This review of the Constance Coltman film was first posted
yesterday on my review blog, but I think it fits with this blog too and so I am
posting it here today, Sometimes when reviewing it is necessary to understand
the constraints that the producer of a piece of art or product may be under. I
think this is the case with Constance.
When watching this Kevin Snyman film I was disappointed at
how short it was, expecting something much longer which covered more of the
remarkable Constance Coltman’s life and work. Yet, I understand the film makers
have done the best they can under difficult circumstances and it was a film I enjoyed.
Watching this URC supported film about the first woman to be ordained as
a minister in an English mainstream religious denomination I was struck by the
impact this woman had. However, the impact shown at the beginning was that she
had upon the great and the good. I would have liked to have seen a condolence
letter written by an “ordinary person”. Part of the reason for this is I had
the privilege to hear talked of warmly by a now deceased member of her
congregation, a man who had been ministered to by Constance and Claude in
Wolverton (near Milton Keynes). Unfortunately there was no mention of her
ministry there, even in the credits.
What this film did was show the strength of character it
took for her to be accepted for training. Within this short film I find it most
interesting what it says about call and how she had to show her call was beyond
her gender yet God was also calling her in a significant way because of her
being a woman in a situation which excluded women.
What I had not been aware of prior to watching it was her
pacifism or her links to the suffrage movement, the latter of which of course
would have been there but which I had never picked up upon previously.
I was caught between being pleased and frustrated that the
hook for the film was her relationship with her husband Claude. Somehow turning
this into a mini chick flick based around their love story seemed inappropriate
for a feminist film, yet their relationship was pivotal to their ministry which
was in many ways a joint ministry.
This is not a film about one woman though. It is a film
which shows she had a prophetic voice and which is seeking to talk into our
current situation.
I would therefore recommend you watch this film which is
available to be shared on a not for profit basis under a Creative Commons
licence and then share it. Constance’s story is one which should be shared and
celebrated not forgotten.
In a couple of days some of us will be descending on a
field near Kettering for a few days for an event which the word eclectic was
made for. I've been going through my daily diary and here are my top tips for
the weekend at Greenbelt:
Music
Friday
Glade Stage - Hackney Colliery Band. I've discovered that
there are two categories of brass. The first is the traditional English type of
band which you listen to and the second is a more world music influenced type
you dance to. The Hackney Colliery band come into the second category.
Glade Stage - Stornoway. Indie band where the jingle
jangle and quirky lyrics are underpinned by a range of other instruments and
voices joining in harmony.
Saturday
Canopy - Hannah Scott. This Ipswich born singer
songwriter played Folk East last weekend has a smooth voice which sings popular
acoustic which is gentle and melodic. If you want a pleasant break from the
angst and righteousness you could do worse than escape here.
Glade Stage -StanleyOdd. Last time this lot played Greenbelt it was to a handful of people in the
middle of a crazy storm which saw tents washed away and parts of the site
turned into a knee high quagmire whilst we danced. Hopefully this time the weather will be a
little better for this Scottish indy hip hop outfit whose poetry can make you
think and giggle in turns. Expect some insightful comment on the forthcoming
independence vote.
Glade Stage - Luke Sital-Singh. There has been something
of a buzz going on for this guy's set. Having listened to some of his stuff on
You Tube it does grow on. If you enjoy films like Juno and Begin Again think
soundtrack music and you'll have his sound.
Sunday
Big Top - The Cut Ups. This Exeter based band play proper
political UK Punk and echo the spirit of '76/'77 but not in some kind of pastiche
style. Really glad that they are on in the Big Top because they reflect an
important part of the alternative spirit of Greenbelt which seemed to be
getting side-lined.
The Canopy - Grace Petrie. Leicester based political poet.
Over recent years she has become an integral part of the festival line up with
her excellent Braggesque mix of politics and love songs. Look out for Farewell
to Welfare as one of the best critiques of our current government going.
The Glade Stage - Sinead O'Connor. Apparently she's been
doing some storming sets this festival season. Expect Take Me to Church from
the current "I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss" to go down a storm.
Monday
Big Top - Josephine and the Artizans. If you enjoyed the BBC Urban Proms last year this is for you.
Mixing hip hop and urban poetry with a more classical approach and throwing in
a drop or two of pop this is a really interesting result which works amazingly.
Really looking forward to this.
Big Top - Martyn Joseph. Martyn at Greenbelt expressing his
rage at what is going on in Gaza, Ferguson and elsewhere........it will be
emotional; it will be worth hanging around for. Watch out for Luxury of
Despair.
Talks
and Panels
Friday
Living Room - Travelling Heavy, Marika Rose. Marika is
one of the brightest UK theologians of the 21st century. She is the sort of
person who can think things that would make most minds explode but communicate
them in a really accessible way. She is now becoming a regular on the Greenbelt
stage and this should be a really interesting talk.
Tree House - Rewriting Lutheran Liturgy, NadiaBolz-Weber. Tattooed American Lutheran Priest Bolz-Weber cuts the crap whilst
retaining the awe. She's speaking at Greenbelt as part of a UK tour with Sara
Miles which also takes in Manchester and London.
Leaves - Tenx9 - There is a Tenx9 session on in Leaves on
both Friday and Saturday night. This is where 9 random people have 10 minutes
to tell their story. The Friday theme this year is Travelling and the Saturday
is Change. (Karl will be doing a slot on the Saturday session looking at some
of the lighter side of his trans story). The Tenx9 team are also doing a
Saturday afternoon session in the Youth Venue on the them Social Me.
Saturday
There is a huge decision
to be made on Saturday morning due to it being impossible to move from venue to
another without taking at least a couple of minutes. There are also lesser
clashes going on and this is the day which will make it worth just buying the
bundle of talks.
Glade Stage - The Four-Fold Path to Forgiveness, MphoTutu. This one speaks for itself.
Big Top - The Politics of Hope, Owen Jones. TheEstablishment, Jones' new book is out 4th September and will no doubt be
immediately absorbed into the far left cannon and not without reason. Jones is
becoming the contemporary voice of an alternative in the UK.
Pagoda - What's Happening in Scotland? Alistair McIntosh.
McIntosh is a Scot and a thinker whose work in books like Soil and Soul reflects a strong understanding of
Scotland as a nation and its relationship with the rest of the UK and beyond. I
have no doubt this will be an intelligent discussion of the Independence debate
although you shouldn't expect it to be unbiased from this man of passion.
Pagoda - The Crisis of Religion in the UK: History,
Causes and Consequences, Linda Woodhead. If you are a Sociology student about
to enter A2 in an institution that does the Belief in Society unit get to this
talk or buy the talk. If you are the parent of such a student buy them this
one. Beyond that if you are anybody else this will be an interesting and useful
listen.
Pagoda - A Political Theology of Climate Change, Michael Northcott. Northcott is the foremost Green theologian in the UK and always
worth a listen.
Pagoda - Help, Thanks. Wow, Anne Lamott. Not heard of Lamott before the publicity for the festival came out but there has been a huge buzz coming out of the GB office about her. being over from the US. One worth checking out me thinks.
Sunday
Living Room - Let us Remember: Stories of Peace from WW1,
Pat Gaffney. Gaffney is a well respected peace activist and this will no doubt
be a moving and inspirational session.
Pagoda - Richer than God: Modern Football and Money,
David Conn. No idea about this one but sounds really interesting from the
title.
Living Room - Seeking Sanctuary, Sexuality and Staying
Safe, NE Gay Asylum Group. This is one of those sessions which make Greenbelt
and which you often just find by accident. It is where voices which may not
normally be heard will be heard.
Pagoda - Is the Church of England Worth Saving? Linda
Woodhead and Jane Shaw. Ok, so I'm probably recommending Linda Woodhead too
much BUT heck the Sociology of Religion is the discipline I'm passionate about.
Jane Shaw is also an academic I respect and this conversation has all the
hallmarks of a discussion worth listening too.
Monday
Big Top - We're Not A Problem, We're A Gift, Rachel Mann,
Padraig O Tuama, Karl Rutlidge (and others). This promises to be a really
interesting session. I suspect you might hear part of the narrative
which is often missed when LGBT people are being treated as either an issue or
being treated as victims. Interesting blog from Mann this week about the need for LGBT people to be really listened to by institutions.
Playhouse - What did Brian Ever Do for Us? RichardBurridge. This is following a showing of The Life of Brian.
Pagoda - Politics in Your Village, Not the Westminster
Village, Joe Walker, Mark Goodge, Sarah Hutt, Ruby Beech and Jessica
Metheringham. I've only heard of one of the panel here, Ruby Beech is a former
Vice President of the Methodist Church, but in a discussion of local politics
than can never be a bad thing. What I do know about Greenbelt and discussions
of this sought is that they are going to contain panels of experts in the area
they're talking about. The title alone has a lot of potential within it.
Worship
Friday
Grove - Blessing the Land, St Albans Forest Church. No
experience of them but I have heard others speak very well of Forest Church, a
group which have a spirituality of the earth and sky.
Saturday
The Mount - A Response to Violence Against Women,
Christian Feminist Network. This promises to be moving worship with maximum
integrity.
Treehouse - Discipleship and Journeying in a Digital Age,
Bex Lewis. Lewis is part of CODEC who are out in force for Greenbelt. They are
based in St. Johns College, Durham which is an environment which oozes
theological reflection. Will be interesting to see what comes out of this and
other sessions.
Forge - Outerspace Communion, Outerspace. This is the
LGBT Communion for LGBTQI people and their straight allies which I have
discussed the importance of before on this blog. Because of a clash with the Tenx9 event I am
unlikely to be able to get along but this is always a really moving and well
planned event which can provide deep healing for some people.
Sunday
Main Communion Service - this is always an experience,
although it does differ from year to year and good and bad years can be
identified. However, there is always something incredibly moving about seeing
this many people gather together for communion. I always feel touched that for
some Greenbelt is the only church they can handle doing anymore and so it may
be the only point in the year they take communion. For others Greenbelt is the
only place they feel able to be completely themselves before God and others and
that also makes this coming together moving.
Grove, Ruach Blessing, Ancient Arden Forest Church. -
Again this will have a huge spirituality to it.
Monday
Big Top - Still So Far to Travel. Not quite sure what
this event will involve but I am sure it will be an important event.
Treehouse - Spirituality in a Digital Age, Rev. Dr. PeterPhilips. Pete is Director of Codec and a Methodist minister. He comes from a
slightly different theological place to many of those inhabiting Greenbelt this
year, being more conservatively evangelical and that is no bad thing. One of
the great things about GB is the diversity of opinion it allows and the fact it
always has a mix of theology coming together.
Aware that there is so much more to Greenbelt I haven't
touched on but for me it has always been music, talks and worship so that's
what I've focused on. For those who can't get there Clare Balding's Good Morning Sunday BBC Radio Two show will be broadcasting live from the festival again.
