Passion Play

On Good Friday we repeated last year’s Passion Play, devised by our worship-leader Marluce, on the streets of West London. Two marches [our International Fellowship and Kensington/Chelsea churches] meet, walk up Portobello road, pausing to perform.

A few years ago, the Stations of the Cross were traditionally performed, but it lapsed. We’ve revived it in contemporary form, with blaring rock music! I’ll post a video when I receive it.

It’s important to reassert Christianity as public truth in the public arena. That’s partly why we do social action - a visible demonstration of the kingdom. But so is taking faith to the streets in drama. Breaking into the urban fabric.

Using the arts in evangelism is not new. We did it in the 70’s in York with David Watson’s church, St. Michael’s. It goes back to St. Francis of Assisi. But it needs to be reframed and renewed each generation.

Michael Sheen, the actor, also performed the Passion over three days in his home town of Port Talbot this year - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbl_4VJxGG0.

In an interview, though, he referred to the ‘transforming power of art’ for the town. Pity he missed out on the transforming power of the cross!