As we continue to pray for all those affected by the stabbings in Bath and Nottingham, Bishop Ruth spoke to BBC Radio Somerset on Sunday, reflecting on how we can support one another, especially our young people, especially in the light of such tragic incidents.
Speaking after hearing moving words from the mothers of Nottingham University students Barnaby Webber, from Bishops Hull, Taunton and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Bishop Ruth said, “I was also very struck by the words of the fathers who said ‘look after each other’. We need to take care for each other and be tender to one another in the way expressed by both mums. But also we need to begin a conversation about some of the challenges that our young people face. There’s a huge, heightened anxiety amongst young people at the moment, for all sorts of reasons, and the whole knife culture has developed around that – and let’s also remember Mikey Roynan’s death in Bath just a week ago too – we are seeing so much of this at the moment.
"What might we begin to discuss if we think about how we support young people going through really challenging times to become adults in this world? How can we perhaps address the issues of the knife culture that has become so prevalent? How can we support in our schools with those conversations, when people are anxious about what this might mean for them and their families.
“The graceful words of Emma Webber, mother of Barnaby were remarkable. Not to hold onto hate, but to remember that this is a beautiful world in which we live - and we need to be able to transform it. It is not that there aren’t difficult things. There is evil as we recognise but if we consider it’s a bit like the prayer of St Francis that we often quote, ‘Lord, make me be an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is despair, let me bring hope.’”
“That is what the Christian message at this time. It is not saying these things aren’t happening. But it is saying there is a way through it.”
Listen to the Bishop Ruth on BBC Somerset on BBC Sounds at 3 hours 9 minutes in.