An Indian journey through Lent, Extras
A Celebration of the Seder
Dr Anna Alexander, the American wife of Lady Willingdon Hospital’s Superintendent Dr Philip, has a deep interest in the unity of the Bible’s message despite it having been written over more than 1500 years by many different authors, in several different languages and in multiple contexts. Another way of putting this might be the late Francis Schaeffer’s book title: “Christianity is Jewish”.
Over the past two years Anna has expressed this interest on Maundy Thursday (the day, specifically the evening, before Good Friday) by preparing and hosting a Messianic (ie. Christian) Jewish version of the “Seder” or Passover.
Last night’s was Lena’s and my first, and Anna honoured us by having me act as chief liturgist and Lena as assistant narrator to Anna herself. To describe the event properly would take many words. It included 15 basic sections, of which the meal itself and the communal recounting of Israel’s Exodus history were the main parts. The whole evening took several hours.
It struck me afterwards that, just as the annual Passover meal was powerfully community forming for Jews in exile and minorities of various sorts over thousands of years, so was this particular version for the Christian house group that held it. Last night about 18 people attended from a number of background. Indians were of course the most numerous, but most of these were internal immigrants who came from various non-Hindi speaking states of the country. Americans were the next most numerous, but although as we know the U.S. is almost as diverse and dynamic as India, they at least have the English language in common. The American Christians of Manali are a highly diverse group. There were, for example, two newly arrived Korean-Americans. There were also a couple of Australians (one of whom is an Indian-born Swede!).
Set in overwhelmingly Hindu, and also local Christian contexts this disparate group of expatriate Christians needs a communal identity. That was both expressed and fulfilled in this excellent event, and in the enthusiastic chorus singing that followed naturally at its conclusion.
Thank you Anna Alexander!
A Celebration of the Seder
Dr Anna Alexander, the American wife of Lady Willingdon Hospital’s Superintendent Dr Philip, has a deep interest in the unity of the Bible’s message despite it having been written over more than 1500 years by many different authors, in several different languages and in multiple contexts. Another way of putting this might be the late Francis Schaeffer’s book title: “Christianity is Jewish”.
Over the past two years Anna has expressed this interest on Maundy Thursday (the day, specifically the evening, before Good Friday) by preparing and hosting a Messianic (ie. Christian) Jewish version of the “Seder” or Passover.
Last night’s was Lena’s and my first, and Anna honoured us by having me act as chief liturgist and Lena as assistant narrator to Anna herself. To describe the event properly would take many words. It included 15 basic sections, of which the meal itself and the communal recounting of Israel’s Exodus history were the main parts. The whole evening took several hours.
It struck me afterwards that, just as the annual Passover meal was powerfully community forming for Jews in exile and minorities of various sorts over thousands of years, so was this particular version for the Christian house group that held it. Last night about 18 people attended from a number of background. Indians were of course the most numerous, but most of these were internal immigrants who came from various non-Hindi speaking states of the country. Americans were the next most numerous, but although as we know the U.S. is almost as diverse and dynamic as India, they at least have the English language in common. The American Christians of Manali are a highly diverse group. There were, for example, two newly arrived Korean-Americans. There were also a couple of Australians (one of whom is an Indian-born Swede!).
Set in overwhelmingly Hindu, and also local Christian contexts this disparate group of expatriate Christians needs a communal identity. That was both expressed and fulfilled in this excellent event, and in the enthusiastic chorus singing that followed naturally at its conclusion.
Thank you Anna Alexander!
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