This year saw a change of venue. After a number
of years at Cheltenham Racecourse, it has moved to the grounds of Boughton
House, near Kettering. This is a very different site, much more rural, and
naturally there were teething troubles. There were critical comments, and
apologies from the organisers, but I didn’t hear any moaning. Greenbelt is a
bit like Christmas: whatever little inconveniences we have to put up with, everybody
makes the effort to stay cheerful and be nice to one another.
It’s also a bit like the Edinburgh Festival:
there is a vast range of things to choose from, and by choosing some you
inevitably miss others. I went to talks by John Bell, the ever popular speaker
and hymn writer from the Iona Community; by Brian McLaren, writer of books such
as A New Kind of Christianity; by Nadia
Bolz-Weber, the very unconventional pastor of a very unusual church in America;
and by the Bible scholar Richard Burridge who was reflecting on the film Monty Python’s Life of Brian 35 years
on.
For me there were two highlights. The first was
a panel discussion on issues surrounding marriage in view of the new
legislation, chaired by Vicky Beeching, a popular Christian singer. I must
confess I had never heard of her till last week, when she hit the headlines by coming
out as gay and telling the harrowing story of the self-condemnation she had experienced
as she grew up in a conservative Christian environment, and how she now has a
passion to save other young people from going through the same. As she walked
onto the stage at Greenbelt, there was a standing ovation that seemed as though
it would go on for ever!
The other highlight was hearing Mpho Tutu, daughter
of Desmond Tutu, talking about forgiveness. She and her father have just
published a book called The Book of
Forgiveness. Needless to say, I went straight to the bookstore to buy it
and join the queue like a teenage fan for her autograph! Like her father, she was
so friendly and charming with everybody that it was quite a long wait.
If you haven’t been to Greenbelt, whatever your
age, try it! Most people camp there in tents or caravans, but if that’s not your
style (as it certainly isn’t mine!) you can always find a hotel or guest house or,
if like me you’re really lucky, you may have friends who live nearby.
