England/Harpenden

3 weeks ago my school got to go to England for a study trip. We stayed in Herpenden and attended lectures with the regular school there. The lectures were over the character and nature of God. They were really incredible. The teacher was very good at telling stories and taking the parables and explaining the little details that I've never thought about. He taught over how God has characteristics and attributes and how they are two different things. His characters are things that he does like God is creative,forgiving, gracious, faithful, and merciful. But his attributes are things that He just is. For example God is omnipresent,unchanging, creator, father, love, light, and eternal. Some of them are in both lists and the teacher did a much better job of explaining it than I can but his basic point was that as christians we should be able to in some way describe God to unbelievers and what it's like to live in His kingdom. He also taught about how when Jesus was born, it's hard to understand how He could be completely God and completely man. He described it like Jesus was born human but with the characteristics of God. So Jesus had to leave Gods attributes but took on Gods characteristics and then was able to work miracles because the holy spirit was with Him. I also started reading the book "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanuaken. It's an amazing book. But in it at one point his wife describes the trinity and here's the excerpt. 

That night, as usual a couple of friends came by. One was Julian and the other was a non-Christian friend from Corpus Christi College named Richard, and it was Richard who wanted to talk about Christianity. After considerable talk, he said: 'The thing that stumps me is the Trinity. The Trinity and, above all, the Incarnation. You all seem to believe that Jesus was at the same time, completely a man - and completely God. In the name of common sense, how could it be? You Christians always take refuge in mysteries.'

'Not at all,' I said. 'We aren't hiding behind a mystery in this, at least.'

'Well,' said Richard. 'Explain it in some way that makes sense.'

Julian began to say something about the Person of God, and I could see that Richard wasn't finding it very helpful. Then I thought of the novel that Davy and I had been talking about and murmured to Davy, 'I've got it!'

'It's still no good,' said Richard when Julian had done.'

'Look, Richard,' I said. 'This afternoon Davy and I were talking about writing a novel of Oxford with the Studio in it, and us, and everybody. Now, assuming we could do it-"

'Assuming you could do it,' said Richard, 'I'd buy a copy. Not more than five shillings though.'

'Listen,' I said. 'We're talking about the Incarnation. Okay, suppose I write it - it's too complicated with two authors - and I put myself in it. There I am, walking down the High, wearing a Jesus tie - in the book. And let's say I make up a lot of characters, not using real people for fear of hurting their feelings. But I am in it, and I, the character, say whatever I would say in the various situations that occur in m plot'

'What about the Incarnation?' said Richard.

'That's what I am telling you, stupid fellow,' I said with a grin. 'Don't you see? I am incarnate in my book. I am out here writing it, so I'm like God the Father. But it's really me in the book, too, isn't it? So that's Jesus, the Son, right? The me in the book speaks my words - and yet they are speeches that I've probably never made in real life, not being in those situations. And yet can't you see that it's really me?'

'Um,' said Richard. 'Yes, right. I see. Go on.'

'Well,' I said. 'All right. I'm out here, being "the Author of all things" and I'm in the book, taking part in scenes of "drammer" Incarnate in my book. Now, the me in the book: he's all me, isn't he? And he's all character, too, isn't he? Like the doctrine: All and All man. It makes sense, doesn't it? And one more thing: suppose the characters run away with the story - authors are always saying that happens. It might be necessary, whatever I had originally intended, for me to get killed - um, crucified...Anyhow - you see?' 

'You win,' said Richard. 'It does make sense that way. I'll have to think about it.'

His wife goes on to say that because Van is the writer that the characters have something of Van in them, which represents the Holy Spirit. I thought it was a really interesting way of thinking about it. Here are pictures of the base and flying into England and a chocolate orange I bought. xxx- matisse