ancient and future

Today is a 'work' day - part retreat so to speak, part investigation. I've been trekking around London.

The 'retreat' part was visiting Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral, the 'study' part was going to the Tate Modern to look at art installations.

Andy Turner (who we had dinner with the other night) got me into the Abbey for free. What can I say.... Unbelievable architecture, art, and history. No one can take photos so I had to buy postcards and a book.

One aspect is the astonishing building - the soaring columns and arches, huge stained glass windows, stonework, etc, etc. I admit that having the building full tourists, the surroundings don't move me to prayer... perhaps they would if the place was more contemplative.

Edward the Confessor is said to have built the first Abbey. While the notion of ostentatious architecture giving glory to God doesn't do much for me (I wonder who suffered for this to be built...), the historical sense of the development of this place, its longevity, the lines and curves and detail, do contain a grandeur and timelessness that moves one out of the present. That, i suppose is both the blessing and curse of their intent - worship that takes us out of the everyday to the degree that we fail to engage with the everyday.

The second impression is of the link between church and monarchy - dozens of kings and queens buried here in grandeur, including Elizabeth 1, Richard 3, a few Henrys and Edwards and so on... Standing next to the place where 38 kings and queens were crowned, seeing the ancient chair on which they have been crowned since the 1200s - I realise how the church blesses the aspirations of the state in this country, and how the state in some way is meant to embody the reign of God on earth. I wonder whether the separation of government and monarchy is part of the reason that the church/state connection became so problematic. When monarchy (symbolic of nationhood) has little to do with governance (elected by the people), what does it mean to see "country" as somehow divinely blessed, given the

The third impression is of the pervasiveness of military symbols, heroes and martyrs throughout. Not only "God" and "king" but also "country". You can see the antecedents of Bush's America entombed here, and hymns of praise for their sacrifice.

The poets corner, where poets, writers and musicians are buried and commemorated, was one of the  refreshing spaces in this tomb of fighting and folly. I came away deeply moved by the history but still puzzling over what a different faith-history might have looked like for England, and whether freedom from this mire of history if possible for the English church.

I walked past Methodist HQ, so dropped into the the cafe for lunch. So surprisingly, it was mainly full of very old people. The unexpected highlight was a visit to the Great Hall where the United Nations was inaugurated in 1946.

Got the underground to St Paul's Cathedral. Nearly didn't pay the 10 pounds entry, but then (since Westminster was free....).Even after the Abbey, this place leaves you speechless. The architecture and art are mindboggling. I climbed the first level of stairs to the base of the dome, where the view is dizzying, but my legs weren't going another several hundred steps... Wren's creation has a sense of space, light and endlessness to it that is breath-taking. Although this seems much more a place of worship rather than the "state cathedral", it is nevertheless a cathedral and once again, while remarkable, for me it doesnt evoke a sense of praise...

However what did catch my breath were the two Bill Viola video installations. "Observance" shows a line of people in slow motion queuing up to witness some tragic event - you don't see the event as you stand in the place of whatever it is that they are seeing. Their look of grief and horror is deeply disturbing. Although their dress is modern, you can imagine it as a crucifixion 'observance', or an horrific car crash or something. Very, very powerful.

I only saw the end and then the start of "The Tempest", but my guess from both is that a group of people (again in very slow motion) gather and then are somehow drenched. My day was running out at this stage.

I dragged my feet (they start killing me about 3pm each day...) across the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern. I'm here to look at art installations and think about what they might have to do with worship.

The Tate has a HUGE (6 story high) internal space for major installations, but unfortunately this week its empty. but more on the Tate....