Is There a God?

Fire and Brimstone — Indeed — Was This The Wrath of God?

Over thirty years ago, on 9 July 1984, a bolt of lightning hit York Minster starting a blaze that would destroy the roof of the South Transept.

The fire happened three days after David Jenkins was consecrated as Bishop of Durham in the Minster. He had caused a fuss inside the Church and out, by questioning the literal truth of the virgin birth, or miracles such as Jesus walking on water.

The bishop of Durham was a public figure whose comments propelled him into the public eye. He had been an unknown theology lecturer when he went on a scarcely watched television programme to say that he didn’t believe in the literal truth of the virgin birth. He also said that the resurrection “was not just a conjuring trick with bones”. This was mis-reported, which is still astonishing, today as “comparing the resurrection to a conjuring trick with bones”.

For Christians believe that “the resurrection” refers to the belief that Jesus was raised from the dead.

There was nationwide coverage, and in Jenkins’ case, an Essex vicar raised £2,000 from his congregation to mount a campaign against Jenkins being ordained; the archbishop of York, John Habgood, went ahead and consecrated him a bishop anyway — and three days later York Minster was struck by lightning.

The subsequent fire in the Minster turned the bishop into a national figure: he seemed the only bishop who would admit that it was all nonsense.

The heart of Jenkins’ mission was his demand that no one should believe in the kind of God who would care more about the opinions of a Bishop than the suffering of children in Auschwitz. Why should lightning strike York Minster when God conspicuously failed to stop the Holocaust.

‘The wrath of God’

The part that I personally find interesting were the letters written to The Times Newspaper (always the prerogative of the British Stiff Upper Lip).

Here are a few examples:

July 11, 1984

Sir,

The news recalled to my mind the prophet Elijah calling down the “fire from heaven” which consumed the altar to the Lord which he had built in the presence of the prophets of Baal; and I wondered wryly if the fire in the Minster was also the almighty fire threatening to burn down a cathedral in which recently there had been consecrated a bishop of our Anglican Church, who publicly expressed disbelief in several tenets of the Christian faith shared by all confirmed members of the Church.

I am, Sir, yours sincerely,

ANTHONY J. PETTITT,

Bromley, Kent

“Just lightning” says the Bishop dismissively. To those as old-fashioned as I, lightning is the wrath of God.

Yours etc.

DOROTHY J. RUSSELL,

Croydon, Surrey

After the York Minster fire had been successfully contained, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, repeated the words of the chief fire officer that “the Lord was on our side as we battled with those flames” (report, July 10).

I wonder whom He supported when the conflagration started.

A WISEMAN,

Maidenhead, Berkshire.

‘What sort of god do you believe in?’

July 12, 1984

Response From the Archbishop of York

Sir,

I read with astonishment some of the letters in today’s Times (July 11), the first copy I have been able to obtain since reluctantly leaving York Minster at 5 am on Monday morning after hearing the reassuring words that the fire was out…

I feel I must point out the disturbing implications of those letters which somehow seek to link the fire with some remarks made by a bishop-elect on a TV discussion programme. What kind of a god do your correspondents believe in?

I grant that if we still lived in biblical times, and if it was customary to treat thunderstorms as some kind of messengers from God, then the connection might seem inevitable…

But to interpret the effect of a thunderstorm as a direct divine punishment pushes us straight back into the kind of world from which the Christian Gospel rescued us. Is illness a divine punishment? Ought we to ask after a car crash whether the car was carrying some outstanding sinner?

Yours faithfully,

✝ JOHN EBOR,

World Council of Churches,

1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland.

I Did Find It Ironic — The Number 3 in Biblical Scripture

For all the arguments and debates, I did find it quite Ironic.

You may have formed your own opinions in line with your personal beliefs. Here are some co-incidences regarding scripture and the number three:

Jesus prayed three times before being arrested, he was put at the cross at the third hour of the day and died at the ninth hour which is 3 pm. Number 3 is the number of eternal life, as he was resurrected after three days of being dead. Three people saw the Holy Transfiguration of Jesus, they were Peter, John, and James.

“There’s a certain obvious poignancy which makes one a bit lost for words” — The Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie

Refurbishment of York Minster

Explanations ranged from UFOs to divine retribution, but North Yorkshire Fire Brigade’s report to the Home Office confirmed that lightning was the most likely cause.

There was also criticism that smoke detectors had been set too low in the roof to provide early warning of the fire. Following the rebuilding, a sum of £350,000 was spent on installing modern fire alarms.

After much debate, the South Transept roof was rebuilt with a hand-carved wooden replica and the cracked glass of the rose window was painstakingly restored with additional reinforcement. The rose window of York Minster is a wonderful sight to behold.

Six of the transept ceiling bosses were designed by the winners of a competition run by the BBC children’s programme, Blue Peter.

Hundreds of people gave their support, which ranged from cash donations to oak trees.

The cost of repairs amounted to £2.25 million, and over four years to complete. In November 1988, The Minster was finally re-dedicated in a service attended by the Queen.

Perhaps it Was All Part Of The Divine Plan For our Evolution

With all the discord present in the world, perhaps this was all part of the divine plan. To release humankind from superstition and bring in a new form of consciousness.

The skill and mastery, not to mention the artwork inspired by religion, all religions, does bring out the best in our cultures. The World’s Cathedrals and Holy Places are nothing short of magnificent.

Thank you for reading to the end, If you liked this story, please consider leaving me a Heart ❤

Acknowledgement: Yorkmix — How the York Minster fire sparked an unholy row in The Times