Bishop's letters: July 04 +James : Value

Three things have combined recently to make me reflect on our notion of ‘value’.

First, the extraordinary and persistent rise in house prices which – to a mere observer – seems to have reached a ludicrous level. As ever more local people and first-time buyers (and retiring clergy) are priced out of the market, I am reminded of the old saying that “We know the cost of everything and the value of nothing”.

I’m also reminded of one of my favourite stories about a book dealer who met up with an old friend. The friend told him he had just thrown away an old Bible he’d found in his attic. “I couldn’t read it” he said. “Somebody called Guten-something had printed it”. “Not Gutenberg!” exclaimed the dealer, horror-struck. “That Bible was one of the first books ever printed. A copy sold recently for more than a million pounds!” His friend was unimpressed. “Oh, mine wasn’t valuable” he said. Some fellow named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it in German”!

Second, news that the British National Party would be targeting Cumbria in the hope of gaining a place in the European Parliamentary elections. Church leaders and representatives in the County were quick to issue a statement about this, which you may have seen. Under-girding that statement was our Christian conviction that everyone is equal in the sight of God. All of us, regardless of our skin colour, are of infinite value to him, because every one of us has been made in his image. That is one of the most important insights in scripture. Adam and Eve, who represent our humanity, are ‘created’ in the image of God’ – and that means we are too.

Third was a day spent with Curates in the Diocese, looking at the issue of Disability. Once again, creation in God’s image was fundamental to our discussion and I was struck in particular by this comment in one of the books I read on the subject.

“The notion that value is linked to one’s ability to achieve more in less time, to be fit, slim, strong, financially successful and beautiful has been destructive, not only to disabled people but also to the whole body of Christ”.

That is because the Church has often gone along with the values of society and failed to offer a prophetic challenge when those values have deviated from basic Biblical principles. I found it both compelling and moving to be reminded that something I would regard as a constraint – a wheelchair – is actually a symbol of liberation for many disabled people. I was also forced – not for the first time – to review my own ‘value-system’, and to recognise how heavily influenced it is by our prevailing culture with its fantasy ideals of pseudo-perfection.

Somebody once said that it is what we value, not what we have, that makes us rich. We know what God values. He values each of us, as we are. True wealth lies in following his lead.



James Newcome, Bishop of Penrith