Pity the poor Anglican priest having to preach a sermon on Saint John (not the Baptist's) day.
That's all we know with certainty. Just - not the Baptist. But which other "John" is it? Is it John the Apostle? Is he the "beloved disciple"? Did he write the Gospel? Did he write 1,2 and/or 3 John? What about John who wrote the Apocalypse? Would the real John whose birth/death/festival occurred on 27 December please stand up? (Not till the Resurrection, obviously, but figuratively, at least?)
It's fair to say that John was a fairly common Jewish name. But if you're going to preach a sermon on 27 December you'd better be fairly sure which John you have in mind. Otherwise you could have an epistemological disaster on your hands.
We like to take the simple route. So our proposal is that the John who wasn't John the Baptist went on to be the Beloved Disciple, wrote the Gospel and all three Epistles, was exiled to the island of Patmos, wrote the book of Revelation, and then was very old in Ephesus, where he told everybody to love each other before going on to sign the Magna Carta, be the ancestor of the Tudor Dynasty and write Annie's Song then get booed off stage by a bunch of boring atheists before being an unidentified crime victim in the United States. It's nice and simple that way.
I am interested in your concept of St John the Evangelist. Revelation needed some really divine inspiration, and I think that John was equal to it.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a little like this blog, which obviously draws on some sort of inspiration, perhaps from a bottle.
But the world envisaged from Husborne Crawley, is infinitely more fun than some of the real world external to it.
So keep up the blog as it provides a real bit of light relief each time I read it.
Thank you for your most helpful post. Our parish, Copthorne.org has St John the Evangelist as our patron Saint, and we were able to make use of your recent researches in our patronal festival today.
ReplyDeleteWe managed to get Dyphtheria, our church's ancient organist, to switch Mary's Song for Annie's Song at the last minute. (I had previously missed the theological significance of Anne the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary "Blessèd Annie, God's granny" within the famous John's famous song.)
The church choir have now also been inspired by the songs -now renamed hymns- of Sir -now Saint- Elton the John, too. Good renditions of "Saturday night's alright for lighting (candles)"; and a gentle version of "Sac-e-ri-fice" replaced the jaded Agnus.
After your inspiring post, our people have been asking about trying to develop ecumenical relations with the Beaker Folk, and wondered whether there are local congregations of 'the Folk' in the other name-sake Crawley, in Sussex, which is a suburb of our own humble parish.
Alastair, thank you for your contribution to Johannology. Particularly like your inclusion of St Sir Elton John. But what about Olivia Newton-John? Even as I write, the Beaker Choir are busy adapting "Hopelessly Devoted to You" into a Charismatic chorus. I can't wait...
ReplyDeleteWell this Anglican preached about St Joseph today.
ReplyDeleteAt least it starts with the same letter.
And you were well within your rights, Father.
ReplyDelete