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上周我得了 Covid,它让我大吃一惊。这意味着我花了很多时间坐在电视前的沙发上,看我最喜欢的新英国神秘剧《布朗神父》。对于布朗神父来说,我是个新手,但这对我有很大的好处,因为 BritBox 现在有 10 个赛季要做。该节目改编自G.K. Chesterton的短篇小说系列,讲述了由马克·威廉姆斯精心饰演的罗马天主教神父布朗神父在一个古朴的1950年代乡间村庄解决犯罪,陪同一群不太可能的朋友和熟人,通常会被当地警察督察所困扰。这是一部完美的轻松幽默的 “whodunnit” 节目。它也是田园关怀的大师班。在我的一堂神学院课上,丹朱玛·吉布森教授给了我们牧师关怀的基本定义:在任何情况下都要承受忠实的上帝的同在。他说,护理可能看起来像很多事情 —— 带个砂锅、写卡片、带别人出去玩一天。但是牧灵关怀让一个人知道上帝知道并参与了他们当下生活中发生的一切。用你的言语、倾听、祈祷和临在,你坚守这个真理,把它说清楚。布朗神父做了很多事情。他解决犯罪,参加聚会,从村庄的一端骑自行车到另一端,大概在一周的某个时候他会写一篇讲道。但是不管他在做什么,那一刻他都带着忠实的上帝的同在。发现尸体后,布朗神父跪下,穿上披肩,祈祷。当他与潜在嫌疑人交谈时,他的第一句话永远是:“如果你需要和某人交谈,圣玛丽大教堂随时开放。”当他发现凶手是谁并试图说服他们自首时,这绝不是要解决案件,而是关于那个人的灵魂状态。是的,布朗神父喜欢解开谜团。但是在这一切中,他把人们带到上帝面前,将上帝的同在带给百姓。他这样做好像谈论上帝是世界上最自然、最正常的事情。也许这就是我最欣赏布朗神父的地方。作为灵魂的牧羊人,他非常自在,在向一个人询问自己的属灵生活时非常放心,在表达对一个活跃在世界上工作的上帝的信仰时非常自信。他不认为自己有所有的答案,他让困难的事情变得艰难,他为人们的疑虑和问题腾出了空间。但是他以如此真诚和轻松的方式说出一种信仰的语言,以至于通常即使是最坚定的无神论者最终也会减轻他的灵魂负担,露出光线可能进入的盔甲裂缝。我很欣赏布朗神父的这一点,因为这对我来说并不容易。作为一名牧师,这似乎是一句相当可怕的话,但事实确实如此。我可以随时整天写博客文章和讲道,拆开圣经,探索神学真理。当我去医院探望教区居民时,我会和他们一起祈祷。我不是... 不是在谈论上帝。但我也不一定会袖手旁观。实际上,在某些情况下,例如美发沙龙,我希望我的职业主题不会出现(几乎总是如此)。部分原因是当人们发现我是一名牧师时,几乎总是会跳小舞。首先,当他们重新定义他们认为牧师长什么样子时,你可以看到变速了。然后可以快速回想起已经说过的一切,说了哪些脏话,分享了哪些粗鲁的故事。然后是从这里走向何方的不确定性。所有这些都发生在提议的 “哦,太有趣了!” 之下大约五秒钟的时间内布朗神父的优点是,当他提到上帝时,没有人会感到惊讶。只要看一下他的黑色卡索克和宽边帽,你就会确切地知道这个人代表谁。他还有一个好处,那就是生活在一个信仰是人们生活中更假设的一部分的地方和时代。而且有规范 还有他可以信赖的礼拜仪式 —— 最后的仪式、忏悔等 —— 这些礼仪将他带到人们面前,将人们带到他身边。因此,当我疯狂浏览这个谋杀之谜系列时,我发现自己羡慕主角。我想知道如果我戴着项圈,和完全陌生的人谈论上帝会不会更容易。(就在前几天,我和我的共同牧师正在讨论即将举行的社区博览会,届时我们将有一个展位,以及我多么希望我们成为一群戴项圈的人,这样我们就可以更容易地被识别。我们开玩笑说我们可以改穿非常昂贵的运动鞋。)我想知道,如果我们有更多的仪式可以依靠,将信仰带入日常的言语和动作,将信仰带入我们的日常生活,将日常带入我们的信仰,那么人们——教会成员和非教会成员——是否会发现更容易谈论信仰。但是这位虚构的牧师也让我感到鼓舞和启发。最重要的是,你会感觉到布朗神父在上帝里是家里的。他本人经历了一位忠实的上帝的同在。布朗神父不止几次发现自己处于危险之中—— “独自一人!”当他面对的罪犯时,他喜欢嘲讽。但是牧师只是摇了摇头。他说:“我从来都不是孤身一人。”他是认真的。而这正是我 —— 我想是我们所有人 —— 最渴望的。在上帝里有宾至如归的感觉。在任何情况下都要知道我们忠实的上帝的同在。被带到他面前。待牧师。谁会想到这样的牧师会部分来自虚构的牧师?

Laura de Jong

Laura de Jong is a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. After seminary she served as the pastor of Second CRC in Grand Haven, Michigan, before moving back to her native Southern Ontario where she is currently serving as Interim Pastor of Preaching and Pastoral Care at Community CRC in Kitchener. 

16 Comments

  • It’s always so good to hear your words, Laura. I say, get a collar! And I sincerely hope you are feeling better.

  • Ken deBoer says:

    Love Father Brown. There is something real on so much of British TV even when the situations and plots are unreal ( how can do many people die tragically in one British village?) Call the Midwife is another example of a program where God figures prominently as the story seeks to make sense of the world and the difficult situations that arise in it, kingdom building as they go…

    • Wesley says:

      The other unreal thing is that there are so many Roman Catholics in an historical church in 1950s England. That said, I love the show and the stories too.

    • Gwen says:

      Midsomer is a county with many villages in it, not the same village.

    • Gretchen Munroe says:

      I resonate with your thoughts, and share your appreciation for Father Brown. Maybe scones rather than a collar? Choose one. Be present. Thank you.

  • Dale Wyngarden says:

    Many decades ago, my Presbyterian minister father, who never wore garb any more ecclesiastical than his clip-on necktie, went to a religious supply store in the nearby big city and bought a clerical collar. He wore it only once…….to his audit with the IRS. You never know when dressing for the role might pay off. Buy a collar. If not for the community fair, in case you are ever summoned to an account with the tax man.

    I discovered and delighted in Chesterton 55 years or so ago. In print, not on a screen. His stories are a faded memory, but you inspire me to revisit him. Thanks.

    • Rodney Haveman says:

      It also doesn’t hurt to wear it when you get pulled over by the police (not that I know anything about that). Of course, then you need to wear it everyday, not a bad idea. Unless you know when the police plan to pull you over.

  • Jan Zuidema says:

    “Rather Brown is at home in God”. It is only recently that I have been pushed, in random and sometimes strange places, to declare that God is good and still wishes us to flourish. Perhaps that is the beginning of being at home in God. Thanks for the pastoring this morning.

  • Pamela Spiertz Adams says:

    Laura, I too love Father Brown and I read the stories about him after seeing a number of episodes and they are wonderful too. I also feel at home with Father Broan because I am a former catholic so his actions seem very real and sincere to me. I have noticed with delight the taking on of some Catholic practices.
    There have been a few times where I would say that seeing Father Brown was hearing the gospel as much as any CRC sermon.

  • Jack says:

    Ahhh yes, thank you, Laura, and I sure wish you a speedy recovery, or maybe not until you get through all the seasons!!!!

    And hey everyone, don’t forget the launch of Dana V’s remarkable, exceptional novel ENEMIES IN THE ORCHARD!!! Next week!!

  • Kathy Davelaar VanRees says:

    I have become a very big fan of Father Brown. When I first started watching (my then new husband was a fan), I laughed and rolled my eyes at the quirky story lines.
    But it’s different now: the characters are rich, topped off by Father Brown himself. He has become a pastor to me. His declarations of God’s expansive love calm and inspire me.

  • I don’t think in real life that the person cast as father brown is a believer. Maybe agnostic , possibly atheist . Not sure and not judging. It’s what I’ve read. I enjoy the series!

  • Allan Romkema says:

    Honestly, I have been in situations where I’d ask myself, “What would Father Brown do?”
    Thanks Laura

  • Bob says:

    Very perceptive article. A couple of things about the series amuse me. First, Father Brown and his friends are constantly breaking the law as they investigate crimes (a lot of breaking and entering). In addition, nobody seems the least bit concerned about the alarming murder rate in this little village. It’s got to be worse per capita than the South Side of Chicago.

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