Post by clansmanchris on Oct 19, 2016 9:32:03 GMT -5
Forty-one years ago, as a then eight year-old prep schoolboy I received a chess set from Father Christmas! In the intervening years, I have often thought and sometimes said that “the game of chess is emblematical of life itself. It represents a battle between the forces of good and evil, the Kingdoms of Light (represented by the white pieces) and Darkness (represented by the black pieces), although, no doubt, the PC Brigade would today say that is racialist and politically-incorrect.”
Look carefully at a chessboard with all the pieces on their allocated home squares, before the start of a new game, and tell me what you see. A board with an equal number of black and white squares and an equal number of black and white pieces?! In doing so, the board reminds us of our earthly pilgrimage (or battleground) as, subconsciously, every step we take, every move we make, we do so either in the light of God or under the malign darkness of the devil. Players in a game of chess take it in turn to decide how, where and why, they should move in the direction/way that they do, just as throughout the game of life itself we each take it in turn to play our part in the world around us. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” whilst, in verses 2 to 8 of that same chapter of Holy Writ, we are reminded of various times and seasons in our lives. It is significant too, that the rules of chess state that White should always play first: a subtle reminder that “in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:1-4).
Now, look carefully at the pieces on the board. Collectively and individually, they remind us that our society is an oligarchy. The least powerful, and yet most numerous, pieces in a game of chess are the Pawns, i.e., the great unwashed – the common people – who only have the power to move forward at a much slower pace than other, more powerful, pieces on the board; and who only ever depart from their toil when they move diagonally to capture their opponent’s piece, just as we (as individuals) depart from the straight and narrow Our Heavenly Father has set us on when we stray from His Word and, in doing so, often capture the livelihood (if not necessarily take the lives) of our opponents and/or adversaries. Pawns only become more powerful if they succeed in reaching the end row on the opposite side of the board to which they began their journey and when they receive promotion to become secondary queens, just as those who make a success of their lives within the UK are often elevated to the peerage to join those who rule us from parliament’s benches in the House of Lords, whilst following our lives on earth each of us who believe God’s Glorious Gospel will be raised to life eternal with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 2:10 boldly proclaims “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Speaking of Pawns, look at all the other pieces on the board and tell me what you see.
Each player (or kingdom) has a King. The King is the most powerful piece each player has as, unlike the other pieces each kingdom has, the King cannot be taken for to do so would render his kingdom kingless and reduce it to the ungodly status of a republic; hence the object of the game is to place one’s opponent’s king in check – i.e., a position where, were he any other piece, he would be slain, and from which he cannot escape – in much the same way as Ephesians 6:11 commands us to “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. Through belief in Christ’s finished work on Calvary’s Cross, we know that Jesus captures sin and that He “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our father” (Galatians 1:4). Although the King is the most powerful piece each player has in a game of chess, it should be noted that the King himself can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally – in much the same way as an earthly king tends to move slowly in any direction. In a similar vein, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords we serve “is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalm 145:8). Equally important to note is that, just as a real solitary king risks personal defeat following the fall of his kingdom, so in a game of chess the player left with solely a king on the board at the end of a game is unlikely to win a match. This, in turn, prompts one to acknowledge the importance and uniqueness of all one’s pieces if one is to stand a chance of defeating one’s opponent, just as in life one needs the companionship and support of others if one is not to succumb to the woes of the world.
In their starting positions, on the left hand of each king is the Queen. The Queen is the most powerful piece in a game of chess – which, perhaps, explains the origin of either of the adages “the power behind the throne” or “behind every successful man there is a woman” – whilst in the Roman Catholic tradition, Mary (Mother of Jesus) is revered as the “Queen of Heaven.” In a game of chess, the Queen can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the Queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over.
Initially, before play commences, on the far left hand side and far right hand side of the King and Queen on a chess board are the Rooks. The Rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides, but not diagonally. The Rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together! Shaped not unlike castles or fortified towers, they remind one that castles and stately homes are to be found the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and were historically, and in many cases still are, the family homes of the landed gentry, who in a bygone era were given land by former monarchs in return for their loyalty and service to them. As the Rooks in a game of chess help to defend the king and his kingdom, one is reminded of the words David sang in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul: “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; he savest me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:2-3).
On their home squares, next to each Rook is a Knight. Shaped not unlike the head of a knight in shining armour, Knights in a game of chess move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a ninety-degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces. In doing so, they remind one that real horses jump over others; and that less prestigious than peers of the realm in stately homes or castles are (titled) baronets and knights/dames, who rank above the untitled majority of the monarch’s subjects, whilst the armoured head of a knight almost moves one to burst into song as one recalls the words of many a prep schoolboy’s favourite hymn:-
When a knight won his spurs in the stories of old
He was gentle and brave he was gallant and bold,
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand
For God and for valour he rode through the land.
No charger have I and no sword by my side
Yet still to adventure and battle I ride,
Though back into storyland giants have fled
And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead.
So let faith be my shield and let hope be my steed
Against the dragons of anger the ogres of greed,
And let me set free with the sword of my youth
From the castle of darkness the power of the truth.
On their home squares too, between the Knights and the King or the Queen are the Bishops. Shaped not unlike mitres, the Bishops may move as far as they want, but only diagonally. Each Bishop starts on one colour (light or dark) and must always stay on that colour. Can one think why? As one of the laity, I venture to suggest that clergy in general and Anglican Bishops in particular – when they move diagonally in one direction – remind one that if, God forbid, they are liberation theologians they will be inclined to be politically biased towards the Left, whilst more conservative or evangelical clergy will lean more towards the Centre or the Right politically! It is often said that socialists and liberals sit on the left of any monarch, just as the risen Christ now sits on the right side of His (and our) Heavenly Father and the eternal King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In politics, conservative-minded people are said to be right-wing rather than left-wing!
There is another reason. Can you think what it is? Just as the four bishops in a game of chess each move diagonally, so the diagonal white cross on a blue background constitutes the Scottish saltire: itself a reminder that as clergy and laity alike hopefully seek to spread the gospel throughout our nation from north to south, and from east to west, so they too become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Not surprisingly then, St Andrew is the Patron Saint of both Scotland and Fishermen. The saltire also reminds one of a multiplication sign: a further symbol of how many more times the King of Kings pardons us and how much more His Kingdom would increase if we were as keen to proclaim His Word and forgive those who sin against us as He forgives us for sinning against Him.
As we commemorate the Week of Christian Unity from 18th to 25th January each year, one is mindful that just as the theme for the Week of Christian Unity for 2007 is “reconciliation” based around the verses 2 Corinthians 5:14-20, and of how we are reconciled to Our Heavenly Father through Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. One therefore prays that the ongoing relationship between each Member of this group (irrespective of his/her denomination) will continue to blossom, in order to foster reconciliation between, and within, the various denominations of the Christian Church as a whole. Nevertheless, insisting a Bishop can only move on the colour from which he starts in a game of chess, is perhaps a reminder to clergy and laity alike that – amidst our efforts to reconcile any denominational and personal differences between us – we must not depart from the tenets of the Christian Faith we profess, lest we plunge ourselves into a multi-faith mish-mash, in which fundamental Biblical truths are compromised for accommodating man-made opinions and the beliefs and traditions of heathen religions and traditions, to the exclusion of glorifying Our Triune God. We need to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to all the saints” (Jude 1:3) not champion the unscriptural cause of syncretism!
So, there you have it – if you did not already know it – a summary of the authority of all the pieces in a game of chess, and the aim of a game of chess. I deliberately haven’t mentioned the possibility of a draw – otherwise known as “stalemate” – in the game, as in the bigger game of life (where, thankfully, Christ is our Master), there are no draws; only winners or losers. I feel I can confidently say that the Gospel Message is always one of God’s triumph over Satan, Christ’s victory over sin and death. God never draws with Satan; He always defeats him. When we feel anxious or overwhelmed by famine, sickness, war, etc., we would do well to remember that. Whilst we may be miniature chess-masters of our lives and we may well face “no-win situations” with others through our own efforts, “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37) as, ultimately, God is sovereign and in control of all peoples, all things, all situations at all times!
May our realisation of that help each player in a game of chess to value all their pieces equally, and move us in turn to appreciate the importance of sanctity of human life (from when it begins at the moment of conception until its natural death), and to celebrate the unique contribution of all around us to hopefully make our community a better place to live in, and our lives happier and healthier than they would otherwise be, were we to attempt to do everything for ourselves and not share our strengths and talents for the benefit of others. May it be a reminder too, to homophobic and transphobic elements within the church that, in the eyes of Our Heavenly Father, and Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, lesbian, gay, bisesxual and transgendered people are no less children of the Living God, than stuffy heterosexuals, and that we were all created in His image and are equal in His sight, irrespective of our colour, race, sex, sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Hence, as another year fast draws to a close and we look forward – with varying degrees of enthusiasm at different times – to Christmas, one is mindful too that the beginning of new year usually heralds the beginning of a fresh start and the making of oft short-lived resolutions. I pray that each of us will not leave it until then to make it our resolution to set aside our prejudices and resolve to respect our differences but work together and in the love of the Lord for the glory of God, both now and in the months and years ahead.
Time will tell what the Lord has in-store for us (individually and collectively) in 2017 but, in the meantime, I urge you to look again at a dressed chessboard, prior to the start of a game and, as you do, acknowledge God to enable and empower Him to keep and guide you in His everlasting love. The exhortation of Proverbs 3:5-6 could not be clearer, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
Should I not be in-touch with you again beforehand, may the Lord grant you and all your family, near and far, a peaceful but joyous Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
© CHRISTOPHER LUKE (aka CLANSMANCHRIS)
* Christopher Luke is Editor of the Tunbridge Wells Group of United Reformed Churches’ Monthly Magazine and Facilitator of Tunbridge Wells Mental Health Resource’s Creative Writing Group. A Former Constituency Young Conservative Chairman, he is author of “The Happy Couple: A Discussion Paper on Same-Sex Relationships” and other articles. The views expressed in this article are, however, his own and are not necessarily those of the United Reformed Church and/or Tunbridge Wells Mental Health Resource.
Comments, criticisms and suggestions on this article are welcome and should be sent to him at Flat 5 Kirkdale House, Kirkdale Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2SB, England, United Kingdom, or e-mailed to him at unionist1603@tiscali.co.uk.
Look carefully at a chessboard with all the pieces on their allocated home squares, before the start of a new game, and tell me what you see. A board with an equal number of black and white squares and an equal number of black and white pieces?! In doing so, the board reminds us of our earthly pilgrimage (or battleground) as, subconsciously, every step we take, every move we make, we do so either in the light of God or under the malign darkness of the devil. Players in a game of chess take it in turn to decide how, where and why, they should move in the direction/way that they do, just as throughout the game of life itself we each take it in turn to play our part in the world around us. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” whilst, in verses 2 to 8 of that same chapter of Holy Writ, we are reminded of various times and seasons in our lives. It is significant too, that the rules of chess state that White should always play first: a subtle reminder that “in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:1-4).
Now, look carefully at the pieces on the board. Collectively and individually, they remind us that our society is an oligarchy. The least powerful, and yet most numerous, pieces in a game of chess are the Pawns, i.e., the great unwashed – the common people – who only have the power to move forward at a much slower pace than other, more powerful, pieces on the board; and who only ever depart from their toil when they move diagonally to capture their opponent’s piece, just as we (as individuals) depart from the straight and narrow Our Heavenly Father has set us on when we stray from His Word and, in doing so, often capture the livelihood (if not necessarily take the lives) of our opponents and/or adversaries. Pawns only become more powerful if they succeed in reaching the end row on the opposite side of the board to which they began their journey and when they receive promotion to become secondary queens, just as those who make a success of their lives within the UK are often elevated to the peerage to join those who rule us from parliament’s benches in the House of Lords, whilst following our lives on earth each of us who believe God’s Glorious Gospel will be raised to life eternal with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 2:10 boldly proclaims “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Speaking of Pawns, look at all the other pieces on the board and tell me what you see.
Each player (or kingdom) has a King. The King is the most powerful piece each player has as, unlike the other pieces each kingdom has, the King cannot be taken for to do so would render his kingdom kingless and reduce it to the ungodly status of a republic; hence the object of the game is to place one’s opponent’s king in check – i.e., a position where, were he any other piece, he would be slain, and from which he cannot escape – in much the same way as Ephesians 6:11 commands us to “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. Through belief in Christ’s finished work on Calvary’s Cross, we know that Jesus captures sin and that He “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our father” (Galatians 1:4). Although the King is the most powerful piece each player has in a game of chess, it should be noted that the King himself can only move one square in any direction - up, down, to the sides, and diagonally – in much the same way as an earthly king tends to move slowly in any direction. In a similar vein, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords we serve “is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” (Psalm 145:8). Equally important to note is that, just as a real solitary king risks personal defeat following the fall of his kingdom, so in a game of chess the player left with solely a king on the board at the end of a game is unlikely to win a match. This, in turn, prompts one to acknowledge the importance and uniqueness of all one’s pieces if one is to stand a chance of defeating one’s opponent, just as in life one needs the companionship and support of others if one is not to succumb to the woes of the world.
In their starting positions, on the left hand of each king is the Queen. The Queen is the most powerful piece in a game of chess – which, perhaps, explains the origin of either of the adages “the power behind the throne” or “behind every successful man there is a woman” – whilst in the Roman Catholic tradition, Mary (Mother of Jesus) is revered as the “Queen of Heaven.” In a game of chess, the Queen can move in any one straight direction - forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally - as far as possible as long as she does not move through any of her own pieces. And, like with all pieces, if the Queen captures an opponent's piece her move is over.
Initially, before play commences, on the far left hand side and far right hand side of the King and Queen on a chess board are the Rooks. The Rook may move as far as it wants, but only forward, backward, and to the sides, but not diagonally. The Rooks are particularly powerful pieces when they are protecting each other and working together! Shaped not unlike castles or fortified towers, they remind one that castles and stately homes are to be found the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and were historically, and in many cases still are, the family homes of the landed gentry, who in a bygone era were given land by former monarchs in return for their loyalty and service to them. As the Rooks in a game of chess help to defend the king and his kingdom, one is reminded of the words David sang in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul: “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; he savest me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:2-3).
On their home squares, next to each Rook is a Knight. Shaped not unlike the head of a knight in shining armour, Knights in a game of chess move in a very different way from the other pieces – going two squares in one direction, and then one more move at a ninety-degree angle, just like the shape of an “L”. Knights are also the only pieces that can move over other pieces. In doing so, they remind one that real horses jump over others; and that less prestigious than peers of the realm in stately homes or castles are (titled) baronets and knights/dames, who rank above the untitled majority of the monarch’s subjects, whilst the armoured head of a knight almost moves one to burst into song as one recalls the words of many a prep schoolboy’s favourite hymn:-
When a knight won his spurs in the stories of old
He was gentle and brave he was gallant and bold,
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand
For God and for valour he rode through the land.
No charger have I and no sword by my side
Yet still to adventure and battle I ride,
Though back into storyland giants have fled
And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead.
So let faith be my shield and let hope be my steed
Against the dragons of anger the ogres of greed,
And let me set free with the sword of my youth
From the castle of darkness the power of the truth.
On their home squares too, between the Knights and the King or the Queen are the Bishops. Shaped not unlike mitres, the Bishops may move as far as they want, but only diagonally. Each Bishop starts on one colour (light or dark) and must always stay on that colour. Can one think why? As one of the laity, I venture to suggest that clergy in general and Anglican Bishops in particular – when they move diagonally in one direction – remind one that if, God forbid, they are liberation theologians they will be inclined to be politically biased towards the Left, whilst more conservative or evangelical clergy will lean more towards the Centre or the Right politically! It is often said that socialists and liberals sit on the left of any monarch, just as the risen Christ now sits on the right side of His (and our) Heavenly Father and the eternal King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In politics, conservative-minded people are said to be right-wing rather than left-wing!
There is another reason. Can you think what it is? Just as the four bishops in a game of chess each move diagonally, so the diagonal white cross on a blue background constitutes the Scottish saltire: itself a reminder that as clergy and laity alike hopefully seek to spread the gospel throughout our nation from north to south, and from east to west, so they too become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Not surprisingly then, St Andrew is the Patron Saint of both Scotland and Fishermen. The saltire also reminds one of a multiplication sign: a further symbol of how many more times the King of Kings pardons us and how much more His Kingdom would increase if we were as keen to proclaim His Word and forgive those who sin against us as He forgives us for sinning against Him.
As we commemorate the Week of Christian Unity from 18th to 25th January each year, one is mindful that just as the theme for the Week of Christian Unity for 2007 is “reconciliation” based around the verses 2 Corinthians 5:14-20, and of how we are reconciled to Our Heavenly Father through Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. One therefore prays that the ongoing relationship between each Member of this group (irrespective of his/her denomination) will continue to blossom, in order to foster reconciliation between, and within, the various denominations of the Christian Church as a whole. Nevertheless, insisting a Bishop can only move on the colour from which he starts in a game of chess, is perhaps a reminder to clergy and laity alike that – amidst our efforts to reconcile any denominational and personal differences between us – we must not depart from the tenets of the Christian Faith we profess, lest we plunge ourselves into a multi-faith mish-mash, in which fundamental Biblical truths are compromised for accommodating man-made opinions and the beliefs and traditions of heathen religions and traditions, to the exclusion of glorifying Our Triune God. We need to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to all the saints” (Jude 1:3) not champion the unscriptural cause of syncretism!
So, there you have it – if you did not already know it – a summary of the authority of all the pieces in a game of chess, and the aim of a game of chess. I deliberately haven’t mentioned the possibility of a draw – otherwise known as “stalemate” – in the game, as in the bigger game of life (where, thankfully, Christ is our Master), there are no draws; only winners or losers. I feel I can confidently say that the Gospel Message is always one of God’s triumph over Satan, Christ’s victory over sin and death. God never draws with Satan; He always defeats him. When we feel anxious or overwhelmed by famine, sickness, war, etc., we would do well to remember that. Whilst we may be miniature chess-masters of our lives and we may well face “no-win situations” with others through our own efforts, “with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37) as, ultimately, God is sovereign and in control of all peoples, all things, all situations at all times!
May our realisation of that help each player in a game of chess to value all their pieces equally, and move us in turn to appreciate the importance of sanctity of human life (from when it begins at the moment of conception until its natural death), and to celebrate the unique contribution of all around us to hopefully make our community a better place to live in, and our lives happier and healthier than they would otherwise be, were we to attempt to do everything for ourselves and not share our strengths and talents for the benefit of others. May it be a reminder too, to homophobic and transphobic elements within the church that, in the eyes of Our Heavenly Father, and Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, lesbian, gay, bisesxual and transgendered people are no less children of the Living God, than stuffy heterosexuals, and that we were all created in His image and are equal in His sight, irrespective of our colour, race, sex, sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Hence, as another year fast draws to a close and we look forward – with varying degrees of enthusiasm at different times – to Christmas, one is mindful too that the beginning of new year usually heralds the beginning of a fresh start and the making of oft short-lived resolutions. I pray that each of us will not leave it until then to make it our resolution to set aside our prejudices and resolve to respect our differences but work together and in the love of the Lord for the glory of God, both now and in the months and years ahead.
Time will tell what the Lord has in-store for us (individually and collectively) in 2017 but, in the meantime, I urge you to look again at a dressed chessboard, prior to the start of a game and, as you do, acknowledge God to enable and empower Him to keep and guide you in His everlasting love. The exhortation of Proverbs 3:5-6 could not be clearer, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
Should I not be in-touch with you again beforehand, may the Lord grant you and all your family, near and far, a peaceful but joyous Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
© CHRISTOPHER LUKE (aka CLANSMANCHRIS)
* Christopher Luke is Editor of the Tunbridge Wells Group of United Reformed Churches’ Monthly Magazine and Facilitator of Tunbridge Wells Mental Health Resource’s Creative Writing Group. A Former Constituency Young Conservative Chairman, he is author of “The Happy Couple: A Discussion Paper on Same-Sex Relationships” and other articles. The views expressed in this article are, however, his own and are not necessarily those of the United Reformed Church and/or Tunbridge Wells Mental Health Resource.
Comments, criticisms and suggestions on this article are welcome and should be sent to him at Flat 5 Kirkdale House, Kirkdale Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2SB, England, United Kingdom, or e-mailed to him at unionist1603@tiscali.co.uk.