Subway Stations of the Cross

Some members of the St. Paul's congregation are recently back from a trip to Jordan and Israel with former minister, Fearless Leader Nancy K. In Jerusalem they meandered through the streets of the old city taking in some of the Stations of the Cross. These stations tend to mean more to Roman Catholics and they mark the traditional spots on Jesus' painful walk to the place of his crucifixion, carrying his cross. They can still have spiritual impact for Christians from other traditions.

There are versions of the Stations of the Cross all around the world and often in unlikely settings. In the city of Sudbury where we lived for eleven years, the stations were set up on a hill in the heart of the city near one of the busiest intersections. I used to take confirmation classes up there as a walking tour of the hours leading up to Jesus' death. At a convent in the mountains of Colorado I walked the stations trying not to be distracted by the warning sign that this was cougar country.

This week there is a dramatic presentation in Toronto called Subway Stations of the Cross, a theatrical meditation on the death of Jesus Christ based on the spoken word poetry of Toronto playright Ins Choi. Here is a description:

Two years ago, during the season of Lent, a 10 minute version of Subway Stations of the Cross was performed at The Olive Branch Community Church, Salvation Army Gateway, Weston Park Baptist Church and Grace Toronto Church. Last Easter, Grace Toronto Church, along with 4 other downtown churches rented The Winter Garden Theatre and invited Ins to perform yet another version of it there. It then received development grants from the Ontario Arts Council and was performed at an Imago event as well as at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts as part of the Luminato festival. This season of Lent, with a running time of 40 minutes, it has grown into a compelling piece of theatre...

Some people consider this irreverent or trivial. I don't get the criticism. Why not present the stations in a fresh way if people are willing to engage in the story.

Have you walked the stations in Jerusalem or anywhere else? What do you think of the Subway Stations?