Chaplains’ Chat

I am sure most of us have had moments when we have needed to pause and think about the big questions in life. These big questions likely include things such as ‘Is there a God?’ or ‘What is my purpose in life?’ Perhaps there has even been the question, ‘Is this all there is?’ We have all heard of the story of the Olympic Champion, for instance, who reached the pinnacle of their chosen sport and then, after the excitement of the success wore off, asked such questions as ‘Is this all there is?’

This week in Chapel, we were privileged to have Associate Professor Sarah Irving-Stonebraker speak to the boys and staff. Sarah is brilliantly gifted with intellect and uses this in the teaching of history as an Australian based academic focusing on the history of Britain and the colonial world with the intersection of religion, science and politics. Sarah noted her early teenage years and her passionate belief in atheism. One of the big changes in her thinking at the time was the realisation from prominent atheists that our morals actually have no foundational meaning if there is no God in the world. It was a ‘Is this all there is?’ moment for Sarah. She ended up exploring the claims of Christianity and saw that they were reasonable and compelling, and she later became a Christian. Being made in the image of God in many ways was reflected in her search for meaning and answers to these big questions. This ultimately led her to the God of the Bible, who in Jesus displays his wonderful grace, mercy and love to us all.

Rev Anthony Benn
Chaplain