Former Tutor teaches in Burma

Former St John's Tutor, Roger Bowen, was teaching at Holy Cross Theological College in Burma during October. He writes:

"This was my third visit to Burma, but quite different from all my previous visits. I stayed in Yangon the whole time, at Yoma II Hotel, a little way down the road from Holy Cross Theological College. Every day I taught for about five hours at the College. The reason for this was that my SPCK International Study Guides on Mission and Preaching have been translated into Burmese, which means that the students have texts in front of them in their own language which enable them to follow up the themes of the classes. What follows is a short account of my impressions in 2009 of this endlessly fascinating country which deserves as much support as the rest of the world, not least the Christian world, can give it."

Roger (right) with Holy Cross students

"I was asked to teach 24 students in the third and fourth (final) years, about seven of whom were women. They were all far younger than would be expected in a British seminary. Only one was married, and his wife was not with him but back home. Women are not ordained to the priesthood, and expect to minister among women and children, or to engage in social work. Mothers Union is an effective force in the land.

The themes I took were Mission in Mark, Mission in Luke/Acts, the Eucharist and Mission, Using the Bible in Mission and, at the students' insistence, a lot of sessions on expository preaching from the Bible."

Roger concludes:

"I thought my previous visit would be my last, so this one is a bonus. It just gave me a chance to meet up again with some of the loveliest Christians I have known."