The talk in the cafeteria all week has been about what the university chaplain, Luke Desmond, would talk about when he did the Thought for the Day spot on BBC Radio 4 today.
Would he focus on the topic of austerity economics? Or the new welfare "reforms"? Or the so-called bedroom tax and the new measures to help people wanting to buy a house? Issues of inequality and social harmony could be the theme. Or maybe issues about the continued development aid Britain provides to India? Perhaps he would ask questions about the problems of the Eurozone and what Cyprus and Germany should be doing? Or maybe he would choose the government's stance on immigration, looking particularly at how it affects foreign students coming to Britain to study. Or the lack of jobs for young school leavers and graduates? Or what UKIP stands for? Another option could be to pick up on Paolo Di Canio's appointment as manager at Sunderland or the far right groups in Greece, raising again the spectre of Fascism in Europe.
Or perhaps he would ask questions about the government's changes to the school curriculum? Or the privatisation of the NHS? Possibly he would identify issues in the Middle East and especially Syria, with the religious divisions between different Islamic groups. Or the international tensions brought about by the North Koreans? Or Argentina's renewed claims to the Falkland Islands?
Another possibility might be a discussion about human mortality following Iain Bank's announcement that he was terminally ill with cancer. Or could he talk about the evil streak that some people have, linking it to what happened in Derby when Mick Philpott set fire to his house. Or the weather and links to climate change and the effect on the jet stream?
Or maybe he would focus more on church matters now that there is both a new Pope and a new Archbishop of Canterbury - perhaps linking it to gay marriage or the perception amongst some Christians that they are under attack from a secular state? Or our place in the universe - science and religion - Richard Dawkins and all that.
Well if you heard him this morning you will know what he said. And if you missed it you can always catch up with it on iPlayer. Or, if you just want to read what he said rather than hear the spoken version you can read on.
"Good morning John, good morning Evan, good morning everyone."
"When it became known at the university that I had been asked to appear on the Thought for the Day spot there was a lot of speculation about what I would want to talk about. Would I focus on the topic of austerity economics? Or the new welfare "reforms"? Or the so-called bedroom tax and the new measures to help people wanting to buy a house? Issues of inequality and social harmony could be the theme. Or maybe issues about the continued development aid Britain provides to India? Perhaps I would ask questions about the problems of the Eurozone and what Cyprus and Germany should be doing? Or maybe I would choose the government's stance on immigration, looking particularly at how it affects foreign students coming to Britain to study. Or the lack of jobs for young school leavers and graduates? Or what UKIP stands for? Another option for me could be to pick up on Paolo Di Canio's appointment as manager at Sunderland or the far right groups in Greece, raising again the spectre of Fascism in Europe.
Or perhaps I would ask questions about the government's changes to the school curriculum? Or the privatisation of the NHS? Possibly I would identify issues in the Middle East and especially Syria, with the religious divisions between different Islamic groups. Or the international tensions brought about by the North Koreans? Or Argentina's renewed claims to the Falkland Islands?
Another possibility for me might be a discussion about human mortality following Iain Bank's announcement that he was terminally ill with cancer. Or I could talk about the evil streak that some people have, linking it to what happened in Derby when Mick Philpott set fire to his house. Or the weather and links to climate change and the effect on the jet stream?
Or maybe I would focus more on church matters now that there is both a new Pope and a new Archbishop of Canterbury - perhaps linking it to gay marriage or the perception amongst some Christians that they are under attack from a secular state? Or our place in the universe - science and religion - Richard Dawkins and all that".
"The thing is these are all important matters, but how do you prioritise them? So I decided not to pick out any of these topics as the focus of my talk. Instead I want us all to think about what we can do personally in our lives today to make things better for those people with whom we come into contact. Let's all live together in harmony whatever our religious or political beliefs, skin colour, ethnic group, gender, even fashion preferences!
"Let us remember what St Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians '..though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love'."
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