Categories: uncategorized
Date: 18 April 2012 10:57:21
Want to know the truth about the dechurched members of the missing generation and what they think about church? Read James Corden's autobiography "May I Have Your Attention Please" and pay particular attention to page 23. There is one paragraph which sums everything up which begins by explaining not everybody who is in church is a Christian and just because you're not a regular attender that doesn't mean you aren't a Christian. It then goes on to explain the difference between religion and church - explaining religion is based on faith but church is an organisation full of people who will make errors. He ends with the most insightful thing I think I have read about the modern church, "you end up with a mess of a place masquerading as something it most definitely isn't. It's a bit like Fifa."
Whilst the conversion section doesn't see Corden returning to the church of his youth - and you suspect not to the faith of childhood which may or may not have been there - the book reads like an extended testimony. It's not one of those boring ones which just go on and on where you want to go and pray for the guy after 2 minutes - just to shut him up, or one of those where you are leaning forward so much you fall of the seat because there is so much exciting stuff in there. Rather it is one of those comfortable ones which follows the predictable pattern: the happy but rather non-descript childhood within a Christian family; the life change and going off the rails in late teens/mid-twenties; the (non-religious) conversion where he has a moment of real self-awareness regarding where his life has gone and the feelings of emptiness he has despite the material wealth and fame gained; the positive direction his life has gone in following this moment of conversion.
In terms of why this extrodinary life seems so familiar I guess it alot of it is because the point at which it moves away from him being "one of us", (by which I mean an ordinary guy) and into the life of fame and recognition is when it begins to become a string of reminiscence on the cultural reference points of a certain generation. The History Boys, Starter for Ten and Gavin and Stacey are all things which have meaning to those of us of a certain age.
If you want a comfortable read with some real wisdom and humility as well as a fair helping of humerous "being a dick" moments read this book. Also, as I said at the beginning you may well want to pick it up if you want to understand "the dechurched missing generation".