Published on: 13 February 2014

Tim Minchin honoured in Chapel, September 2013

Former Chaplain (1978 to 1985) and old boy, the Reverend Ted Witham (1965), wrote to the Editor in response to some online comments regarding Tim Minchin (1992) and Christ Church including:

  • ‘Whoever taught Tim Minchin Religious Education obviously failed.’
  • ‘Christ Church can hardly claim to be a Christian school if Tim Minchin is typical of its graduates.’

I didn’t bother to reply to these online comments, but I did think about them. After all, I did teach Tim Religious Education, and, as Senior Chaplain during Tim’s years at the School, I played my part in ensuring the School’s Christian ethos and content.

Rather than make me feel the School had failed, Tim’s speeches in the Chapel and at UWA actually vindicate the School as a provider of Christian education.

CCGS is right to feel some pride in this old boy. Firstly, Tim is a man of extraordinary creativity. In his music and performance Tim creates thought-provoking and beautiful art. Tim is not a Christian. But I am. And I believe that creativity has only one source: the Creator. Even if you do not share my belief, to be in the presence of this order of creativity is to be in a spiritual place. Tim’s creativity generously provides others with energy and joy. Out of nothing he makes the world a better place.

Secondly, Tim asked the boys in Chapel to think for themselves. ‘Rebellion’, he claimed, ‘is about forming ideas that are not limited by convention.’ He trusted them with the freedom to find their own way to truth. Tim was articulating a profoundly Christian insight from the New Testament. This is true evangelism: not the attempt to persuade others to believe as I do, but the bigness of heart to let them find their own way to truth.

Any truth that is persuaded is false; even if it is belief in our Lord Jesus Christ. The only truth that counts is free: freely arrived at, and freely held.

I would, of course, like Christ Church boys to hear Christians invite them to fall in love with God, and I know they do hear this from others in Chapel. I hope that was my deeply held conviction while I was chaplain. But I also rejoice that an atheist like Tim can invite the boys onto the adventurous road of finding truth for themselves.

Some of my former staff colleagues would want Tim to cut his long curly hair and remove his mascara. But I say, all power to a man who does our Christian school great credit.

The Reverend Ted Witham
Senior Chaplain 1978 to 1985

Have your say – send letters to the editor to abaird@ccgs.wa.edu.au