Resurrection 2026?

with Rachel Mackintosh In the Monty Python film, The Life of Brian, set in the time of Jesus, Brian’s mother confesses to Brian that his father was not Jewish, but was, in fact, a Roman. She reminisces: “Promised me the known world, ’e did.” This is funny. Although it is generally fatal to a joke to explain it, I now risk killing the joke by pointing out that it is funny because it plays on the catch-cry of disappointed lovers, “… promised me the world”. But is also calls us to contemplate our own known world. The Life of Brian is about Brian, not about Jesus, although Brian does almost get the gold, frankincense and myrrh in a brief moment of mistaken identity, because he and Jesus are born at the same time in the same neighbourhood in the Jewish homeland, and so even wise men can get confused. So the known world of Brian is also the known world of Jesus. In this context, the Easter story occurs — in a world of Imperial Roman occupation. Recorded at Auckland Unitarian Church 5 April 2026 For more information see:-https://aucklandunitarian.org.nz/resurrection-2026/ 00:00 Titles & Prelude 02:22 Welcome 03:58 Opening Words 05:25 Chalice Lighting 06:33 Covenant 07:15 Joys and Concerns 08:58 Resurrection 2026? 24:09 Extinguishing the Chalice 24:48 To Come 25:32 Closing Words 26:39 Postlude 29:18 Meditation / Discussion Questions