Mike's musings

Cricket, deacons, and the theology of Torchwood

In reverse order, then.

This week's mini-series of Torchwood has attracted a lot of interest, and lots of people I know are talking about it. It seems silly not to mine it for theological content, because it was full of it. The more obvious bits included:

• the brokenness of all characters, particularly when humans are working together in organisations
• the "an injury to one is an injury to all" message
• the deathscene between two gay characters - played absolutely "straight", as it would have been for any heterosexual characters, just highlighting love and loss
• Gwen's sylloquy to camera about understanding why "The Doctor" (read "God") doesn't step in on every occasion to save the day: it's because humans aren't worth it
• child trafficking
• treatment of people - and particularly children - at the "lower ends" of society as if they are basically worthless ("... what do we have school league tables for?")
• the treatment of children in care ("... they were chosen because they wouldn't be missed.")
• the treatment of those with mental illness
• how parenthood - or impending parenthood - changes you
• how impending parenthood - and disasters - affect relationships
• the "sacrificial atonement" which ended the last episode, where Captain Jack Harkness' grandson was killed to save the rest of mankind - or at least the 10% of the children demanded by the 456

How many sermons in that? It was, for my money, and intensely theological - and very thought-provoking - set of programmes. Very well done the BBC.

Deacons? Well, it was Sally's first Sunday as a deacon in the parish, and it was a joy. It made me really, really happy. Not just for her, but for me, too. I really enjoyed my deacon's year, and seeing her taking the role I've spent a year at made me feel so much part of a continuum, particularly as she's a woman. This whole "continuum" of priesthood is very powerful for me at the moment.

Last, and far from least, we managed to draw the first of the Ashes test matches. Quite how, I don't know. But I'm one of many, many England supporters who wants to marry Collingwood or Monty or Anderson or a combination of the 3. Yay!

Labels: television, theology