June 2010

Well, that time when hopes and dreams will spring afresh like living water is almost upon us once again. Am I talking about a great religious festival? Of course not! I’m talking about the World Cup, that festival of football where, inevitably, the whole nation (well at least the English bit) will lose its head and think England are going to win. The truth is that I’m already getting excited. And, yes, very stupidly, I do think we can do it!

The World Cup can bring something very silly out of us. But from a spiritual point of view, it reminds us that we live in an ‘aspirational culture’, something which has both light and shade about it. What do I mean when I say this? Well, consider an advert from the last World Cup, shown on both TV and at the cinema. As the ad starts, tremulous music strikes up; we cut to a footballer showing off his ball skills whilst stood on an tall and tiny pillar of rock; the ball moves at dizzying speed, but not for a second does this skilful player (who we discover is the great Brazilian Ronaldo) drop the ball. The camera then cuts to him holding a sleek, shiny mobile phone. Such adverts sell, especially to the crucial younger market, an opportunity to acquire a lifestyle though the outlay of money, and there will be many during this World Cup. Got no talent, but want to be like Ronaldo? Buy this mobile phone. Want to be more glamorous or sexy? Drink this or wear that. You can be more like your heroes by driving this car. In an aspirational culture, we are what we buy. A product is attractive if it helps us achieve a lifestyle we want.

And lest you think – ‘well I’m not so young anymore, these things have passed me by’, well notice how many adverts are aimed at the more mature – trying to tempt you to take out a loan on your house in order to live the dream you’ve always had, but never had the money to fulfil.

To a lesser or greater degree, the modern Church, and its members, almost inevitably buys into this consumerist, market-driven culture. However, as Christians, we do so at our peril for in greedily aspiring to achieve a certain lifestyle we may put at risk more than just our future credit rating; we may be risking our very selves. For we (as human beings), ultimately, are not made for greed, self-interest and envy, but love and service. I am not saying ‘don’t enjoy yourself’ - far from it. We are made for joy; but I am asking you – where is your real treasure?

The Church perhaps needs to accept that the aspirational culture, based on selling dreams for money, is not going to go away in a hurry. So how do we as Christians both resist and challenge it? What does the Church have to offer for people to aspire to?

And as for England’s performance in the World Cup...let us aspire to greatness...but be prepared for disappointment.

COME ON ENGLAND!!!