Singing in a Strange Land

My late brother, Anthony, suffered lifelong disabilities of mind, body and emotion, spending most of his adult life in land-based working communities for people with learning difficulties. This narrative of his life in its ‘minute particulars’ is punctuated by social and theological reflections on the times through which we have both lived and the lessons we can learn from his communities that are so urgently needed in today’s deeply endangered world.

The fundamental unity of our shared human and planetary community, flowing from and finding its fulfilment in God who is a community of relationships, is being torn apart by our selfish, greedy and destructive behaviour. Our only option for countering this, so as to create a sustainable future for our world, lies in a radical reversal of the self-centred values which so dominate life today. We need to renew a commitment to living together and with our Earth simply, humbly, and for sufficiency, not excess. With sustained attention to the signs of the times, we strive once more to grow creative communities of moral value, civility and thoughtfulness. It is no accident that this worldly imperative coincides with our responsibilities under God’s covenant.

Fratele meu raposat, Anthony, a suferit tulburari mentale, corporale si emotionale pe tot parcursul vietii, petrecandu-si cea mai mare parte a vietii adulte in comunitati de lucru pe uscat pentru persoanele cu dificultati de invatare. Aceasta naratiune a vietii sale in „detaliile sale minutioase” este punctata de reflectii sociale si teologice asupra vremurilor prin care am trait si lectiile pe care le putem invata din comunitatile sale, care sunt atat de urgent necesare in lumea de azi profund amenintata. a comunitatii noastre umane si planetare comune, care curge si isi gaseste implinirea in Dumnezeu, care este o comunitate de relatii, este sfasiata de comportamentul nostru egoist, lacom si distructiv.