What can be meant by calling this a "secular" Gospel? From our summary even so far, we see that Mark's purpose has been plainly to show that the life and ministry of Jesus on earth contained more than appeared on the surface - naturally, for Mark writes for those who, thirty years after, had never known Jesus "after the flesh"! Consequently, what we might call the nonsecular references are already beginning to be heightened. But the whole story is not about God, or heaven, or eternity, or ideas, or goodness, or providence, or anything else not available to ordinary man using his ordinary senses. His whole story is about Jesus, walking, talking, getting into boats, doing controversial things, healing, getting into arguments, evading opponents, securing friends, explaining himself, explaining his teaching. His whole story is about a secular event, an event within this world, which presupposes the limitations and opportunities of living in this world. (From Secular Christ (1968), page 78)
John Vincent chose to live this story in Pitsmoor, Sheffield and has had a teaching ministry there ever since the late sixties, soon after this book was published. For me, it is always John's teaching that springs to mind as I preach and exercise my own ministry. I am one of what must amount to many thousands who have been influenced by him down the years. I would certainly say his teaching has been more influential than his writing and indeed, I suspect his earlier writing has more significance than his later publications. This in no way detracts from his, often controversial teachings, although it raises the question how influential he will be in 50 or 100 years time. John has been responsible for several initiatives in Pitsmoor, the photo is of his latest, developed since his retirement.
Like Winstanley , John sees the Gospels from the point of view of the ordinary people who passed on the stories of Jesus. John started as an academic and has remained an academic in the place he found himself, inner city Pitsmoor. Perhaps his most profound teaching is that putting down roots in a particular time and place makes sense of the Gospel. Perhaps we all need to reflect upon how engagement with what is real is central to our own faith.
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