Getting it

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 05 September 2005 20:53:16

Interesting letter from the editor in this weeks Baptist Times , who is reflecting about Greenbelt and the festival culture.

It's an article which I feel makes some valid points, but I also feel a bit of unease with. It explains that Greenbelt is a festival in which diversity is celebrated, yet it fails to pick up on the unity which is also apparent and celebrated, but a unity which goes beyond traditional barriers.

It also paints a picture of Greenbelt which is, in places somewhat inaccurate - "And then there's all the traditional elements of a weekend festival: the camping, the living out of a suitcase and not bothering to wash" - um, yes many camp, but the halls of residence are also full, whilst there are not traditional wash facilities there are queues for the showers and water points dotted around the sites from which people collect water and at which people stand and wash. It talks of people stepping outside their comfort zones but for many Greenbelt is a place where we step into our comfort zones.

The article then goes on to discuss the need for Christians to move out into the secular festival culture, by talking of "The challenge comes in reaching out to the lost" and saying "At Glastonbury, there was a spirituality zone that encouraged attendees to explore what they believed. Christianity was paid scant lip service.So where is the Church in this? Staying within our comfort zones is not an answer. We would do well to learn from Greenbelt's experimental worship and be prepared to take the risks to offer something renewing to those who gave up on Church long ago.Perhaps next year, your place is not in a comfortable pew, but in the muddy fields of a secular rock festival, sharing God's love."

This is where I get worried, partly because of the language being employed and partly because of the way Christians may try and go and evangelise "the lost" in a culture they don't understand or feel comfortable in rather than "sharing God's love". Also because it does not recognise those groups who are quietly, yet appropriately involved in these festivals, such as Eden who run a tent at Guildfest or the fact that the "Spiritual zone at Glastonbury" is actually the greenfields area and is not full of people selling particular religions, but rather has a range of elements of spirituality on offer, which includes a Christian presence, which is not overt for a number of very good reasons.

I know a number of Christians who go to secular festivals and thoroughly enjoy the experience, and indeed as the article says, "A Christian went to one festival and said that they found dancing to the explicit lyrics of some of the bands more of a spiritual experience than going to church could ever be."

The reasons for this could probably be attributed to a range of factors including the feeling of community which is generated in festival crowds and the fact that a good musical set will indeed reach people and take them on a journey.

These are the people who will chat to those they are camping with and chilling with, not to try and "sell" a belief culture, but rather just to be part of the community that exists enjoying a good time and sharing their common humanity with no hidden agenda, yet if the situation naturally arises over a pint not be ashamed to talk of their beliefs whilst listening to and respecting the spiritual beliefs (or lack of) of others, rather than trying to convert or condem them. In short they simply go to have a good time.

So if people do take the papers advise to move out of the "comfortable pew...[into the] muddy fields of a secular rock festival, sharing God's love." (remembering that Glastonbury is taking a break next year) they should do so with the right motivation of having a good time rather than seeing it as a weekend of trying to convert.