Tuesday, August 30, 2005

KG Hammar - faith & controversy

I’ve been reading a book of / about the Archbishop of Church of Sweden, KG Hammar lately. While reading it, the Archbishop released a statement about planning to resign next summer. He’s been the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden for several years, and experienced the separation of the Church and State in Sweden as the head of the Church. He’s been a highly controversial leader in the church and has been under a lot of criticism. He’s raising questions, more than giving answers, he’s questioning a lot of the central doctrines of the church and has been an outspoken leader against war in Iraq, in favor of same-sex marriages and other current issues. It’s great to be able to listen to a person in more detail, than hearing a quotation or seeing an interpretation in the tabloids. A book is a wonderful tool in that respect. After spending some time “with him” in a book written as a conversation between him and Swedish author Ami Lönnroth I am intrigued. At the same time I understand why he is so controversial. He refuses to give clear answers and answers a lot of the questions for clarity with new questions. I don’t share his views on all matters, but in some ways, that doesn’t really matter. He don’t want me to agree with him – he wants me to find my way to God, and find faith without him giving me all the answers. I find in him an interesting approach to life and to faith that resonates with something within. His view of faith is connected to a strong emphasis on relationship, between God and us – and between human beings. Faith is first and foremost a relationship to God, and not a doctrine or a set of rules or regulations. This can be seen as a mystical approach to faith. Where there is unselfish love – you’ll find God. So – where does that leave us? I don’t know. His approach challenges me to the core – he urges me to ask questions myself – What is faith? What is spiritual leadership? Who is God? What is the human race? Where are we headed? Who am I? I guess the answer lies in opening up – opening up for questions, for answers, but most of all for the ability to live in openness towards God AND to other human beings. Not being afraid of all the questions, but slowly letting myself fall – out of control – out of the orderly systems – into the arms of God. Maybe not the answer the Archbishop would have preferred, but I believe it’s a process he would have supported. So thank you Archbishop KG Hammar for trusting us to find our own answers, and giving us tools and a framework from where to find our way. Maybe that is spiritual leadership? Exercising spiritual leadership, from a position of power, but in a spirit of servitude.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Lord of the Rings in Oslo

Lord of the Rings in Concert, Frognerparken, Oslo (All photos: Norwegianblogger)


Saturday the biggest park in Oslo, Frognerparken, was filled with ten thousands of people for a Lord of the Rings Concert. Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Anbjørg Lien, Sølvguttene, Oslo Bach Choir and others joined forces to give a two-hour performance of Howard Shore's score from the Lord of the Rings movies. I walked into the park a few minutes after they started to play, and walking underneath the big, old trees, with the sun shining and partying, picnicking people everywhere, felt like entering into an enormous party at Hobbiton. And then, to have the film music all over the place made the setting complete. The music was great, the orchestra was great, and the setting was fantastic. The concert could possibly have been cut down a little bit more - some parts felt a little repetitive, but in the great atmosphere Saturday, that didn't matter. During the last minutes of the concert, the sky opened and the rain poured down. That's Norway at this time of the year I guess - always difficult with open-air festivities. In spite of this: A great afternoon!
In the evening A-ha played for 120 000 people, but I joined a friend to a play at the National Theater. It was called "Demokrati" ("Democracy") and is written by Michael Frayn. The play is about the German chancellor Willy Brandt, and his assistant Günter Guillaume, who after four years was revealed to be a spy for East Germany. An interesting plot for a play, and I was definitely impressed by it!

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

A trip to the islands

Flowers at Hovedøya Monastery, Oslo August 2005 (Photo: Norwegianblogger)


Yesterday I went on a trip to one of the islands in the Oslo fjord with my colleagues from work. I liked being able to spend time with my co-workers in such an environment. After a barbecue with hot-dogs and salad and a little hike on the island we had a tour of the old monastery at Hovedøya. It was incredibly interesting to listen to stories of how the monks managed to live there 800 years ago. Ruins of the monastery are still there, and it's a great spot.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Oslo Jazz Festival

Yes, I love this city. Right now there are two - three festivals going on at the same time. There's a poetry festival, a multicultural festival, a chamber music festival and a jazz festival. A friend asked me if I wanted to join him for a concert yesterday. It was with the Norwegian jazz-rock group Lava. and it was part of Oslo Jazz Festival. It was great fun. Felt like being back in the eighties again. It's funny to see people in their thirties and fourties re-experiencing old memories through music. The group is known for their collaboration with American singer Randy Crawford. We missed her yesterday. Her presence would have made the evening complete.

Norwegian jazz-rock group Lava at the Rockefeller Music Hall, Oslo Jazz Festival August 2005 (Photo: Norwegianblogger)

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Murder of a spiritual giant

I was really shocked yesterday when I heard about the murder of Brother Roger, the founder of the Taizé community in France. He was killed during the afternoon's service in Taizé with 2500 people present. Knowing that he all his life fought for peace and reconciliation makes the murder even more shocking. I visited Taizé three years ago, and those days made a deep and lasting impact on me. During one of the services Brother Roger prayed for me by laying a hand on my head and saying a blessing. Seeing him that close and sensing his strong spiritual presence and love for God was something to remember. I experienced Taizé as a place that added another dimension to my life, the dimension of spiritual introspection and peace. From that place of peace I was able to look at my life in a more honest way, and I sensed a strong spiritual presence of being seen and loved by God. This is the legacy of Brother Roger and Taizé in my life, and I know that there are thousands of stories from people all over the world that can testify to the impact of Taizé in their lives. Brother Roger was stabbed to death with a knife by a 36 year old woman from Rumania. I don't know what went through her head, but I know that even though Brother Roger was killed, his message of love, reconciliation and peace will prevail. Taizé might have lost a spiritual giant, but his legacy will live on!

The Church of Reconciliation in Taizé, France (Photo: Norwegianblogger 2002)

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Kiss the frog!

Kiss the frog, exhibition in the National Gallery, Oslo. (Photo: Norwegianblogger 2005)

I'm not talking about me, neither am I talking about fairy tales, but yesterday I went to see the much hyped exhibition "Kiss the frog" at the National Gallery here in Oslo. The exhibition was opened by Queen Sonja of Norway earlier this year, and will be in the museum until September 18th. Seeing the exhibition left me with a few questions about modern art and where the art world is headed. The main question is: What is the difference between art and design at one side and art and entertainment at the other side? First of all: Is it really important to discuss that at all? The theme of the exhibition is "the art of change", and to be art, I guess the artifacts should make us think and reflect. Was I challenged to reflect yesterday? Both yes and no, immediately after I left the building I felt a little empty and I asked myself: was this all? Was this really everything? Do I have to think of art as something that has to be discovered everywhere, or is it the setting it's placed in that makes it art? It's in the most prestigious museum in Norway, and that makes it art? I started to wonder, because parts of the exhibition could have been on a ride in Disneyland or as a part of the decoration in Vienna's Prater. Would I have reflected about the message and what the artist want to convey if I'd seen the same artifacts in Disneyland? Probably not, but is that a problem? Andy Warhol was known because he put the artifacts of everyday life in a museum, and suddenly it was art. In some ways I like that. The video installations was a part of the exhibition that in some ways left me puzzled. Yes, they were about the possibilities for change. One was about things that suddenly was alive, another one was about a dog flirting with a woman at a bridge, I guess both is about the possibilities for change, and we are challenged to think "what if....". At the same time we're living in an age were life is threatened by terrorists, threats to the environment, political upheavals, hunger in Africa and a lot of uncertainty. There are elements in the exhibition that points in these directions, but mostly I felt like I walked through a theme park. Again, I'm not opposed to theme parks, and I'm happy about change, also in the National Gallery. I heard a woman complaining to one of the guards yesterday that she was annoyed that everything had changed, and that the paintings not were in the exact spot they've always been. I don't share that view at all. If the art is going to challenge us and speak to us, I think it constantly should be put in new contexts. In one of the rooms at the exhibition, Erik Werenskiold's famous drawings from the Norwegian Folk tales was put opposite Vanessa Bairds enormous painting of weird situations involving children and adults. Did it work? Yes, in some ways I felt that Baird's painting made me think about the grotesque and challenging in the folk tales all over again, because, believe me, her painting is really challenging! All in all, the exhibition left me with a lot of questions about art and few answers. Perhaps we have the answer right there? If we are challenged to think and reflect, and are challenged to feel and react we are in the presence of art. Was I yesterday? Yes, I was challenged to think about art and were it is headed, but I'm not sure if I was challenged to reflect about the world, the future, the human race or my own life, in some ways I raise the question if the art world only loves itself. If we kiss that frog, what do we get? Maybe Narcissus?