Grimm’s original fairy tales are infamous for their gruesome details and harsh lessons. Baking witches, hungry wolves and homicidal violence that seems to belong in a Quentin Tarantino movie highlight the brother’s collection of German folktales. But it should be remembered that these tales were not originally transcribed so that little girls could fantasize about their happily ever after, or for little boys to imagine slaying a great dragon. These stories were really tales of warning for adults. These cautionary naratives against folly, adultery, and cruelty, set in a world of extremes paint images that make their advice plain. What is less obvious to the eye is the internal message that lies beyond the details on the surface. Using Emanuel Swedenborg’s science of correspondences, a spiritual lesson can be uncovered. Spiritual stories that work in their own way to offer more cautionary advice. These stories date back long before the brothers Grimm and the fact that their lessons (if not their details) still live on today speaks to their universal truths and meaningful morals both literal and spiritual. Continue reading Beauty For Ashes →

Community
1) a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common
2) a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals

When I was first invited to write for New Christian Woman, I was drawn to the intentionality behind the site, the community it’s creators sought to, well, create. Community is one of my favourite things. I love the challenges and the blessings of community and I’m passionate about the Church’s call to communion. Communion is my favourite name for Holy Supper. In the Eucharist, we commune with God, and with one another. This communion is so important to me that I asked for Holy Supper to be offered at our wedding, and my favourite part of that day aside from being pronounced husband and wife was partaking in Communion together and then witnessing our families and friends come forward and participate in Communion too.
Continue reading Intentional Community →

“I want my heart to remain as open as a church door” – Unknown

So, this is my disclaimer. I am a 20 year old female from South Africa and I found it exceptionally difficult to think of something that was worth a read, especially for a group of older, wiser, more mature women with so much more life experience than myself. When I asked my mom to help with some direction, her response was ‘how could you possibly intrigue these women?’
Continue reading Open Church Door →

In November last year, I attended four interactive lectures on the spirituality of novelist Jane Austen. They were presented by the Rev Preb Paula Hollingsworth, a sub dean of Wells Cathedral, who is also our Anglican parish vicar in my village of Priddy. She has been invited to write a book on this subject and her discourse on a ‘virtue centred approach to ethics’ has fired my imagination.

In New Church terms, my understanding of virtue based ethics centres on a person’s ability to consistently discipline and regulate herself internally; to behave in principled ways to support the neighbour through her external behaviour. In our case, these principles are informed by our Swedenborgian teachings, an open rational mind with a developed conscience and most importantly, a willingness to love the Lord and be led by Him. In essence, I’m describing our moral compass.
Continue reading Re-Education is Part of Regeneration →