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Rector's Letter, June 2004 Dear Friends, Francis Bacon (I actually looked up the quotation for a change) said 'for knowledge itself is power'. It's a concept that's been around for a long time, not one dreamed up by Bacon. What set me off thinking about knowledge and power? No, it wasn't the power of the press, though the power they have to disseminate knowledge, or assumed knowledge, or indeed mis-knowledge (if that's a word) is to my mind alarming. No, what set me off on this line of thought were acronyms. I was reading something - I can't actually remember what it was now, but I kept having to stop and work out what the acronyms stood for. Something like PC - are we looking at a member of the constabulary, a personal computer, or in even more modern jargon, is it politically correct? With all these hundreds of thousands of acronyms you have to have some knowledge of the area that's being written or spoken about before you can follow the logic of it all. Acronyms are, presumably, intended to make communications easier and faster by cutting down on the words used. However, their effect is that they, so often, shut people out. If you are not 'with' this particular group of acronyms, people seem to be speaking another language, leaving you feeling stupid and inadequate, because you don't understand what's being said. Even reading and writing text messages is an acquired art. Are the young deliberately trying to baffle the elderly? Those 'in the know' hold a certain power over those who are in ignorance. It might be a feeling of superiority or the ability to use knowledge to manipulate others. During the early Christian period, a heresy arose called Gnosticism, which I presume, is what Bacon is referring to in my initial quote. For them the Gospel was a sort of secret knowledge, to which only the initiates had access. This knowledge gave them a sense of superiority over others. This is a travesty of the Gospel, which is free to everyone. All that is needed to acquire the power of the Spirit in our lives is for us to say YES to God in Christ, and not to keep knowledge we gain by doing so as a secret to ourselves. May you know the peace which passes all understanding. Janice |