Author: Martin Scott

Coming to an end… or a beginning?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

Our time in Sicily is coming to an end – another 10 days or so to go. When it is over I will try to put something of a summary in here – summarising 5 months, numerous locations, 20+ different beds, response to a few thousand years of history? An inadequate summary, but I will try.

It is hard to say what underlines why we came here but I guess it has something to do with one from the tribe of Benjamin called Saul of Tarsus. I consider him a bit of a friend – pure fantasy on my part and revealing that I think it is easier to relate to someone who won’t kick me up the proverbials than someone alive in my era! But enough of exposing any inadequacies I have, moving on…

Life seems so accidental at one level – who would I have been, what would I have done if I had been born in another era, another culture? And yet if we walk humbly (by that I mean accepting our stupidity) it does seem the Lord guides (when I do summarise Sicily I hope I make that clear as to the journey here). 2001 Hanover and the launch of ‘Target Europe’, which marked some great partnerships and some clear divides, I was asked to address a session. I took as my theme Isaac re-opening the wells of his father Abraham so my theme was to ‘re-dig the wells of revival’. At the end of the session I was met by a handful of Spanish believers who said that there was not the same history in Spain as I had referenced (Wales, Hebrides, Wesleyan etc.) so they asked what were they to do. If not 100% accurate I can substantially remember my response – a response that was not premeditated and one I did not fully understand:

Tell me, what nation on the planet can claim, on the basis of biblical authority, that there are first century unanswered apostolic prayers in the land. You do not need a revival history in Spain, go dig out those prayers.

I left thinking what on earth does that mean but soon concluded that Paul prayed for Spain. He was not looking for a beach holiday, nor a villa with a pool, but for the gospel to finally get to the end of his world – the western edge of the Roman Empire. Prayers for the land were sown deep into the ground. (I don’t think Paul ever got here in spite of the legend that he made it after his imprisonment in Rome, but there are first century apostolic prayers in the land – literally in the land.)

The Pauline Gospel. Bigger, much bigger, than the ‘gospel’ that I grew up on, the one defended as the ‘evangelical gospel’. (I first studied theology at under-graduate level in the 70s – an era when evangelical theology was defensive and still very narrow in scope.)

In the last 40 years or so there have been many shifts in Pauline theology – and I am way from being up to speed. Some still defend the ‘old perspective’, there is the ‘new perspective’ (such as NT Wright, Jimmy Dunn, and pre-them EP Sanders), ‘Paul in Judaism’, ‘Apocalyptic Paul’ and variations of the above and also a host of others. I am deeply impacted by the new perspective and see the NT context as the Imperial world. A well known inscription from 9BC shows the common language from that Imperial world to the world of the New Testament:

It seemed good to the Greeks of Asia, in the opinion of the high priest Apollonius of Menophilus Azanitus: “Since Providence, which has ordered all things and is deeply interested in our life, has set in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior, both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things, and since he, Caesar, by his appearance (excelled even our anticipations), surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings [εὐαγγέλιον] for the world that came by reason of him,” which Asia resolved in Smyrna.

Saviour, gospel… ‘secular’ words, and we can extend that with other terms used such as ‘lord’, ‘kings of kings’, ‘prince of peace’… Such a crossover of terms alerts us that the good news of Jesus is not primarily about a private response of faith that was to be demonstrated in religious activity. It was deeply ‘political’ and about an alignment that affected the whole of life. The concept that ‘Jesus is Lord’ and ‘declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection’ had (has) profound implications for our world.

The entrance of Jesus – born of a woman, born under the law – as a human and as a Jew was central to Paul as well as the Gospels, with the Gospels recording the ministry of Jesus within the context of an oppressed land; Paul takes all that was presented there and works it out within the context of that oppressive imperial power. This has led some to say he is the founder of ‘Christianity’ and for some the one who distorted the message. My take is he faithfully applied the message.

Anyway I will begin to post inadequately on Paul over the coming days, concerning the few insights I have into the ‘Pauline Gospel’. But back to Hanover and beyond.

The core focus that took Gayle and I to Spain was to dig into the land to play a part in the re-digging of the Pauline gospel. Maybe it has an impact on Spain, but it certainly has brought about shifts in us. Fast forward and in May 2025 we responded to a very generous invitation from two of our heroes and friends (Adrian and Pauline Hawkes) to come to Malta. Aware that Paul was shipwrecked there we thought maybe there will be some stimulus for us regarding Paul. (There is a possibility the shipwreck was not there, though the term used of the people was βάρβαροι – not a term likely to be used of some of the alternative suggested islands… so probably Malta.) We read Acts 28 on numerous occasions and then saw that from Malta he went to Syracuse (Sicily):

We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days (Acts 28:12).

We literally live on ‘Island of Sicily street’ in Oliva and have often wondered if there was anything beyond it simply being an address… And, short story long, we left Malta with a conviction that within weeks was firmed up that we should head to Sicily. Two history books later and in November 2025 we left in a van we have always seen as transportation for Europe.

Many aspects have come together for us and we have been convinced that there will be a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ related to our time here.

In short it has brought us to the conviction that the biggest element in our world today is the ending of all abusive uses of power. Could it be possible? Well that takes me back to what I will be posting on – the Pauline gospel.

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A lot of people in Finland?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Reports

Back in January I put the following as a ‘postscript’ on a post with a focus on India:

Separate to the above and I might post on this separately at some point. Around 3-4 years ago I was praying and had in my vision a map of the world. It looked standard the same as one could buy. There are 3 major land masses on the bottom side of a map – South America, Africa and India. In one instant South America relocated underneath Europe; Africa under China – that surprised me as it happened simultaneously. But India did not move. India is the dark horse of this next era (through to 2040). An old world order is not going back – Mark Carney spoke of a rupture. The importance of the ekklesia is in focus. It is a governmental word but NOT to be understood as governing over (as per seven mountains of influence) but taking responsibility for a shape to be held so that what is healthy can grow up within it. It is not about discerning where the next trade deal can be done… they might give us signs but I am convinced we are to look for a new economy and Scripture is full of it. No need to fear ‘not allowed to buy and sell’ as that is part of an economy that is collapsing… We bumble along in Sicily, the centre of ‘middle earth’ hoping we will cluelessly contribute to the future, and staying here in Avola is underlining for me that we have to step away from being locked in what has been.
(https://3generations.eu/posts/2026/01/time-for-an-update/).

So for those interested in the world order playing out someone sent me the youtube link below of the Finnish PM giving a speech that highlights India. A very balanced and thoughtful speech:

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Armageddon? Not!!

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

Something along the following lines is being quoted by a number of sources:

A combat-unit commander told non-commissioned officers at a briefing Monday that the Iran war is part of God’s plan and that Pres. Donald Trump was “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth,” according to a complaint by a non-commissioned officer. From Saturday morning through Monday night, more than 110 similar complaints about commanders in every branch of the military had been logged by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). The complaints came from more than 40 different units spread across at least 30 military installations, the MRFF told me Monday night (https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a70590863/jesus-trump-military-iran-war/).

So here we go… again! The news interpreting the Bible… and in the course of it the Bible takes a hammering. Putting my cards on the table: Armageddon does not exist – there is no such place. There is no such mountain and to make it into the ‘plains of Megiddo’ rather stretches biblical interpretation, and then where does it appear: in the Apocalypse which uses (wait for it) apocalyptic language!

Worse though is ‘anointed by Jesus… to cause Armageddon’. As if. And check out Islamic eschatology – Jesus is coming back, Armageddon-type warfare, but Jesus at the head of the Islamic forces. All of it madness.

Eschatology; Israel and the need for more land to be what was promised. What if (as I believe) there is almost nothing predicted about the future… that the land promises are radically re-shaped in the New Testament… that Revelation is the critique of all time concerning Imperial power that is shown to be in total contrast to the kenotic activity of heaven… what then should we do? What then should we look to consider is anointed of God? What if Scripture encourages any consideration of ‘end-times’ to be responded to with a response of dedication to commitment to first principles of ‘let your kingdom come’?

I hope we can move away from the madness.

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Power Out

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by Gayle
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Gayle has been writing this morning and I asked if I could post it here.

Invitation?
Requirement?

In the most guttural sense and particularly in the current global state of war war war, run by mad men, we are crying out for POWER OUT and for a power out-age. (A continuation from the time in Spain when all power went out for days after rolling up the Europe map..)

There is an awareness that the earth here (everywhere) is asking us to empty out power (by which I mean power over other) and that we have a window of time for this.

As we have been tracking with the feminine story here (Sicily) we felt the Eden soil – under all the spirits of victim, wrong protector, and rage oppressor/manipulator, (as well as probably other things🤷‍♀️) – wanting to stand open and vulnerable. Historically each time that has manifested she has been raped, martyred, deified etc etc. Yet still it is the heart cry. For a different outcome and to do this really, the true masculine also needs to show up. Vulnerable also. This will change systems.

Power power power is on full display right now.

The emptying out of power (kenosis – see Roger’s work on this) is our only chance. The dream where I plead with Mr Banks to take off the suit and go play with the children. Empty out power. We are in intercession to see this part of the dream come through. This is at a systems level.

Like we all know systems can’t change unless we change at a personal level. But the invitation? requirement? is where there is power and who has it to empty it out.

The thing with power is we don’t always know we have it. We’re often blind.

Jesus came as a man, why? To empty out power. He lifts women up. Created space for them in a society that didn’t. If he had come as a woman he couldn’t have done that.

Comes as a Jew. Why? To empty out Jewishness. To include Gentiles. He had to come as a Jew to do that. A gentile could not have emptied out that power.

Power out.

So I have agency. I do. For what is in my power. My attitude, my stance, my behavior etc etc. But to change the overall in-the-world-power-imbalance , I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that it needs those with power to empty out power. And that includes me, privileged as I am. And that when this is done collaboratively it undoes the wrong.
And that will change systems.

The problem is when we don’t see the power. How can it be emptied out when it is not acknowledged or seen? The rich and the poor. The poor have agency but they can’t change the system without the rich emptying out power.

Black people in the civil rights era had agency but it needed white people to stand with them and empty out power to get the laws changed etc. This injustice is far from over still. Men and women…The US female hockey team have agency, they used it to not go to the White House and to speak out. But how much quicker would change come if the male hockey team had done that as well? Spoken up and emptied out their power to stand with the women? Can it actually change for women without that kind of response from men?

What about the trans community and all those expressing different sexuality or none?

And of course there’s animals and creation. How we use power over them.

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Not perfect… but be as perfect as…

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Here is a good word from Jesus, a word to put us in our place:

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48).

Well not much of a hope with that one. Talk about falling short, and (if you don’t mind Jesus) just a tad unrealistic. Reading this the other day a little slower so that I did not just jump over it as if it is one of those Scriptures just simply to ignore I thought about the context, and that gave a different slant to it.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you… For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? 

I suspect that is the perfection that Jesus is referring to. Embracing the ‘other’, loving (orientation and action), praying for… etc.

Attainable? I think we can realistically go a long way toward that, and maybe more challenging than some idea of a set of standards. Pushes us toward Paul’s confession that although he was righteous according to the law, he was the ‘chief of sinners’. All-but-perfect…but not perfect as God, the heavenly Father. Maybe hard to implement on the global political scene but it certainly will never be implemented there if those who claim to follow Jesus do not align with those values.

At a time of scandals being exposed within the body of Christ (keep your seat belts on, us charismatics) and beyond, honesty and humility need be the clothing we pull out of the wardrobe. Back in the day I was asked who is your ‘prophetic’ hero and of course it was either Elijah or John the Baptist. Give everything a healthy old kick and never acknowledge that my toe was bleeding. I probably don’t have time to answer such a question today but have been thinking a bit about Elisha (a few troubling elements in his behaviour such as the call some bears out of the woods ‘trick’!!!). Elisha: crazy levels of revelation, and radical honesty when blind.

Gehazi (his servant) ran after Naaman and deceitfully gained some gifts, but Elisha went with him (in Spirit). Revelation!

He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant has not gone anywhere at all.” But he said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? (2 Kings 5:25,26).

The king of Aram was somewhat annoyed, suspecting a traitor but the situation was that Elisha had a major heads up on what was being planned in secret:

The mind of the king of Aram was greatly perturbed because of this; he called his officers and said to them, “Now tell me: Who among us is betraying us to[b] the king of Israel?” 12 Then one of his officers said, “No one, my lord king. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel, who tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.” (2 Kings 6:11,12).

Then we have the situation where the ‘Shunammite’ woman came in great distress after her son had died. Anyone who has some measure of prophetic gifting could have made a good stab at it… ‘I pray for this woman who is in great distress, she has encountered great pain’ (and then if ‘cheating’ watch the body language – I do think that is cheating!! – and push on) ‘within her home…’ and maybe even eventually get to ‘her son’! (A little bit of exaggerating description in there but hopefully I get a point across.) Mr. mature prophet Elisha could have done with some mentoring as we go on to read:

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman; run at once to meet her and say to her: Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all right?” She answered, “It is all right.” When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away, but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me.” (2 Kings 4:25-27).

Honest and not very impressive… but honest and life-giving for the boy is raised from the dead.

Be perfect… be honest… be humble… be ignorant… embrace others…

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Sicily – a break and an update

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Updates

At last I get round to a bit of an update on our little journey in Sicily. For the past three weeks we have had Elizabeth Coveney (known her for 49 years!! Our ‘kids’ grew up together for years), Annie Macintosh (a director with Andrew Chua and Gayle in their company, Authentic Business Catalyst) and also for a few days at the beginning of that time we also had Jenny Rettig (Switzerland) with us. It is wonderful to have the ‘right’ people who carry something for the relevant phase – not merely right in the sense of what knowledge / insight / wisdom they carry, but the story they hold. Eventually people (land???) does not catch what we proclaim but what we carry – ‘I do not have…, but what I have I give to you’.

We had four main loci – Agrigento, Palermo, Catania and Siracusa, with a central focus. Phase 1 was a discovery of the colonisation that is the common theme in the history of Sicily; this phase was a focus on the healing of the (toxic) feminine and the toxic masculine. Never possible to absolutely state what is ‘masculine’ and what is ‘feminine’ but they are rough terms to help. In this phase Gayle with the others took a lead (hate to admit it, and of course would absolutely deny it if challenged, but way over my head). Along the way we encountered three female ‘saints’ – Agatha (Catania), Lucia (Siracusa) and Rosalia (Palermo). Their dedication to Christ and the Gospel, led for the first two to be martyred (Rosalia was not martyred but walked away to become a hermit)… Later then colonised to become protectors. The end result was not the rescuing of the feminine but the disappearance of the feminine under the guise of being rescued.

Always hard to explain… and the last thing that would be a reality is that we are in some way ‘experts’. Bumblers along. I take great encouragement from the story of the woman who put her two coins in the Temple treasury – there seems an amazing connection to the pulling down of the Temple and its wealth with her little act. I hope a few of our antics might serve something bigger changing.

Today Annie and Elizabeth left. We moved to a new accommodation and tomorrow move again (no idea how many places we have dragged our cases into now!). On Saturday we have family arriving and till Tuesday will enjoy that context, all getting us ready for our final phase (4th – 19th March(approx)). That phase will be very different and has to bring our time here to a conclusion. That north east corner holds the third corner of the island / book; it is where Garibaldi left the island on his further conquest of the ‘two Sicilies’ to mark the end of the significant phase of creating the new united Italy; and was very central for a ‘proto-crusade’ and the sixth crusade. Christendom in full force!

We began (not planned) in the place where Garibaldi entered the island; we then move in this final phase to where he left; thus marking the beginning and end of the recent colonisation. We came here with the ancient map of the Queen of Europe with the orb (Sicily) in her hand with the cross over it – Christendom; symbolising the rule over the world. So, for sure this element of Christendom will be a focus… and while praying in Palermo two things came clear also: we need to visit the financial quarters of Milan (the financial centre of Italy) on the way home. Anyway more on that when we get there! And that before long we need to get to Istanbul (planning for this in April) to pray into the well that (militant) Islam draws from. Now a big subject so here goes.

There are three monotheistic faiths that claim to be rooted in Abraham’s journey: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. (Of course none of those faiths are monolithic.) I have long believed that Islam draws from Christendom well. Sharia law and Christendom are not very far apart! There is a connection between the entry of the Mosque (Hagia Sophia) into the Christian Cathedral that accelerated the spread of Islam. Putting their house inside the Christendom home was a key. (Of course I could be well bonkers on all this, but has been a conviction for a decade or more.) It seems to me that it will be the end of the ‘Sicily adventure’.

We came here believing that this small place (in global terms) held some keys for a bigger change and the Istanbul part will be a gate from West to East. And economic issues and Christendom are key issues in our world that are manifesting way above the surface.

On the journey goes! Maybe Etna will respond in this final phase as there still is a rage that needs to manifest and there needs to be an (out)rage against all previous abuse.

We do our small thing… others do theirs and it will enable God to do something none of us can do.

Bit of a ramble, some of which might make sense.

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The power outage

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

This observation is not too profound but it does appear everywhere we look the abuse of power is being hit head on. From the (former) grand old duke of York (the Epstein files will simply not go away) to great swathes of the prophetic movement / streams. More has to come and we still have some serious dictators who have to come in line or be removed.

I have – along with many others – watched the YouTube exposees of some of the prophetic abuses and downright fabrications with horror. Back in 2021 I warned that this was coming and about 18 months ago said to Gayle that once that has been ruthlessly purged that there will come a wave that will confront the healing movement (not saying my terms are correct with the use of ‘movement’).

What is being exposed at the core is that of the abuse of power positions. Years after the ‘interaction’ between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky was she able to say that it was abuse – abuse primarily because of the imbalance of power position. The addiction to power and the belief that things change by the exercise of power has to be broken. The prophetic abuses have to be sorted and I recall a dream I had of a European gathering that was discussing ‘prophetic protocols’ for the next phase, into which a recognised USA prophet materialised (he has passed away a few years back) as a 40 year old; he was present representing a former move but also realising that what was laid down (allowed?) as protocols in that time had led them to where it had become corrupted. I think the bottom line issue is that of power position. Why quickly restore those who have been abusive – their gift is needed seems to be the motivation. We cannot afford to go that way.

The three temptations of Jesus still stand: economy (turn the stones into bread), be hailed and honoured as from God (throw yourself down from the Temple) and use a system to change the entire world (I will give you the kingdoms = Christendom). The show of ‘the prophetic’ with names and addresses shows so clearly that such people are of God, the system as embodied in the ‘Seven mountains of influence’ and with more than sufficient dosh to get it all out is being challenged. It has to be.

Deeper than laying a new foundation (‘prophetic protocols’) is the walking away and renouncing of power and power positions. ‘Being in the form of God (not in spite of being in the form of God) Jesus laid aside his power position…’ And ‘let this mind be in you’ was the exhortation.

A year ago we rolled up the ‘queen of Europe’ from the head to the feet. Within hours came the power outage in Spain, Portugal and spilling over into France and Morroco. Power outages occur. Also signs occur as signs point us to what is taking place and they draw to themselves what they are indicating. Power outage is here.

The ‘power’ issue faces us all. It is irrelevant whether we are at the so-called ‘top’ or not. Power will not change the world – hence the forever debates that eventually are not resolved of ‘a God of love with unlimited power’ and suffering. Start with that understanding and the only way to resolve it is ‘mystery’. For some time I have been saying it is ‘presence’ that we have to manifest. Not power over, but presence with. And you shall call his name ‘Emmanuel’, meaning ‘God with us’ (beginning of Matthew’s Gospel) with the final promise in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus will be with us to the end of the age.

Presence with.

Buckle yourself in – particularly us charismatics – the ride is getting bumpy. Don’t give up on what you know… don’t get obsessed with what is out there; pay attention to what is within.

Finally on the current abuse of power in the big world… I am praying that the feeding from the next generation will not be possible. That is manifest in such issues as the economic structures of the world and the lack of care for environmental issues with the attitude it will be OK for us in our generation. A long post might be needed but I simply sow it here – the current dictators (as always) are feeding off the next generation – we need to see that supply broken – and this perpetuates their existence. Just a thought… and yes I will get to posting on Sicily ere long!

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Wesley… his quadrilateral – is there more?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Theology

Mr. Wesley (the John variety) was quite a practical person but also somewhat of a theologian. Although he did not himself use the ‘quadrilateral’ language he has been analysed as using four bases as a foundation for his (practical) theology. The four are: Scripture, reason, experience and tradition. Scripture was always taken as primary with the other three enabling an understanding and a practical application of the Scripture.

I like that enormously – gives Scripture precedence but does not simply quote texts in a way that seeks to apply them in a wooden way as if there are no other factors involved. Sola Scriptura has been badly used and applied – though I suspect never done consistently. Reason – oh yes. What we consider is our reason of course is not infallible, but God is not unreasonable. Reason is a God-gift to us. I remember pushing a ‘Reformed’ professor to the point where he had to admit that he accepted that God wishes something (all to be saved) but chose something different (only the elect). At that point there was a contradiction that does not rationally stand up. We might not know how to resolve it but at least it should shout ‘caution’. Experience – not infallible but even within Scripture we see how texts are re-interpreted as a fresh experience comes along. (I am currently working on ‘Israel, Jew, Gentile’ mix – seems some fresh interpretations when we come to Rom. 9-11… another day). Tradition – OK I might be the weakest on this aspect as it is not my centre, but recognise that how things have been wrestled with in the past can help us process such issues in our day.

But… but… how about we add one more element to brother John’s approach. We might be able to slide it under one of the previous four, but given that it is central to Scripture I think I can legitimately add it:

Eschatological

How things will be… that has to shape our theology. We move from two points – as it was in the beginning… and how things will culminate. Marriage and gender are two interesting aspects when we go from both points. Dualism at the beginning (although if we take it as a merism we have a spectrum, and not a binary) to the end of dualism / binary in the eschaton. Such an approach has to impact also the atonement (why Jesus does not embody the binaries of Jew and Gentile / male and female) – and as an aside why does the Hebrew writer suggest something, not present in Paul, that the heavens needed cleansing?(!!)

I think at every point we cannot simply read the Scriptures as a flat book – challenging if we do and we get to Ecclesiastes with the best human basically being a dead one!!! – not to mention the old chestnuts of slavery and ethnic cleansing. But beyond not reading as a flat book we have to move beyond a narrative-historical approach into the future. We have to both read forward – the onward movement of the narrative and also we have to read back – from the end into the text.

The resurrection brought about two time-zones. Sometimes we have to ask when thinking about a call that crosses time zones, ‘what time is it in xxxxx?’. ‘What time is it?’ is a question we have to ask concerning how we are to respond to issues theological… and then practically how we bridge the ‘time zones’ is important. In the eschaton / new creation this is the time… now we live in ‘this age / time zone’ so how do we apply that time zone into this one so that we can communicate.

In a very real sense Scripture takes precedence but has to be scrutinised by reason, tradition, experience and the eschatological state of things. Sin coming into this world distorted so much and strangely the eschaton entering our time zone also distorts for a clash takes place. If we can increasingly adjust our time to heaven’s we might feel out of sync…

OK the above was intended as a ‘what on earth would that mean then’ kinda post, and the next post I need to get back to an update on Sicily – here in our fourth month and back in the place where the one called Paul stayed for three days – Siracusa.

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Back to Catania

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by Martin Scott
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It is not so easy to give a report that gives an accurate sense of our continued time in Sicily, but here I will try and give something that might create some kind of reflection. First a map to orientate…

The outer triangle is marking the three promonentories that have long been recognised. We have visited two – the first being in Marsala and that one we have been to on numerous occasions. It also marks where Garibaldi entered Sicily to ‘conquer’ and first submit it to the king of Sardinia (1860) and with the northern states formed Italy. The second point in the south east we have now been to twice and think that is probably enough. The lines I have drawn are simply for my own clarity but they cross at the middle of the island in Enna, the centre and the meeting point for the way the Arabic epoch had divided the island. We are currently in Catania but have been for some days prior in Siracusa (where Paul landed) and in Agrigento (East and West coasts).

How do we decide where we go? Well of course simple… we wake up in the morning, an angel has breakfast with us and gives us a detailed set of instructions. Easy! Or maybe it is a little different to that!!! OK maybe delete that part about the breakfast companion. We do have an overall shape of seeking to understand the history, meaning that as we do we discover ‘who’ Sicily is (I put ‘who’ in quotes as that is not a normal way of thinking of geography, but I do think very biblical – often ‘land’ or ‘cities’ are addressed in the same way as people are addressed). This takes us then into what should we do (as per a person) to enable any wounds, repeating patterns to be addressed so that there can be a better future (and we would hold that if a measure of ‘healing’ can occur that there is a greater openness to participating in the redemptive flow of salvation (Jn. 10:40-42 in contrast to the preceding 3 chapters and Acts 17:26, 27 – kairos and boundaries).

As one walks and prays in this way aspects seem to become clear. The obvious to begin with such as the intense history of colonisation right the way through to the more recent one of the unification of Italy; then the area that has to be dug into with the history of the two women martyrs (Saint Lucy in Siracusa and Saint Agatha in Catania). The parallel stories of those two women are where we are currently focused (late 200s – early 300s). We are on the second time in those cities. The first time in Siracusa was seeking sight and I suggested we might have to be visiting 10 times to get underneath the covering layers that seek to hide / distort the reality. Well I think we have probably been in the city on 8 occasions and now have been able to come to Catania. We came (not knowing this) on the final day of the 8 day long festival to Santa Agatha. Timing was good but the inevitable heaviness was tangible.

The two stories are rooted in abuse (Agatha to be punished for not being willing to compromise her faith and marry a pagan was put in a brothel to encourage her to change her mind). Push back further and of course this is the myth of Europe with Zeus and the princess in Crete. Those old myths are exactly that, but they are also the ancient attempts to explain the reality around them and in the telling of the story shape the future. So this is the layer we are in now. A few more days in Catania then who knows – but I guess we will need that breakfast again! Or something else will open – certainly we are now looking at how does the children fit in to this. There (as per other places) is a history of child sacrifice on the West coast with the Phoenician / Carthaginian history – so maybe that will call? The ‘children’ of course represent the next generation (represent? = are) and this digs deep into areas of economy where I maintain that to – among other things – finance war and perpetuate divides the future is sacrificed in order to see blessing today (hence money as fiat). So maybe we won’t get a breakfast with an angel (as if!!) but we will not be without direction.

Back to the map… the final point at the north awaits and that is where one of the major crusades took was shaped from. That certainly is where Christendom (and hence the current intense debates in Europe are) had a manifestation. So probably a final stop off. In other words (but it would be a shorter blog) Gayle and I have breakfast together (and with anyone who has joined us) but little by little it makes sense where to travel that day. As yet there is nothing beyond Catania that we have – and why should we? Tomorrow is another day and we only need to know tomorrow what we should do then.

From Wikipedia:

According to the 13th-century Golden Legend (III.15) by Jacobus de Voragine, 15-year-old Agatha, from a rich and noble family, made a vow of virginity for Christ’s sake and rejected the amorous advances of the Roman prefect Quintianus, who thought he could force her to turn away from her vow and marry him. His persistent proposals were consistently spurned by Agatha. This was during the persecutions of Decius, so Quintianus, knowing she was a Christian, reported her to the authorities. Quintianus himself was governor of the district.
Quintianus expected Agatha to give in to his demands when faced with torture and possible death, but Agatha simply reaffirmed her belief in God by praying: “Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil.” To force her to change her mind, Quintianus sent Agatha to Aphrodisia, the keeper of a brothel, and had her imprisoned there; however, the punishment failed, with Agatha remaining a Christian.

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What are we to think

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

I am currently reading a whole bunch of chapters about Solomon, ever so wise, Mr. Temple builder etc. Now in what I write he is a whole lot wiser than me… however, how are we meant to read some of the stuff? How many wives? And how many palaces? And how many foreign gods? And how many…? Silver was a nothing and everywhere gold; along comes the Q of Sheba who is well impressed… and on we go. Some very smart proverbs, but leaves me thinking – and that seems to be the thing with so much of Scripture that we just can’t figure out. Gets you thinking – cos it ain’t really about Solomon but about me aligning to what I believe. I used to say to people – listen to me and you will discover what I think (or what I hope you think) I believe. Come stay with me, go ask my spouse, even neighbours – then you will discover what I really believe. True doctrine seems far more to do with how I live than how I can string a few Scriptures together. People like Paul said – ‘imitate me as I imitate Christ’. OOOFFFF. He also suggested that we simply give a couple of considerations concerning anyone entering leadership – how is that thing called family working out and go ask a few neighbours (specifically those who don’t have faith) and get their opinion. Too practical all of that! ‘Jesus began to do and to teach’. We like to teach and tell people what to do – could it be we have got it the wrong way round? Never, I hear myself say…

Anyway back to the aforementioned king. The era of success has arrived; started by David then brought to another level with Solomon. The borders are at the largest; the army at the strongest; the order… OK wait a minute. The order – all things flowing to the centre to maintain the centre. Maybe now a question just enters. Surely Solomon has not organised things to rival that place the earlier generations escaped from – that place known as Egypt with a king known as Pharoah? And the next king of the northern tribes, Jeroboam, comes up out of… Egypt… erecting 2 golden calves… Yes it is the rebellious northern tribes that did not stay loyal to the house of David, but maybe we are to think maybe the prosperous days of Solomon were not so healthy after all.

Success. We have growth, we have influence; everything is testifying to ‘we have never seen anything like this’. Good or bad?

Small is no better than big; failure certainly no better than success!!! But the successful centre – big or small is probably more the issue. Scaling up nearly always ends up confusing us – we have done something amazing; now God can take a nap we have this. Scaling out – that is something different. Where is the centre? Bit like asking post the last Supper as to where Jesus is? Cos if each person ‘eats’ and ‘drinks’ him he is wherever the eaters and the drinkers are. It seems to make sense of Jesus botanical answer to the Greeks who wished to meet him (Jn. 12:20-26). His reply of ‘unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies…’ Strange request for an interview. Want to visit the centre? Advice… wait a while cos you don’t need a Jewish Jesus, you need a Greek one – so hang on till there are many Jesus-es (yes I know they will be inadequate and you would really like to see the proper one, but…)

Time to wrap this wandering blah blah up. Success and growth and recognition – well what a set of dangers arise. We move from being dependent on God to we pretty much got this. I advocated a whole number of years ago that a corporate exorcism would not go amiss if done once a year. To take a stand and to say to whatever we need to: ‘I am / we are not here for your success. We will not serve you, nor defend you. We will declare you and any resources you have are here to serve God’s kingdom, and that kingdom will not exalt any one person… so any spirit seeking to attach to us we renounce…’ and so on.

I’d rather not go the way of Solomon. And I kinda think that there is a squeeze on right now, for without the squeeze we have such a tendency to think we have really done something quite amazing.

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