Blessing the Methodists!

It was my immense privilege to address the Convocation of the Methodist Diaconal Order last week - and many requested to hear the version of the 'beatitudes' that I used. It was written to remind us of how awful the world looks like, if we don't use the radical agenda of the original Beatitudes (Matthew chapter 5) in our mission and discipleship:

Blessed are the rich and over confident, for theirs is the world as it is today

Blessed are those who cause others to mourn, for arms dealers always live in comfort

Blessed are the strong and arrogant, for they shall dominate our institutions and inherit tax free savings.

Blessed are those who do not stand up to the oppressors, for theirs will be a nice quiet life

Blessed are those who show no mercy, for they will never have to say sorry for anything

Blessed are the hard of heart, for they have no need of God

Blessed are the warmongers, for they will be wined and dined in our National Galleries

Blessed are those that persecute others, for they will gain political power

Blessed are you when people speak highly of you, for you will have great dinner parties in Downing Street, in the same way that media moguls, billionaires and the powerful have always been celebrated.