A bronze head of that urbane philosophical Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius has been one of the finds in a field in Yorkshire that has overtopped all expectations. Together with the six-inch bust of MA the auction included an equestrian statue of the god Mars. The find went for a total of £185,000. Here was history coming alive. His ‘Meditations’ are worth a visit today.
Most of the time we are oblivious of the Roman period in our English story. It was a brief episode, hardly briefer than the British Empire, but our attachment to imperial Rome a couple of thousand years ago is still part of us. If we think of Roman roads – Watling Street, Fosse way – or Roman settlements – Colchester, Eboracum, Roman border walls – Hadrian’s, Antonine, Roman vocabulary – council, citizen – we are looking at features that are part of who we are today. The legendary Romano-British hero King Arthur has a singular place in the story of those times.
True, the Roman occupation did not result in our speaking Latin. Nor did it impress us with the names of Roman governors. It left us echoes of Roman gods in our calendar and a fledgling Romano-British Church together with a readiness to locate our loyalty beyond the English Channel. And it did of course leave us stories of rebellion and freedom-fighters like Boudicca, aka Boadicea (who retains a prominent place on the Embankment in a statue, by Thomas Thornycroft, hurling defiance at the intruders). Caratacus was another such.
All in all, we have to be careful to avoid being partial in our approach to history. We are what we are as a result of successive waves of influence – Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Danish, Huguenot, Caribbean, Asian. Our pedigree is uncertain, dispersed, mixed and mongrel. It is likely to be more so as global populations become more mobile. And in this we find ourselves in line with the experience of the first Christian believers. If we look at the motley crew in Acts 2.9-11 (Parthians, Medes, Elamites etc), we find as varied an assembly as might be imagined.
This globalisation does not mean the erasure of xenophobia. Regional and tribal loyalties become more intense. The decline of the nation-state is paralleled by the increasing power of international corporations. Contempt for nationalist ambitions goes along with global financial power-houses flexing their muscles. In that context the idea of ‘all one in Christ Jesus’, together with its corollary, ‘all shall have a fair chance’, is something to cherish.
BRIXTON PLUS
Everybody has heard of Brixton. It’s in south London, isn’t it. And it has a windmill. But there is another Brixton – in south Devon. It is one of six parishes making up the Yealm and Erme mission community. Brixton has a handsome medieval church. It looks back to Anglo-Saxon days and has that classic feature, a squint. The other five parishes have equally attractive buildings. They join in daily Morning Prayer by Zoom. Team Rector is Alan Ryan.
BYZANTINE-STYLE
Now for the Brixton with a windmill (now a pub and music venue). Christ Church, Brixton is an architectural gem. It would feel at home in Istanbul. It was designed by Arthur Pite in a Byzantine style and has a dome. It also has an octagonal tower and an external pulpit. It is said to echo some of the features of Westminster Cathedral. There has been much re-ordering of the interior. It goes without saying that it serves a multi-ethnic community. Timothy Jeffreys is the Rector.
Any mention of Brixton must take account of St Matthew’s church. This is a a massive structure looking like a Greek temple on a roundabout at the bottom of Brixton hill. Pedestrians brave enough to dodge the traffic find themselves in a worshipping community that, as the website demonstrates, has a minority of pinkish worshippers. The Vicar is Stephen Sichel.
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