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23 March 2016

Crown of thorns replaced by syringes

A film featuring a crown of syringes has been released to mark Easter.

The video, from the Church of England, highlights a faith journey marked by drug addiction.

Based on Psalm 22, the short video includes the lines: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

The Rev Arun Arora, director of communications for the Church of England, said: "This film is a testament to the triumph of faith and hope over struggle.

"From bereavement to addiction, from homelessness to imprisonment, Easter is a reminder that suffering doesn't have the last word and that love is more powerful than the grave.

"Our brief to the filmmaker was to reflect the doubt and forsakenness that life throws at you and to track the journey from grim reality and to bleed into the colour of joy."

The film features Emma, a 24-year-old who has chaotic family life led to drugs, alcohol and self-harm. Emma now meets with the Saturday Gathering, a church community in Halifax, which she says helped her through losing a baby.

Despite questions about her faith and God, without the community she said would have suffered even more.

The Saturday Gathering grew out of a food bank that started to offer prayer and found people returning regularly, but were not comfortable with traditional church, so a more informal meeting was established.

You can watch the video here, and find out more about those featured in the film here.