Tag Christian

Russia and the United Kingdom – a tale of two elections!

Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

As I write this month’s letter, there is a lot of political angst in the papers about the Prime Minister’s decision not to hold the general election on 2nd May as has been predicted by most papers and political pundits. Pat McFadden, Labour’s election co-ordinator said, “The British public have the right to expect an election to be called by the 26th March and held on the 2nd May. Rishi Sunak should stop squatting in Downing Street and give the country what it desperately needs – a chance for change with a Labour government”. Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, accused the Prime Minister of ‘running scared’. Whether we should agree with these sentiments or not is not for me to say, but surely Rishi  Sunak was right when he replied, “There won’t be a general election on that day but when there is a general election, what matters most is the choice.”

Which of course immediately made me think about the other enormously important election taking place at this time, which is the election of Vladimir Putin as Russia’s President for six more years. We are told by the media that the result is not in doubt because Mr Putin has no credible opponent, for not only has he changed the rules by forcing through an amendment which gives him personal exemption from the law which states that no Russian President is allowed to serve more than two terms in office, but he has taken every opportunity to crush meaningful opposition. Most opposition figures are either in prison, exile or, like the most charismatic figurehead Alexei Navalny met an untimely death. Despite the televised superficial veneer of running the election, the reality is that deep down there is no actual substance – no freedom, no democracy and no choice!  A point that has been made by a few brave individuals who have either spoilt their ballots, poured paint into election boxes or discretely demonstrated their discontent.

The Christian will be aware that the Bible tells us to pray for those who are in authority and this we do with sincerity, but we also do it in the knowledge that Jesus himself was not afraid to be critical of the political and religious authorities of his day, especially when he thought that they were taking advantage of the people and abusing their God given political positions. The Psalmist reminds us that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry: the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (Psalm 34.15-16), and in the previous verse “turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34.14). Ultimately, how we behave is a choice – a choice to stand up to tyranny, promote peace and seek the common good – or not. The much-quoted statement by Edmund Burke, recently restated by Alexei Navalny still holds true – “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.  It may appear that our general election is still some way off, but we all still have a choice as to how we wish to live and the society we wish to live in. Let’s use that choice wisely and cherish it!   

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6.8

Is it sensible to believe in the Resurrection?

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‘How can you be a Vicar?’ someone once asked me. ‘You seem to be far too sensible to believe in all that mumbo-jumbo!’ On the one hand I was quite pleased to think that someone thought I was sensible, but on the other hand, I was quite perturbed to think that anyone might think that I wasn’t! So I enquired further, to which they replied, ‘Oh, I’m quite happy to believe that Jesus lived and was a good teacher and did a lot of good while he was alive – but raised from death? That’s just impossible!’ And of course, at first glance she was quite right! Normally speaking, people don’t come back to life after they have died. Anyone who has suffered a bereavement or been involved in a fatal car accident or fought in a war can tell you that! People die all the time and sadly with the state of the world in which we live, death is only too common an occurrence. But of course, it was just the same in Jesus’ day. If people didn’t die of poverty, sickness or malnutrition, they too could die in conflict or as in Jesus’ case, by painful execution. Indeed, the Romans were a master of their craft. They knew precisely how to murder people.

So how can we possibly believe in the resurrection?

Well firstly, because there were witnesses – people who knew Jesus well and saw him die; who also saw the empty tomb and he himself wonderfully alive. Firstly, to Mary Magdalene, and then to Mary the mother of James with Salome and Joanna – all of which is very strange, because if you wanted to ‘invent’ a resurrection story you wouldn’t use women as your principal voices who wouldn’t even be deemed as credible witnesses inside a court of law! So, were they mistaken? Had they hallucinated or simply suffered from grief stricken, over active imaginations? No, because the next witness to the living Lord was Peter, who had previously run to the empty tomb with his fellow disciple, John. They’d seen the empty tomb just as the women had described, with its huge entrance stone rolled away (the soldiers who had been guarding the tomb had to subsequently be bribed by the Pharisees to say that they had fallen asleep on duty). Yet it was not quite empty because the graves clothes which had monetary value were still inside, proving that the tomb hadn’t been struck by grave robbers. But this was not the end of the matter. Two disciples on the road to Emmaus reported that they had seen the risen Lord, and then he appeared to the disciples not once but twice (once without and then with Thomas). Thomas had declared that he wouldn’t believe that Jesus was alive until he’d touched the nail marks in his hands and placed his hand in the wound caused by the centurion’s spear in his side – and he was invited to do so with the admonishment, ‘Stop doubting and believe’. But even then, this was not the end of the story, because apart from joining the disciples once again for a fish breakfast on the side of the Sea of Galilee (proving that he was tangible and real and not a ghost), he also appeared to a group of 500 men all at once, as well as his own physical brother James (who subsequently became the leader of the church in Jerusalem), before finally appearing to a man call Saul who was so totally transformed by the experience that he ceased to be the great persecutor of Christians, and became its greatest advocate, the Apostle Paul.

All of this was topped by the simple truth, that not once did the Roman or Jewish authorities ever produce the body. That would have quashed the resurrection story once and for all, but they couldn’t because the tomb was empty, and Jesus was alive!

Yes, of course in the normal run of things, ordinary people live and die, but despite the fact that Jesus was fully human, that’s not all he was – he was also the Son of God, who lived, died and rose again. His resurrection proves it! This was a resurrection gospel that turned a rag-tag bunch of Jewish fishermen into fearless disciples, willing to live and die on the basis of what they had seen and heard for themselves and knew to be true. There is so much more that could be said about the resurrection that we don’t have time nor space to consider it here, other than to note the incredible growth of the church, and to rejoice in the wonderful transformation that it has brought to so many peoples’ lives with its huge implications for their future and the world in which we live – even for the creation.    

In the light of all this I simply don’t have the time, space or faith to be an atheist or even agnostic, for I delight in my rational understanding, and my joyful sense of identity and purpose – and my profoundly rewarding, satisfying and sensible Christian faith.

May I wish you all a very HAPPY EASTER!

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Philippians 3.10–11

What can ‘Mr Bates v The Post Office’ teach us about Lent?

Stephen Thorp 2 Comments

The recent ITV drama ‘Mr Bates v The Post Office’ has highlighted for many the dreadful plight that many subpostmasters found themselves in, following the installation of a faulty software accounting system called Horizon. The drama vividly portrayed the pain and anguish inflicted upon these sub-postmasters, who suddenly found their lives torn apart as the Horizon software frequently and falsely reported shortfalls for many thousands of pounds. This led the Post Office to accuse the subpostmasters of alleged theft, fraud and false accounting. The drama highlights the terrible burden, weight and consequences these accusations had on people lives and the enormous stress they were under. Between 1999 and 2015, 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted by the Post Office and 283 other cases were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service resulting in many people going to prison and many more receiving criminal convictions. Most lost their homes, livelihoods and savings and sadly four people committed suicide. The drama went on to portray the immense struggle that Alan Bates and his campaign group, the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance, had over many years fighting for justice, culminating in their incredible victory at the High Court in 2019 when it was proved that the Horizon Post Office software had been at fault and that the sub-postmasters were innocent. The drama raised such public awareness and concern that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced in Parliament that all criminal convictions will be duly overturned and each person fairly compensated. This news has been warmly welcomed and received by all.

However, many people will find themselves reflecting upon the morals and ethics of this sordid episode. How can a trusted business and brand like The Post Office allow itself to treat so many innocent people so badly for so long? Why should it be more important to maintain the integrity of the Horizon software system than trust the integrity of their employees? Why was it so hard for the Post Office to admit the failings of its system and say sorry?

Christians will know that with Easter soon upon us, Lent is a great time for personal reflection and repentance, because it encourages us to consider our own lives and possible failings in the light of a God who loves us despite the fact that we are sinners. It encourages us to reflect upon how much we live up to the biblical command of loving God and ‘our neighbours as ourselves’ (Matthew 22.39), treating others with honesty and respect ‘as we ourselves would like to be treated’ (Luke 6.31). It also encourages us to reflect upon all those times when we have accidentally or deliberately fallen short, and sin has got the better of us, the consequences of which may be highly significant and impactful upon us and the lives of others. As we consider the events leading up to the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross, this season of Lent gives us another chance to reassess our lives, repent of our sins and reset the clock when we sincerely put our faith and trust in him, knowing that Christ died so that we might be forgiven.

We may not be able to change the misfortunes or immoralities of the world (or even the Post Office), but we can make things better where we are as we take responsibility for our own lives – words, deeds and actions – and as always, genuine moral change always starts with repentance!    

“I tell you … there will be much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15.7

Have you taken down your Christmas decorations too soon?

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One of the things that saddens and surprises me most about Christmas is how quickly some people seem to be pleased to see the back of it. With the help of their Advent calendars, children have been joyfully counting down the days to Christmas for weeks (and parents no doubt the shopping days as they struggle to get ready) but as soon as the big day has come and gone, they move on to the next ‘big thing’, usually the Boxing Day sales or the New Year celebrations. After all that sense of increasing anticipation, Christmas has come and gone in an instant; shops and supermarkets surgically remove any trace of Christmas and people swiftly take down their decorations and remove the lights from their houses.

And yet as the Christmas Carol helpfully reminds us, there are ‘twelve days of Christmas’, and the Christmas season theoretically continues until ‘twelfth night’ on the 6th January, when we move into Epiphany. This is the time when the church traditionally marks the arrival of the wise men or Magi (‘the three kings’) who bowed down and worshipped the infant Christ as they presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

There was nothing instantaneous about their journey, as travelling from Babylon (modern day Iraq) it would have taken them 4-5 months to travel by camel the long and arduous route to Bethlehem. Yet it was worth it – because they understood that this was a moment of huge and profound significance, because in keeping with ancient prophecy, the God who had created both the heavens and the earth was going to send a great king to rule over his people. This is why they turned up at Herod’s palace asking “where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2.2). The Nativity and Epiphany stories remind us that the child who was born at Christmas as the Son of God was warmly received by shepherds and kings alike; Jews and Gentiles coming together to worship and acknowledge the birth of the long-awaited Messiah, the one who would not only “save the people from their sins” (Matthew 1.21) but the one whose kingdom would last for ever.

At the start of a new year many people take stock of their lives and hopefully wish for a better future, but Christians know that Christmas and Epiphany are not only wonderful occasions to celebrate the birth of Christ, but great opportunities to reflect upon their own personal present and future lives ‘in him’. Knowing that God is prepared to step into human history on your behalf as your Lord and Saviour, dying upon the cross, really brings home how much he loves, cares and values you. It changes your perspective of who you are ‘in Christ’ and gives your life a greater sense of meaning and purpose, deepening the way you see yourself and your appreciation of others. In some parts of the world, love, joy and peace are in short supply and yet they lie at the heart of a Christian Christmas. Therefore, it seems to me that it’s certainly worth celebrating the ‘twelve days of Christmas’ and leaving the decorations up longer than we seem to, so that together we might pause and allow the season to nourish us a little longer.

For to us a child is born…and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9.6

What are YOU celebrating this Christmas?

Stephen Thorp 2 Comments

What are you celebrating this Christmas – and what do you hope for?

For many, Christmas is simply an opportunity to take a break from work and spend time with the family; an opportunity to rest and relax after the giving of presents and the eating of Christmas dinner. For others it’s an opportunity to ‘catch up’, and perhaps visit distant relatives and friends. However, as nice as these things may be, the deeply Christian nature of Christmas is lost on many who don’t really know, understand or appreciate it. Which is such a shame, because it’s the significance of Christmas, which gives it so much of its meaning, magic and sparkle!  A few years ago, it was reported that one third of children between the ages of 10 and 13 did not know that Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ and I doubt if that figure has gone down (although I’m discounting Necton School from this comment as I know they do a terrific job teaching the children about Jesus). But the point remains, Christmas tinsel and wrapping paper may be very pretty but they become rather useless without the present, and celebrating Christmas without Christ is rather similar! Most adults will have some recollection from school Nativity plays that Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem on the back of a donkey, so that she could ultimately give birth to the baby Jesus in a stable – but even so, do they truly understand the significance of the baby?

The Bible tells us that apart from the baby being called Jesus he is also called Immanuel – which means ‘God with us’ – and this is the first most amazing point of Christmas, that God does not remain abstract or aloof, an idea or philosophy hovering somewhere out in space or the ether, but becomes intimately involved with our world, by stepping into it by becoming a baby, a child, a human person just like us – and so God really does understand us from the inside out as it were.  

The second point is that God did not step into the world because the world was so good, but precisely because it is not! This is why Jesus is often called the ‘light of the world’ because his presence shines a light into the darkness of our surroundings and even our own hearts. Yes, the world is beautiful, but the wars in Ukraine and Gaza / Israel demonstrate only too well that our world isn’t perfect, and neither are our own lives, for we all carry imperfections and have sometimes suffered misfortunes in consequence either directly because of our own actions, or those of others – and occasionally just because ‘life has been unkind to us’. These things break our heart, but they also break God’s heart too, which is why knowing that ‘God is with us’ can be so joyful and comforting, because we know that we are not alone. God cares for us in our bleakest moments as well as our happiest.

Jesus spent most of his life teaching his disciples and therefore us, not only about God but a better way of being, how to live a better life. His life and ministry was therefore through his teaching, and the power of the Holy Spirit about transformation making us more ‘Christlike’ when we recognise precisely who he is and put our faith and trust in him. Yet, the consequences of our broken world still had to be dealt with, which is why Jesus’ ministry ultimately took him to the cross, where he performs the most gracious act of loving self-sacrifice, dying for us upon the cross and taking upon himself the consequences of our sin. This is an act of atonement which pardons us and frees us from all guilt, sin and shame when we personally appreciate, trust and believe that he died for us, each one of us – because he loved us. This transforms our sense of identity, self-worth and purpose as we look out into the world and our place within it. It fills our hearts with life, ‘eternal life’ and peace – which is everlasting.

Merely summarising these things means nothing without personal thought and contemplation, but genuine appreciation and acceptance is a real cause of joy and celebration. I hope that you will know something of God’s love, joy and peace for you and your families as you accept the free gift of Christ this Christmas. So, on behalf of the parishes I represent, may I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.

Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2.11

Earthquakes, floods and famine – “There but for the grace of God go I”

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The recent tragedies in Morocco and Libya have been truly heartbreaking. With 3000 people dying as a result of the Moroccan earthquake, and the possibility of 20,000 people dying in the Libyan floods, the amount of human suffering is hard to imagine or comprehend. It’s no wonder that many traumatised victims, trying to make sense of things and come to terms with their grief, have been recorded by journalists as simply saying ‘It’s the will of God’ or ‘Allah wills it’, which leaves the rest of us safely looking on from the comfort of our homes thinking, ‘well, thank God I wasn’t caught up in that’ or ‘there but for the grace of God go I’. But now, of course, the difficult questions arise! Why aren’t buildings built to be more earthquake resilient, and why aren’t dams which are known to be faulty immediately repaired? Surely a lot more lives could have been saved if only they had been. Perhaps part of the problem is a fatalistic mindset, which encourages people to believe that certain tragedies are an ‘act of God’ and ‘what will be will be’. If this is your attitude, then why should you bother learning from your mistakes or from tragedy, because effectively all responsibility is taken out of your hands and left in the hands of the divine. But this isn’t a biblical perspective, because despite the fact that the world is imperfect (as so clearly demonstrated by recent events) God cares! “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all that he has made” (Psalm 145.9). So, instead of thinking that God is aloof, uncaring or absent, we should think of him as being deeply concerned and hands on, working through the kind and compassionate words and deeds of those who act in his name and struggle to bring assistance and relief to the needy. In a sense, this mirrors the Gospel itself, for God has always sought to step into the world rather than step out of or away from it. This is most ably demonstrated in the person of Jesus, who taught his disciples to love God and their neighbour as themselves and who by his death, demonstrated a selfless love for the world so that it might be renewed, restored and forgiven of sin. Although we might tend to think ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ when it comes to earthly tragedies, in the light of sin the Gospel message might be summed up in the words ‘there but for the grace of God, goes God’ achieving for us something that we couldn’t possibly achieve for ourselves.

So, in the face of calamity, whether it be at home or abroad, let us hold on to the fact that God’s love and compassion is with us, and echo and demonstrate it in our own thoughts, words and deeds.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Lamentations 3.22

Cultivating a friendship which inspires

Stephen Thorp 2 Comments

You don’t need to be a fan of Rugby League to appreciate and be inspired by the tremendous friendship between Kevin Sinfield and his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow. When Rob Burrow was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in late 2019, Kevin stuck by his friend and was inspired to do whatever he could to raise money for MND charities. In 2020 he ran seven marathons in seven days and in 2021 he completed a run of 101 miles in 24 hours. Last year he completed an Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge when he ran seven back to back ultra-marathons (an ultra marathon being a run longer than the standard marathon length). His latest triumph was on Sunday 14th May 2023 when he completed the first inaugural Rob Burrow’s Leeds Marathon when he actually pushed Rob the 26.2 miles in a specially adapted wheelchair, lifting him out of the chair as they finally crossed the finish line together. So far Kevin Sinfield has raised well over £8 million for charity, which is not only a remarkable story about good coming out of adversity, but a wonderful celebration of their friendship.

The Bible has a lot to say about ‘running the race’ and ‘going the extra mile’, just as it does about friendship, with such examples as those of David and Jonathan, and Ruth and Naomi whose love, compassion and loyalty bound them together through ‘thick and thin’ as good friends regardless of what life and dire circumstances had brought them. The Christian will be aware that this was modelled in Jesus’ own life and taught by him when he told his disciples that they and all who put their faith in him could be his friends if they did what he commanded – and what was it that he commanded? It was that they should ‘love one another as I have loved you’ (John 15.12) in other words selflessly, sacrificially and completely, often putting the needs of the other person first, and before themselves. This was ultimately demonstrated by Jesus himself when he died upon the cross.

There is so much sadness and suffering in the world that it often weighs us down and depresses us but let us also lift up our heads and be inspired by the good examples of love and friendship that we see and be inspired to cultivate such qualities and friendships in our own life and the people we meet.  

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17.17

‘God save the King’ – A prayer for the Monarch & the Nation

Stephen Thorp 1 Comment

In just a few days’ time the nation will be rejoicing as we collectively watch, witness & celebrate the coronation of HRH King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. It will no doubt be a grand occasion full of ‘pomp and circumstance’ which is such a feature of British Royal occasions (and broadcast around the world). The mixture of pageantry and religious symbolism will bring the service to life and mark the King as both the head of state and church in one incredibly significant, self-defining moment. Alongside the presentation of the King, the swearing of oaths and anointing, the moment of enthronement will culminate not only in the singing of the choir but by the public cry of ‘God save the King!’ with the congregation joining in a rendition of The National Anthem. However, although most will recognise The National Anthem to be a prayer said on behalf of our King, not many will appreciate that it’s also a prayer for ourselves and the nation we are part of, for although the antiquated language of the second verse may make many of us feel uneasy about the ‘scattering of enemies’ and the ‘frustration of their knavish tricks’, it has to be said that these words uttered in the light of the current war in Ukraine has a European poignancy which we haven’t seen or felt for some time. But it is of course, the third verse with its exhortation that the King might ‘defend our laws and ever give us cause, to sing with heart and voice, God save the King’ which strikes at the heart of our national life. Although we recognise King Charles to be our Sovereign, we also recognise that it is Parliament which guides and directs our daily living and of which the monarch is its figurehead – and yet the King’s soft power both at home and abroad is tremendous.

It’s a common misconception that religion and politics shouldn’t mix, but the coronation demonstrates how both are deeply ingrained in our society, shaping and making us the nation state that we are – and even with the UK becoming an increasingly pluralistic, multicultural society, the truth of this statement will only become more profound, not less.

The Christian will be aware that Jesus told his disciples that the greatest commandment was to “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and to ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ ” (Luke 10.27) because loving the first helps to achieve the love of  the second. This motivating truth should be reflected in all aspects of our society, whether it be personal or political, whether we be ‘prince’ or ‘pauper’, for as the Bible also reminds us “ ‘what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ ” (Micah 6.8) and this is especially true, I would suggest, if you happen to be King!

So as we come to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, let us pray not only for him but for our nation and ourselves as we sing The National Anthem.

God save the King!

Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness. Proverbs 16.12

What can Lent teach modern people like us?

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The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd Justin Welby, has just recently attended a meeting of Bishops and Primates abroad (The Anglican Consultative Council, Accra, Ghana) where he has described how the secularisation of western society has dramatically changed the morality of financially rich, independent Europeans over the last 30 years. Indeed, with 75% of people under 30 in the UK claiming to have ‘no religious affiliation’, the Archbishop saw this as further evidence that we live in a post-Christian world and society.

The Archbishop also noted that along with financial independence, people have sought other personal and individual freedoms, longing to be free from the traditional norms and external constraining authorities and influences. Such as ‘how we live’, ‘who we love’, ‘how we change and manipulate our bodies’, ‘produce our children’ and even ‘how we die’. He then went on to describe how this modern post-Christian morality, was not only a morality for the wealthy, powerful and intellectually well educated – but also a morality that does not believe in human sinfulness and failure. Nor does it believe in forgiveness or hope – and this is where the church struggles.

However, Lent is a time when we are all invited to pause, take stock and reflect upon the way that we live, both as individuals and as part of a broader society. And sometimes this reflection isn’t easy, because although we appreciate that much of what we do is positive and good – much of it is not!  ‘To err’ they say ‘is to be human’, but sometimes our errors and mistakes have unintended consequences, inflicting damage not only upon our own lives but also those of the people around us. The ripples of our ‘sin’ (as the Bible puts it) often spread further than we can possibly imagine, having a negative impact not only upon those we love and come into contact with, but also within our communities, our society and the world – and even the God who loves it.

Lent is therefore a time when we can reflect once again upon the glorious story of a God who so loved the world that, despite its sin, he stepped into it. Whose love led him to take upon himself the terrible consequences of our sin ‘in the person of Jesus’ by dying for us upon a cross, so that we might not only be forgiven but also have hope for the future. All we need to do is the one thing that modern people find so hard to do, which is to say sorry, sincerely repent (turn away from our sin) and recognise that in Christ we have a Saviour who loves us.

We may not be able to change the misfortunes or moralities of the entire world but we can make it better where we are – and as always, it always starts with us! 

“Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1.15

Can we ‘Spare’ a thought for Royal Reconciliation?

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There can be little doubt that with 400,000 copies being sold on its first day of publication, Prince Harry’s autobiography Spare has caught the public imagination, with many people proclaiming how excited they are to read it. The sales of the publication were no doubt primed by the recent Netflix television series and fuelled by a number of sensational interviews to promote it, all reported upon in the newspapers, which is slightly ironic considering Prince Harry’s well-known loathing for the British press.

But whatever your opinion about Prince Harry and the Royal Family, there can be little doubt that the steady stream of salacious material and juicy titbits are all very sad for the individuals concerned and bad for the Monarchy in general. In fact, the sheer volume of information and level of detail has taken everyone by surprise, with the previously understood policy of the Royal family to ‘never complain, never explain’ being well and truly blasted out of the water. At first glance some of the information about sibling rivalry between Princes William and Harry (and their spouses) seems quite petty, but it’s easy to see how a number of these small petty grievances and cultural misunderstandings can easily ‘blow up’ into larger issues breeding anger and resentment – with accusations of one side leaking information to the press for gain over the other, and charges of overt racism being very serious indeed. There is no doubt that Prince Harry feels compelled to protect and defend his wife from the unconscious bias/racism of his prestigious family (and press), but this, combined with his own sense of past hurt has culminated in his fierce resentment of his perceived treatment as the second son as starkly depicted in his book’s title Spare. But the problem is that no one is perfect and no one comes out of this situation very well – so can the family be reconciled?

Of course, the folly of ‘airing one’s dirty linen in public’ is the difficulty of climbing down and ‘losing face’, especially when you are a member of a Royal family in the full glare of the British press and the world’s media, but despite their grievances, Prince Harry has described his love for his father and brother – and his wish that for his children’s sake, they might be reconciled. Equally King Charles has spoken of his love for his sons, including Prince Harry, which may pave the ground at some point for civilised conversation; an honest, mutual meeting of minds resulting not only in the letting go of past hurts, but also an apology for those caused today. This needs to stem from real repentance, love and forgiveness. But if there is to be any chance of a private reconciliation, then the public argument and media circus has to stop.

The Christian will be aware that the Bible often speaks about ‘not letting the sun go down on your anger’ (Romans 4.26-27) which might give the devil a foothold and ‘the renewing of one’s mind’ (Romans 12.2) which means a change of heart, mind and attitude after the fashion of Christ. Now, no one is saying that this is easy, but genuine love can overcome most obstacles. So together, let’s spare a thought for Prince Harry and pray that he and all the members of the Royal family will overcome their differences and be reconciled.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4.31–32