St. Mary’s Church in Totnes high street dates back around 1000 years with the current Anglican church built in the 15th century.
More than a 1000 years of Christian prayer have filled this sacred area.
Appointed in late 2020, Vicar of St. Mary’s, Fr. Jim Barlow has graciously decided to open the Church doors to give local residents and his congregation of parishioners an opportunity to listen to different religious and spiritual traditions.
It is a very welcome step in Totnes with its international outlook alongside an exploration of spirituality, religious and community values.
A regular weekly meeting in the Church got underway last week. Carlos and Sue Milner of Totnes offered poems of Rumi, the beloved 13th century Iranian poet and Sufi, a branch of Islam.
Title: A Crisis in Belief.
I have been invited to offer a teaching for this week’s meeting on Thursday from 18.00 – 18.45 on 15 July 2021 in St. Mary’s Church.
The meeting will consist of a guided meditation, a short talk and questions and answers. Theme is the crisis in belief.
We live under pressure to believe in various kinds of external authority or internal authority.
The pressure includes secular, religious and spiritual beliefs. Such beliefs include political, scientific, medical, educational, religious standpoints and more.
We may or may not believe in others or ourselves.
We may hold tightly to a specific set of views or find ourselves changing our mind.
Can we make a skilful response to this crisis of belief? Can we trust in ourselves when our inner voice is rigid or pliant?
The global pandemic has exposed even more the range of beliefs, conflicts and doubts,
Christopher Titmuss, a former Buddhist monk, is a senior teacher of mindfulness, insight meditation and freedom. Author, poet and social critic, he has lived in Totnes since 1982.
Open to All
Do come and lend an ear and share your view.
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