The Two Tims Travelogues Part II (or Signs Of Religious Life In Scotland)

The Table Winnipeg

Let me start with a disclaimer. If I was asked to sit in / jam with a musical hero of mine (say, the bass player Marcus Miller), I would sheepishly decline, partly out of deference but also because I would so clearly be out of my league. I won’t be starting the Talky Bit on Sunday with a history review of Scotland (where Corinne and I have been adventuring while away), because Tim Penner already did that like a rock star on behalf of Ireland. The details differ and the politics are unique to the locations, but when it comes to religious conflict in particular there is a fair bit of overlap. Catholic vs. Protestant, Protestant Version A vs. Protestant Version B, shake, stir in violence, repeat. I’m not trying to diminish the harm, just pointing out that the themes are familiar. The net result often feels like the near-annilation of something filled with good potential – communities of love and kindness caring for one another and those around them, and the leaving behind of only the physical spaces. In many cases. even those feel like they have survived despite religionsly motivated attempts at destruction.

Pretty grim perspective, I realize. However, on this particular trip I kept bumping into what felt like possible signs of life, something like a gentle sort of ressurection of the best of what religion might have to offer and a diminshment of the kinds of indentity-motivated animosity that have done so much harm. That’s what I’ll be exploring in the Talky Bit.

We’ll start at 10:45 at VA Cafe with some music, some community time, and then the Talky Bit. We will livesteam here and poscast here.

I’ve enjoyed the privlige of travelling, am grateful for all the people who have stepped up and taken on extra responsbilities over the past weeks, and I’m looking forward to bringing home some stories that I hope will be encouraging for all of us.

Peace,

Tim Plett