By the Bishop
of Barking, the Rt Revd David
Hawkins
'I pray that you may grasp how wide and long and high and
deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge and be filled with the fullness of God.' (Ephesians 3:17
- 19)
Introduction
Faster…higher…stronger…
The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London provide a once
in a lifetime opportunity for Churches to engage with an event of
major significance and celebration in the life of our
nation. Our Anglican contribution to the 2012 Games will stem
from our long history of incarnational ministry and leadership in
every community of the UK. What follows offers some thoughts on
answering the 'what?', 'why?' and 'how?' questions associated with
engaging with the Games.
Giving value to
life
- Sport, culture and religion lift spirits and give value,
significance and inspiration to all of our lives. The Olympic
movement gives expression to each of these, and it sits well with
the values of the Church.
- The Church's engagement provides us with a great opportunity to
promote all three in our nation, inspired by united prayer and
action.
The Olympic Lens: A
focus for ministry and mission
- The Olympics is a lens through which to focus and enhance all
of our day to day ministry, whatever that might be.
- Mission, witness and evangelism are of paramount importance in
our secular society. As the Olympics celebrate excellence in
sport and culture, so we have the opportunity to demonstrate how
human life can be celebrated in even greater excellence when
enhanced by faith in Jesus Christ.
Service and
hospitality
- Hospitality and welcome are central to the good news of the
Gospel.
- Volunteering by Christians serving the Games has added value to
previous Olympic venues. Volunteering is what we do well and
provides opportunities for service and witness.
- Existing diocesan and parish overseas links provide the
opportunity both to offer hospitality and to develop those
links.
Interfaith relations and
Church unity
- Both Old and New Testaments were written in times, like our
own, of competing religions and philosophies. People of all
religions will be represented at the Games - a great opportunity to
deepen our interfaith relations and make a Christian contribution
assisted by the Presence and Engagement Network.
- Engagement with the Games provides an opportunity for Church
unity to be expressed at a practical level as Christians of all
denominations join hands for the common good in practical service,
mission and united projects.
Communications
- The Olympics provides a high profile national 'peg' on which to
hang many imaginative good news stories which can enhance the place
of Christian activity in the life of our communities and
nation.
- The scope for raising the profile of the Church of England is
considerable, as well as the Church in general.
The Olympic
Truce
- Ancient Olympia was a combination of Wembley Stadium and
Westminster Abbey, with constant reference to the sacred Olympic
Truce protecting travellers to the sacred territory of Elis for the
seven-day period before and after the Games.
- The ancient truce was proclaimed throughout Greece by three
heralds; we shall need rather more to carry the message to every
community to proclaim the modern Olympic Truce.
- One of the things which won the Games was London's cultural
diversity and extraordinary experience of cultural and religious
harmony. At St Paul's Cathedral, supporters of all the major
recognised religions in London will proclaim the Truce.
- We will have to work out carefully a process of commending the
Truce in ways that penetrate our communities at depth.
- There is potential for the Truce to be proclaimed in cathedrals
and churches across the country.
Prophetic reflection and
action
- We need a robust critique of the Games, including theological,
economic, ethical and political factors.
- To assist in this The Oxford Centre for Ecclesiology and
Practical Theology has begun to write up the story of the Churches'
engagement with the Games and provide theological and prophetic
reflection.
- This will be of lasting benefit and assist the Church of
England in its engagement with national sporting and cultural
events in the future.
Legacy and
regeneration
- A major local concern is whether the Olympic legacy will be
positive or negative and how well the extensive regeneration of the
Borough of Newham will serve its communities.
- There have been winners and losers already around the Olympic
Park and this will continue.
- We are working in these neighbourhoods, and with the
Regeneration authorities, to do all we can to ensure as many people
as possible are 'winners' as a result of this major regeneration
within East London.
The Games to inspire
change
- The Church of England is as committed to the legacy of the
Games in the decades to come as it is to making a significant
contribution to the planning and delivery of the Games
themselves.
- The legacy for our Churches will be trained people of all ages
who have enjoyed themselves in ministry, mission and evangelism and
are able to respond to other sporting and cultural events both
locally and nationally. Be a part of it. Don't let the
opportunity pass you by.
Some Facts:
- Eight out of ten people normally watch the Olympics on TV but
it could be nine out of ten with the Games being held in
London.
- One third of the population belong to sports clubs and two
thirds of young people play sport. During the Games, the figures
will increase.
We are well served by Duncan
Green, full-time Church of England Olympics and Paralympics
Co-ordinator, appointed in 2007 and working closely with the London
Organising Committee.
There are plenty of resources
available.
More Than Gold has years of experience in delivering ministries
at Olympic Games and can offer training in all aspects of outreach
for the Games period.
For more information and ideas:
www.morethangold.org.uk
www.london2012.com
Your
diocesan website
An important priority in all that we attempt to achieve is to
clarify what we do well as the Church of England and concentrate on
that as our distinctive contribution alongside all the other
denominations and Christian organisations. We can't do
everything. We must do what we do well.
I commend this once in a lifetime
opportunity for our engagement in mission and ministry.