Cry Freedom
It's St George's Day, and a small Wiltshire town is desperately trying to conjure up some sense of community spirit by reviving English traditions from days of yore: jigs around the maypole and a brewery-sponsored Morris dance.
Meanwhile, enthroned in his caravan in a wood above the town, is Johnny Rooster Byron, holding court with the local youth. He's a living legend of a man: part shaman, part bard, part Pied Piper, but all English - an Anglo-Saxon antidote to the pale celebrations taking place in the town.
This is Jerusalem, the play for which Mark Rylance has deservedly just won an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Byron. As the hero's name, and the play's title suggests, its theme is Britishness and, moreover, a collective mourning over our loss of identity as a nation.
Playwright Jez Butterworth has several targets in sight when it comes to apportioning blame: the 'nanny' state, overt political correctness, the commercialisation of tradition and risk aversion. Our young people grow up in a cushioned world that may be 'safer' but not, in the end, provide 'freedom'.
In many senses Rooster is an antihero. He's a drug dealer who provides weed and 'rum'n'ribena' for teenagers, a negligent parent and I'm sure he doesn't pay his council tax; so why does he have middle-class theatregoers rooting for him?
Alice Thomson, writing for The Times, has her theory: 'We might feel nervous about the maverick hanging out at the end of the road refusing to live by the rules, but we are beginning to feel more trapped by the pen-pushing bureaucrats rewriting our lives, the public servants fixated on figures and targets.'
So, is the story in church different? Do our young people experience church as a living tradition, or do they see adults who are obsessed with the A,B,C of church ('attendance', 'buildings' and 'cash')? And, as we become increasingly professional, rightly dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's when it comes to child protection, how do we still pass on a faith that is adventurous and risk-taking?
Do we have to face the serious truth that those young people who leave church in their droves do so, not because they perceive it to be irrelevant but because it presents them with only a pale imitation of Christian faith?
We may not necessarily need more Roosters in church, but we surely need women and men who are vibrant in their living demonstration of the truth that Jesus came that we may have life and have it to the full.
Jason Gardner
Links
Read The Guardian's review of Jerusalem here
Discover the 100 greatest Britons here
Comments
Doesn't the author say that the church is 'rightly dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's when it comes to Child Protection?' I don't think he is at all suggesting that protecting children doesn't matter! As a youth worker I totally echo everything the author raises - I too feel heartbroken that some of our young people are disinteretsed in Church because we as the church are disinterested in passing onto them a passionate faith that sometimes has to stick it's neck out of the line and choose to be counted.
Dear Knows. Its quite incredible that the comments above have been articulated at all. If they have been made by Christians it is no wonder that people, Young or otherwise leave the church in great numbers. I would have thought that regardless of nationality the Christians have one Monarch and one country one purpose - The Kingdom. How silly of me. And you wonder why the author wrote the piece in the first place. God forgive us if these responses are from Christians.
Thanks for the article- though I have to query the use of the term "Britishness" in para 3 I've not seen the play, but as a Scot none of what you describe in the first few paragraphs resonates in the least. what you are talking about is Englishness- and there is more to Britishness than Englishness PLEASE be aware that the terms "English" and "British" are NOT synonyms
How does the title of the play "Jerusalem" suggest, as you state, that its theme is Britishness? It is quite clearly about Englishness. I am surprised that you can't differentiate between the two - they are not synonyms. Sorry to be so bristly but I find this sloppy writing and thinking offensive.
Some good points in this article and young people do need the adventure of God at work and the excitement of the Holy Spirit changing them. Taking a side swipe at child protection detracted from some otherwise good points. I don't think having the experience of being abused within the Church is an adventure they need and this is what child protection procedures prevent- they are not just bureaucracy but are there to protect children.
To the author of the Dear Knows response, it is quite incredible that the comments had to be articulated at all. The offensiveness is not in the irritation of the inappropriate use of words but in the underlying assumption that usually accompanies such use. This mistaken assumption is that Britain equals England and it is tainted with imperialistic arrogance. Of course I am not saying that Jason meant to imply this. However, it is easy to dismiss others irritation or offence when the issue doesn’t affect us. I disagree that Christians have one monarch? Do you think the national anthem should be rejected by Christians or should we take Jesus lead in such a matter when he said “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s”? We don’t or shouldn’t live in a bubble that excludes the rest of society. Is this not why LICC does “connecting with culture”? In regard to Jason’s paragraph on young people leaving church in their droves, I do not think that it is an either or situation. I believe that they perceive it to be irrelevent because it is a pale imitation. And not just young people. I know numerous forty somethings who have left. To be honest, I find it increasingly difficult to remain part of a church because of these reasons and also because of those who are judgemental about so many issues that don’t affect them whilst being so insensitive to others needs. This, to me, is the antithesis of Christ’s attitude. As this probably applies to us all, in some ways, then yes, I think you’re right, we do need to ask God for forgiveness.
Date:
2010-03-30 23:03:43
Author:
Doug Greig