Murderers of all Murderers

Illustration from The Giving Tree

I gave today’s address at Edmund Kell, Southampton, entitled: Murderers of all Murderers. I had the joy of taking the service here both this week and last. My theme this week was the death of God as we encounter it in the works of William Blake, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Thomas J J Altizer, explored through the lens of a children’s book - ‘The Giving Tree’ By Shel Silverstein. In Altizerian theology God self-negates (self-destructs) to liberate humanity – the object of his love. In Shel Silverstein’s book The Giving Tree, the tree sacrifices herself unto death for the sake of her friend, the boy. I have included an audio portion of today’s service.

Prayer by Gretta Vosper

At the very core of our being
rests a deep and urgent need to relate to one another.
Our souls long for communion,
for fellowship, and we gather in this place to seek it out.
For the opportunity to share in the fellowship,
to know the sense of home this place is for us,
we give thanks.
May we be open to the possibilities this fellowship offers us -
to see each other as unique and yet one,
to celebrate our differences
and to hallow what we find
when we look into each other’s eyes.
Open to the possibilities to which our souls call us,
we overflow with thanksgiving.
As light into light, we pray
Amen.