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FESTIVAL SHOWS FAITH IN HUMANITY
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Event explores what it means to be human Feature by Sarah Olowofoyeku
H Stormzy’s ‘bedrock’ is faith
People have created plays after reading the Bible
BRITISH LIBRARY
PLATINUM-selling British rapper Stormzy has told Louis Theroux how his Christian faith plays a central role in his life. As part of the BBC2 documentary series Louis Theroux Interviews, the TV presenter joined Stormzy, his mum Abigail and his sister Rachael in attending a Christian worship meeting in Camberwell, south London. After the meeting Stormzy said: ‘We grew up in church, so I’ve had faith all my life and I’ve loved God all my life. But I feel like you’ve got to come to your own realisation… I’ve got to know God for myself. And I think during the pandemic, there was a grownman realisation, there was an adult realisation, like: “Oh wow, this is what it means to pray, this is what Scripture means.”’ Later in the programme, which is available on iPlayer, he added that he wanted to build his home on ‘family, love and God’. Louis noted that faith is ‘the bedrock of everything’ that Stormzy does, highlighting how the rapper hosts weekly Bible studies at his house and attends Sunday services in Brixton.
UMANITY is up for celebration at the Being Human festival, which began on Thursday (10 November) and is offering more than 200 events across the UK. With a focus on the humanities, the festival gives people an opportunity to delve into the way such subjects shed light on everyday life. The humanities – which include literature, history, archaeology and theology – are a bid to explore and appreciate what it means to be human. Being Human’s theme this year is Breakthroughs – which can be scientific, artistic, physical or spiritual. Each of the discussions, exhibitions, installations, performances, museum takeovers, walks and workshops will connect in some way to the theme. A festival hub in Bradford will celebrate the centenary of the BBC. By contrast, in an art gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne on Tuesday, the Lindisfarne Gospels will serve as inspiration for visitors, who will be invited to produce their own poems. Participants will first hear poems from and linked to the medieval world of the illuminated manuscript. The Gospels – Lindisfarne or not – and the events they portray have served as inspiration for humans all over the world. People have created plays, sculptures, paintings, books and poems after reading the four Bible books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which tell the story of God’s Son, Jesus, and how he was sent into the world to save humankind, who had turned their back on God. One Bible writer explains that Jesus ‘had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might … make atonement for the sins of the people’ (Hebrews 2:17 New International Version). While fully human, Jesus was fully God. So, when he took on the punishment for our wrongs and was killed by his enemies, he could offer humanity forgiveness. But he didn’t stay dead. Instead he rose to life and, in so doing, made a way for all who put their trust in him to live for ever. If we choose to follow Jesus, he will help us to break through the challenges that we face and live with the hope that the beauty and joy of humanity that we The Lindisfarne Gospels experience today will will feature in the festival never end. 12 November 2022 • WAR CRY • 5
