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, 3You put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of terror. 4You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. 5You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. 6You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. 7Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.
How might Amos challenge us today? The north south divide? Global disparity Housing Social Care Universal Credit Foodbanks The Environment
The New Testament : What did Jesus Say?
The Lords Prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray. Would we expect to find debt and poverty in the kingdom of heaven? What are the implications for us if we are brave enough to pray this prayer?
Matthew 21 verses 12-13 The Cleansing of the Temple 12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer, 'but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'
Matthew 18:21-35 21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? 22Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b]was brought to him.25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 At this the servant fell on his knees before him. Be patient with me, he begged, and I will pay back everything. 27The servant s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go. 28 But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. Pay back what you owe me! he demanded. 29 His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, Be patient with me, and I will pay it back. 30 But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 Then the master called the servant in. You wicked servant, he said, I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.33Shouldn t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
Matthew 20:1-16 ) The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard 20 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.2He agreed to pay them a denarius[a]for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3 About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.4He told them, You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right. 5So they went. He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing.6About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing? 7 Because no one has hired us, they answered. He said to them, You also go and work in my vineyard. 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first. 9 The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius.10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.12 These who were hired last worked only one hour, they said, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn t you agree to work for a denarius?14Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.15Don t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last
Acts 4:32-37 The Believers Share Their Possessions 32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God s grace was so powerfully at work in them all34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales35and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means son of encouragement ),37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles feet.
Ananias and Sapphira 5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.2With his wife s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles feet. 3Then Peter said, Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?4Didn t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God. 5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.6Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8Peter asked her, Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land? Yes, she said, that is the price. 9Peter said to her, How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. 10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
