“Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda” is Latin for ‘the Church reformed, always reforming.’ In other words, churches are regularly getting it wrong, then trying to get it right, before getting it wrong again.

Which is why I like this maxim. It feels real.

When churches are guided by their heads, and thoughts morph into beliefs into rules, it’s not hard to get it wrong. Whereas when churches are guided by their hearts, which morphs into compassion and care, they seldom get it wrong.

And when religious people talk about God the talk often deteriorates into judgement and division, and bad things result. And when, religious people don’t talk about God but show love (‘do God’) in actions, then much good is done.

I could be referring to the recent parading by the Destiny Church, proclaiming their agenda of Christian ‘dominionism’ (read dominance) in our national policies and politics, and ripping up flags representing other faith traditions and groups they disparage. It was a massive display of judgement and division.

But I was actually thinking of two other examples of churches getting it wrong. One in 1880s North Wales, and one in 1920s Hampshire.

In 1888 Robert Roberts, a quarryman, died in Llanfrothen. His one request was to be buried next to his daughter. She was buried in the graveyard of St Brothen’s. The problem was that Roberts was not a member of the established Church in Wales. Unlike his daughter, he was a Nonconformist.

Well, the vicar of St Brothen’s adhered to the then rules and denied Mr Roberts request. His family took the issue to court, availing themselves of a young lawyer (one David Lloyd George no less). The jury voted solidly in favour of the Roberts, the judge not. Which says a lot about village, class, and church in 1880s Wales!

Undeterred by the judge, vicar, or the locked graveyard gates, in the dead of night, by light of lantern, the family, friends, villagers, and Lloyd George, buried Robert Roberts next to his daughter.

Eventually Lloyd George won the case in the High Court. His fame was assured. Eventually too, the Church in Wales, was disestablished (1920s).

As for the vicar, what can I say, sometimes you can be right, even have judges on your side, but not win the heart (and with the heart comes the mind) of the people. Love trumps judgement and division. Even if you must break the graveyard gates.

And the other example I was recalling is the renowned Sandham Memorial Church, Hampshire, which is adorned with huge Stanley Spencer murals. The church was built to accommodate his work. The murals chronicle Spencer’s everyday experiences as a medical orderly and soldier on the Salonika front. The whole chapel is to honour the 'forgotten dead' who were not remembered on any official memorials. There are also a lot of animals, particularly horses, depicted.

And therein lay the problem. The Sandham family, when time came to consecrate the chapel, could not get a bishop to do the honours. It was the centre-front resurrection scene that was problematic. For it showed horses. And, argued the bishops, since animals do not have souls and therefore won’t be resurrected, it was inappropriate to depict them.

Eventually, in 1927, the Bishop of Guildford, after some judicious curtaining excluded the painted animals from receiving, gave the episcopal blessing.

Sometimes the church is too presumptuous for its own good. The privileging of humans is laughable nowadays. Sometimes the church is too tone deaf for its own good. Soldiers and their families loved those horses. And sometimes the church is just plain stupid. And plainly wrong.

Time and again churches make judgements that divide, putting them and their God on one side, and love and care for people and animals on the other.

Oh, that we would learn.

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(Photo:St Brothen’s Church, Llanfrothen)

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