February 2004 - Contents From Feast to Fast Covenant between St. Wystan's Parish Church, the United Reformed Church and Roman Catholics in Repton Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches Services at St. Wystan's, Repton Services at St Saviour's, Foremark Services at St Mary's, Newton Solney Readers and Intercessors at St. Wystan's Altar Flowers at St. Wystan's Brasses at St. Wystan's United Reformed Church Services at the United Reformed Church Coffee Morning Saturday 14th February, 10.30-11.30 Shell Women's World Day of Prayer : Friday 5th March Derby Constabulary Male Voice Choir, Friday 16th April 7.45 pm Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burial of Ashes Baptisms Elliot Alan Carvell Funerals and Burial of Ashes Thomas Elwyn Eames Anne Isaac Irene Muriel Danson Margaret Waters Joan Taylor St Wystan's News Ash Wednesday at St Wystan's Lent Course: Tough Talk Hard Sayings of Jesus 'Bring a tin' during Lent for the Padley Centre St Wystan's Church Floodlights Report on St Wystan's Quiz Night, 22 November St Wystan's Annual Parochial Church Meeting & Supper, Monday 23rd February Repton Open Gardens, 26th and 27th June Spring Open Garden and Plant Sale, Sunday 4th April Mothers' Union Recycling in Repton Sight-aid Aid to Russia and the Republics (ARRC) St Mary's News St Mary's Churchyard Christmas Concert: the Church Roof Appeal St Mary's Penny Appeal St Mary's Flower Rota & Cleaning Schedule Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal Conservatives Sausage, Mash & Bingo, Thursday 5th February A 60s & 70s evening of music, 13th February Repton Pre School Annual Fundraising Ball, Saturday 14th February The Old Rope String Band, 6 March Repton Primary Spring Jumble Sale, Saturday 24th April Musical Events Repton School Subscription Concert, Tuesday 10th February Schools St Wystan's School Scholarship Open Morning, Saturday 7th February Repton Village and History Repton Council Jottings Extend Repton WI Repton Village Society The Talk on the Streets Gardening Notes Two economists go where angels fear to tread

From Feast to Fast

In the calendar of the Church, February begins with a Feast - not a separate festival but a celebration of that last scene in Luke's account of the Nativity when the infant Jesus was brought by his parents to the Temple, there to be greeted and honoured as "the light to lighten the Gentiles".

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, otherwise known as Candlemas, commemorates and celebrates both Mary's personal thank offering for the safe delivery of her first-born son and the recognition by two devout worshippers of their long-awaited Saviour. Simeon and Anna, who had spent their long lives in worship and prayer, each rejoiced at being granted a sight of the Lord's Messiah. But Simeon also prophesied that suffering would be integral to Jesus' life and ministry. And even yet candles lit on 2nd February to represent the light of Christ will cast shadows.

It is then appropriate that while this month begins with a Feast it ends with a Fast. Ash Wednesday falls on 25th February and Lent of course follows. How much thought do we give to its observance? Two or three generations ago fasting, or at least abstinence, was treated seriously. Smokers put away their pipes, drinkers reduced their regular orders, sweet shop sales fell away. Now such practices are unfashionable. We are more at home with feasting than with fasting. Lent, we are told, is concerned with taking positive steps to grow in the faith, not with negative attempts at self-control. And that may well be so. Giving up chocolate possibly does more for the waistline than for the soul. Nevertheless as the month progresses maybe we do need to give serious thought as to how we might most profitably observe Lent when it begins.

Study groups will start early in March and for some of us attendance at those will be a significant part of our Lenten observance. Others will give more time to Church attendance, to Bible reading, to personal devotions. All these are viewed as 'positive' ways to observe Lent. But is abstinence entirely negative? Shall we not need to abstain from more self-centred activities in order to allow time and / or money for these positive pursuits? Perhaps rather we should plan during Lent simply to reorder our priorities. "Where our treasure is, there will our heart be also." May the light given at Candlemas continue to light our way as we resolve what that treasure is to be.
On behalf of the Churches within Churches Together in Repton we acknowledge with thankfulness-

• our common faith in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
• our common calling to serve in God's mission;
• the diversity of our traditions and the different gifts each brings to our common life.

We believe we are called to deepen our life together in Christ, and to seek to offer to the world a united witness and a shared service. Therefore, as fellow pilgrims in faith, we commit ourselves to work together-

• in proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God and nurturing new believers;
• in expressing the love of God through common service;
• in resisting and seeking to transform all that threatens or subverts the values of the Kingdom;
• in promoting justice, peace and reconciliation;
• in celebrating and preserving the integrity of creation so that this and future generations can enjoy and share its blessings;
• in finding other partners with whom we can work.

We believe that this commitment can be expressed in a variety of ways, and in particular through the life and work of Churches Together in Repton.

We pray that God will lead us, with all our sisters and brothers in Christ, so that we may

• witness to the uniting love of God and
• grow towards that visible expression of unity which is God's will.

We make this covenant together on behalf of our churches and congregations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The wording of the covenant is based on that signed at the Two Counties Ecumenical Service in Derby on 11th May 2003 by representatives of all the main Christian denominations in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

St. Wystan's, Repton

St Saviour's, Foremark

St Mary's, Newton Solney

Readers and Intercessors at St. Wystan's

Altar Flowers

Brasses

The United Reformed Church

Coffee Morning Saturday 14th February, 10.30-11.30

A Valentine's Day treat — home made cakes and marmalade that you will love, new Webb Ivory cards on sale and a chance to relax over coffee and biscuits.

Shell

Shell (age 7+) meets on Mondays from 6.30 to 7.30 pm. New members welcome.

Women's World Day of Prayer : Friday 5th March

Book the date in your diary — more details next month.

Derby Constabulary Male Voice Choir
Friday 16th April, 7.45 pm at the United Reformed Church

A concert with all your favourite songs by one of the area's most successful choirs. Tickets are available from Church members or telephone 701581. Light refreshments will be available after the concert. A collection towards the choir's expenses will be taken.

Baptisms

Elliot Alan, son of Jonathan & Cathryn Carvell of the Carousels, Burton-on-Trent, was baptised at St Mary's on Sunday, 28th December.

Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Thomas Elwyn Eames of Stenson Fields died at the Dales Residential Home on 4th December, aged 87. His funeral was held at Markeaton Crematorium on Tuesday 16th December.

Anne Isaac of 50 Askew Grove died on 25th December, aged 73. She was the wife of Maurice. Her funeral was held at Bretby Crematorium on 2nd January, followed by a Thanksgiving Service at St.Wystan's Church.

Irene Muriel Danson of 16A Milton Road died on 26th December in Brazil, where she was visiting her son, Ivan. She was aged 66. The funeral was held at St. Wystan's Church on Saturday 17th January, followed by burial in Repton Cemetery.

Margaret Waters, formerly of Homelands and Fisher Close, and latterly at Ashe Fields, died on 6th January aged 89. Her funeral was at Markeaton Crematoruim on 20th January.

The ashes of Joan Taylor of 3 Newton Close, Newton Solney, who died on 7th September, were buried in Newton Solney Churchyard on Tuesday 30th December.

St Wystan's News

Ash Wednesday at St Wystan's

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday 25th February. There will be a said Holy Communion service at 10 am, and in the evening there will be a Parish Communion at 8.30 pm in Repton School Chapel shared with pupils.

Lent Course: Tough Talk Hard Sayings of Jesus

Our Lent Course for 2004 focuses on the difficult, uncompromising sayings of Jesus. Each session has an audio tape introduction in a similar format to last year's course. Contributors include Steve Chalke (Baptist minister and evangelist), Gerard Hughes (Roman Catholic priest and writer on spirituality), Tom Wright (Bishop of Durham and author of books on the New Testament), and Frances Young (Methodist minister and Professor of Theology at Birmingham University). We hope that as many people as possible will be able to take part. The course consists of five group meetings starting in the week beginning 1st March. A number of groups will meet on different days and at various times. Details will be available in church or contact George Johnson (703079) if you would like to take part. Newton Solney will be following a different course - details will be available from mid-February.

'Bring a tin' during Lent for the Padley Centre

A usual, we are asking people to 'bring a tin' when they come to church at St. Wystan's during Lent. These are taken to the Padley Centre in Derby which is a day centre for the homeless, mentally ill, and other people in trouble. There will also be a collection box in the Post Office.

St Wystan's Church Floodlights

It appears that some people do not know that you can arrange for the floodlights to be on for a special occasion. If you would like to celebrate a special anniversary or remember a loved one then you can have the floodlights on for a charge of £5 per evening. The person to contact is Joan Cox (559279). If she is not available then one of the churchwardens (Martin Wimbush and Karen Perks) or Jan Roberts (702159) can arrange it for you

St Wystan's Quiz Night, 22 November

Apologies for the late reporting, due to holidays, of a very successful night.

Supporters of Tom Passmore, Hannah Short, and Antonia Wimbush's gap year projects joined the quiz regular hardcore to swell the attendance to well over 100 people including four tables of young people. Entrance, stand up bingo and 'faces' monies supplemented by donations enabled a £150 cheque to be forwarded to each of the above mentioned young people in their quest to help other people less fortunate.

Thanks once again for your support and to Frances Wimbush for co-ordinating the many helpers to provide the interval food.

Oh yes, the quiz - a close affair involving 4 teams but eventually won by one point by 'The Woodentops' (Peter and Morven Davey and their friends.)

St Wystan's Annual Parochial Church Meeting & Supper
Monday 23rd February at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall

Anyone living in Repton and all members of the congregation are welcome to come to the meeting and share in the supper which follows. Supper tickets (£3.50 each) will be available from Jan Gillham (703340), Jan Roberts (702159), or Martin Wimbush (703180).

The meeting starts with the election of churchwardens. Everyone resident in the parish is entitled to vote. We then have reports on different church activities and plans for the future, including presentation of the accounts for 2003 by the treasurer. Elections to the Parochial Church Council follow. There are four vacancies to be filled this year. It is necessary to have been on the electoral roll for fifteen days prior to the meeting in order to stand for election and vote. Application forms are available in church or from Margaret Scott, Electoral Roll Officer. The meeting lasts a little over an hour and is followed by supper. It is not necessary to buy a supper ticket in order to attend the meeting.

Repton Open Gardens 2004

The Open Gardens this year is the weekend of 26th and 27th June. It has been decided to make it a two-day event this year in line with other villages in the area. It is hoped the Church will be decorated and we would like to see the whole village joining together in what should be a super weekend. We already have a good number of gardeners opening their gardens for one or both days but we would like some more to make it a really successful occasion. If you would like to open your garden or know someone who may like to be involved please contact Tom Hyde, 32 Milton Road, or Jan Roberts, 37 High Street.

Spring Open Garden and Plant Sale

The Roberts are planning to open their garden at 37 High Street, Repton on Sunday 4th April 2004. There will be plants for sale (herbaceous , shrubs etc) and proceeds will be for church funds. Hopefully there will be lots of spring colour so put the date in your diaries.

Mothers' Union

After taking the short service on December 17th, Revd Stanley Morris spoke about 'Music for Christmas', using the piano to illustrate his very interesting, versatile and often amusing talk. Branch Secretary, Audrey Morris gave a brief report on the Diocesan Conference and Deanery Committee meetings, the question of rewording the existing MU prayer being brought up at each. Members felt that they would prefer it to be left as it is.

The theme for 2004 is 'The year of the family: rebuilding relationships', and programmes for 2004 were distributed. It was a pleasure to welcome Pam Clifford as a new member and to have Lucine Mclean, Margaret Shepherd and Eileen Saunders and her mother with us. A Christmas gift was presented to Eve Cawdron in appreciation of her loyal service as our pianist over the past year. Grateful thanks must go to Branch Treasurer Rosalind Hudson for providing us with a most delicious tea at the AGM on January 21st, and also to Mr and Mrs Jim Ault for preparing it.

Recycling in Repton

We note that doorstep recycling is to include foil and cans from this month. Please remember that you can take your aluminium (and steel ) cans and foil to the church ( bags in the porch) and Glenda and Norman Brewin will recycle them for the Church Development Fund. They have raised a considerable amount over the last two years and we would not like to lose this valuable source of revenue. If you find it difficult to take your tins and foil to church you can leave them with the Roberts at 37 High Street. Just put them over the side gate (in a bag please!) and we will deal with them. Many thanks to all who have supported us over the last year. Please continue.

Sight-aid

A box of old prescription spectacles left in the Vicarage was taken to SpecSavers, Burton-on Trent who will forward these to 3rd World countries. The Oxfam shop opposite was pleased to receive the cases. Please take your old glasses to SpecSavers -- or let me do this for you.

Aid to Russia and the Republics (ARRC)

Many thanks to all who bought preserves , Russian - made gifts and cards through 2003 which resulted in a total of £1,500 passed to ARRC. Please continue to support this Christian Charity. New season's fresh fruit marmalade now available!

St Mary's News

St Mary's Churchyard

Warmest thanks to Bernard Collier and his brother Jim for their continuing care of St Mary's churchyard summer and winter. Everyone who passes through comments on how beautifully it is kept, while those who cannot themselves tend family graves have additional cause to be grateful at the attention given to keeping memorials clean. Thanks from us all for this faithful service.

Christmas Concert: the Church Roof Appeal

When the Magazine went to press for the January issue we had still to experience the Christmas Concert in St Wystan's, kindly arranged and conducted by David Haines. This was a very happy occasion, thoroughly appreciated by an enthusiastic audience, the proceeds for which have added over £400 to the Roof Appeal Fund.

Many thanks to David and the Burton Concert Band for a most enjoyable afternoon.

St Mary's Penny Appeal

The sum raised by contributors to our penny (and other small coin) collection amounted in 2003 to £79.35. This money forms a useful addition to the Fabric Fund, which enables the Parochial Church Council to effect minor repairs and replacements.

I should like to thank all contributors and to remind people that "pennies" can be handed to myself or to any PCC member, or be left with Dave at Newton Solney Village Shop.

St Mary's Flower Rota & Cleaning Schedule

The lengthening of the days prompts a reminder about the Flower Rota posted in the Church porch. Anyone who wishes to donate flowers, perhaps to mark some special date(s), is invited to sign the list for the appropriate weekend.

As the cleaning schedule has recently become somewhat haphazard, we plan now to set as a regular cleaning time the first Monday afternoon of each month (between 1.00 & 4.00pm) when we hope to establish a more settled routine. Cleaning materials and equipment are already available in the church; all we need is more help in using them. If you are able and willing to come even for half an hour, please just turn up.

Newton Solney Church Roof Appeal

Warm thanks from the Appeal Committee for the donations which have continued to arrive during the weeks since the 'Launch' and especially to those donors who have preferred to remain anonymous and whose donations cannot therefore be acknowledged personally At the time of writing the sum donated has just passed £25,000.

A 60s & 70s evening of music

Come and join us in an evening of 60s and 70s music on 13th February, in aid of the Repton & District Community Care Group. The dance will be held at Willington Sports and Social Club; tickets are £3 each and there is a licensed bar and hot and cold drinks. Doors open at 8pm and if you would like to wear clothes of the period all the better. Tickets from the surgery, or ring one of these numbers for enquiries: 701845 or 703247.

Repton Village & History

Repton Council Jottings

A few notes from the January Parish Council Meeting. A formal record of the discussions is available at the village Post Office.

Residents have enquired about progress with the traffic calming measures that were reported some months back. Well, the Parish Council gave its preferences to Derbyshire County Council last November, but nothing has been heard from Matlock since then. Further pressure is now being exerted to try to get some action, and as soon as details of the approved scheme are available they will be publicised. There was a great deal of public opposition to the very unwelcome plan to increase the speed limit along Main Street to 40 mph, but on that too, at the time of writing, no decision has been announced.

In August 2002 and May 2003 the Parish Council objected to planning applications to convert redundant buildings at Ridgeway Farm, Mount Pleasant, for residential use. The objections were lodged mainly because the farm is outside the village envelope. Notification has just been received that in November 2003 SDDC Planning Dept refused the application on two grounds. To summarise:

1. The site is classed as 'green field' and there is no justification for releasing it to development, as there are sufficient 'brown field' sites in South Derbyshire to meet target housing completions.
2. It has not been shown that commercial re-use is unviable or impracticable, which is a prerequisite for allowing residential use of redundant buildings in the countryside.

Permission for new housing on land off Milton Road (near the Primary School) has been refused, as anticipated. The planners could see no justification for building on a 'green field' site, and said it would be 'an unwarranted intrusion into the countryside'.

A complaint about disturbances at the bus shelters by the Cross was reported last month. There was some suggestion that problems might be lessened if the shelters were moved to another location, or made less attractive as a gathering place for teenagers. The Village Society has made a strong representation for the shelters to remain where they are, and for the seating not to be removed. These bus stops are in a very convenient place, and the shelters are much valued by old and young alike, particularly when they have to wait for buses that are all too often late! The possibility of improving the lighting in the area is now under consideration.

A request is being made to SDDC that when the land behind the façade of Repton Garage is redeveloped it should be named Goodalls Yard. This is a fitting way to preserve a link with the past, as that was the former name of the garage. Let's hope the planners like the idea!

The next Parish Council meeting will be on 9 February at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.

Extend

Extend is Movement to Music for Older Men and Women and for People of any age with a Disability. Have fun and become fitter at the same time! Come along and join in at Repton Village Hall every Tuesday morning, 11.00 - 12 noon, only £1.50 per session. Please contact Extend Teacher Maureen Neave on 01283 813842 for more information.

Repton WI

Repton WI began 2004 in fine style with a talk on Epitaphs by Bertel Hutchinson. He made a serious subject both informative and entertaining and members who had feared that the year was beginning with doom and gloom were proved wrong.

Plans were made to enter a team for the County Quiz. One heat is to be held in Repton Village Hall so no travelling is involved.

Next month's meeting is a talk on "The Land of the Rising Sun" with appropriate flower arrangements by Marilyn Ottewill. It is an Open Meeting at which everyone is welcome: Tuesday 10th February at 7.15 pm in the Village Hall.

Repton Village Society

There was a very good turnout for the first David Wilkinson Memorial Lecture in the 400 Hall on the 15th February, held jointly by Repton School and the RVS. Jeremy Bournon, Head of Art at the School, gave a fascinating and informative talk using slides, words, music and a tableau on the artist Casper David Friedrich, to most of us an unknown subject. Jeremy gave us an insight into the man, the society he lived in and the many levels of meaning and emotion that his distinctive paintings portrayed. After an interval Jeremy held an informal discussion on art and its meaning using questions from the audience as his starting point. A very enjoyable evening.

Our next meeting is on Thursday 12th February at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall - on the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. The Trust works throughout Derbyshire and has a wide ranging action plan. It will be interesting for us in South Derbyshire to understand what they do, and how they go about it.

Early March, on Thursday 4th, the talk is 'Underground in Derbyshire's Abandoned Metal Mines', again at 7.30 pm in Repton Village Hall.

A reminder that subscriptions are now due for 2004. They are £3.00 for single members and £6.00 for household membership. Denis Dalton (704922) is looking forward to receiving your cash!

The Talk on the Streets

What is on peoples' minds as they walk around Repton? The answer is mainly what might be under their feet. After a silence of perhaps ten years on the subject, it is time once again to open the debate on the escalating problem of dog mess, poo or shit (a Saxon word according to Melvyn Bragg so very apt?). Walking kids to school or the Den is now a chorus of 'mind your feet!' 'Look where you're going'. On the plus side it is encouraging strangers to talk to each other, usually a bonus for dog walkers themselves, of course.

It is probably just one or two thoughtless owners but that is life. So the rest of you who are reasonable do not get upset. As for me, this is an excuse to get a digital camera at last because we are going to photograph and report miscreant owners. Yes, bounty money!, the state cannot need all of that £1000 fine surely? In the meantime an informal approach has been made today to a senior parish council member to look at funding dog bins ( or whatever they are called).

Gardening Notes

This time last year we were concerned with floods and hoping for a drier summer. We got it and now are hoping for more rain! We have also had more frost already than for several years. Soil temperatures will be lower this spring so it will be worth putting cloches or sheets of plastic over the ground where you intend the early sowings to be and hope it warms the soil up first. Put plenty of bulky compost or manure in the vegetable plot when digging to help conserve moisture and avoid putting any thick surface mulches on until March when, hopefully, the soil will be wetter. An early sowing of peas and broad beans should be possible at the end of the month. Peas will do better under cloches. And onion sets can be planted then too if conditions are suitable. Broad beans and peas can be started in the greenhouse or cold frame too. Lettuce, parsley, carrots, onions, summer cabbage and early cauliflowers and celery can be sown in the greenhouse with only frost protection. Tomatoes need a bit of heat.

An early sowing of bedding plants can also be made. Some, like begonia and impatiens are slow to germinate and also need more heat and are best in propagating cases. Bedding plants will need more space as they grow and are potted on, and soon crowd the greenhouse. Buying mini-plants from the garden centre or mail order catalogue is the easier and maybe cheaper option. Put dahlia tubers in trays in a warm, light place and cover with compost and water them to induce formation of shoots to take as cuttings. Place seed potatoes of the early varieties in seed trays in a frost-free but light place, to start shoots forming.

Make sure the pruning of gooseberries and black currants is complete and cover the bushes with nets if bullfinches are about (a rare event nowadays). Prime the dead wood of outdoor fuchsias down to ground level and prune winter flowering jasmine if you wish to restrict its size or tidy its sprawling appearance. Large flowering clematis fall into two groups - those that flower before midsummer on last year's growth and those that flower after midsummer on the new growth of the new season.

These late flowering clematis, such as C. x jackmanii, should be cut down to about three feet from the ground now. This also applies to the summer flowering viticella varieties - all with smaller flowers - but the spring flowering C. montana, alpina and macropetala should not be pruned at all unless they are overgrowing their allotted space. They can then be pruned after flowering.

The tree family Acer includes the sycamore and field maple of our hedgerows and a number of moderate sized cultivated forms grown for their leaf or autumn colour. The Japanese maples - Acer palmatum and A japonicum - include many of the loveliest forms but are not easy to keep in good condition. They need to be grown in moist, lime-free soil and dislike strong sun. They are also very easily damaged by late spring frosts, cold east winds and scorching dry spells, thus ending this year looking very dishevelled. The dissectam varieties are particularly vulnerable. Growing them in pots is an alternative but only for a limited period. Most of the more colourful varieties are also very expensive. Acer palmatum sango-kaku, the coral bark maple, is perhaps a bit tougher and has fine autumn colours. Acer griseum, a paper bark maple with red mahogany coloured bark and the snake bark maples such as A davidii, are also tougher and grow slowly into moderate sized trees. Acer griseum is very difficult to propagate from cuttings and very few of its seeds germinate - only about one per cent.

Some trees are difficult to grow from seed and may take two or more years to germinate if the seed has got dry. Those with hard coats can be chipped to let moisture in. Acer seed should be sown before it is really ripe or put in a clear plastic bag in a mixture of coarse, moist compost and coarse sand. It is then left in a warm place for three months and then in the bottom of a refrigerator for three months and sown as soon as it shows signs of germinating. This tricks the seed into thinking summer and winter have passed and seems to rid it of the factor which has been inhibiting germination.

God, Man & Growth

Two economists go where angels fear to tread

If you want to avoid an argument over religion at your next dinner party, you might suppose it safe to invite an economist or two. They, of all people, could be expected to stick to Mammon. Or maybe not, if a new paper* by Robert Barro, one of America's best-known economists, and Rachel McCleary, a colleague at Harvard University, is any guide. It explores the influence of religious belief and observance on economic growth.

To be sure, this is not the first time that economists have held forth on subjects that many people consider private. Gary Becker, a Nobel laureate at the University of Chicago, is well known for applying economic theory to questions such as whether marriage is economically efficient, whether drug addiction is rational and how couples decide how many children to have. A century ago, Max Weber, a founder of sociology, observed that the Protestant work ethic was what had made northern Europe and America rich. Recently, Niall Ferguson, a British historian at New York University, argued that today's economic stagnation in Germany and other European countries owes much to the modern decline of religious belief and church attendance.

If there is a link between religion and economic performance, then economists ought to have something to say about it. To test the connection, however, economists need figures, ideally covering many countries and many years. This is where Mr Barro and Ms McCleary come in. They have collected data from surveys of religious belief for 59 countries in the 1980s and 1990s - whether people say they believe in God, heaven and hell, and whether they attend services at least once a month - and have tried to tease out whether these have any direct effect on GDP growth.

This is not easy, because in theory the causal arrow could run either from religion to economic growth or in the other direction. On the one hand, adherence to religion might foster behaviour that helps a nation to become rich. The Protestant ethic emphasised thrift and willingness to work hard. Honesty might generate trust. On the other hand, economic growth might bring about changes in a country's religiosity. As European countries have become richer during this century, fewer people have gone to church. In America, however, the downward trend has gone into reverse in recent decades and Americans are far more religious than Europeans.

In order to sort this out, the authors needed to find measures of religion which are not themselves affected by GDP growth. To do this, they draw on a fundamental tenet of orthodox economic faith: that more competition is better. In some countries, religion is (or was) banned altogether or discouraged.

In others, a single strand is sponsored by the state. In others, there is a free-for-all. Earlier studies suggest that religion is more likely to flourish where there is less state control and a greater diversity of belief. So the authors use this to test the impact of religion on growth. And up to a point, their findings corroborate some common perceptions. More prosperous countries seem to have lower rates of church attendance, although America - the best instance of a country of competing sects rather than a state religion - is a conspicuous exception. More urbanised countries tend to be less religious. However, contrary to what many people think, religion seems to have a stronger hold in countries with better educated populations.

The most striking conclusion, though, is that belief in the afterlife, heaven and hell are good for economic growth. Of these, fear of hell is by far the most powerful, but all three indicators have a bigger impact on economic performance than merely turning up for church. The authors surmise, therefore, that religion works via belief, not practice. We are told that simply going through the motions will bring you little benefit in the next world. If Mr Barro and Ms McCleary are right, it does you little good in this one either. Indeed, they go further. They argue that higher church attendance uses up time and resources, and eventually runs into diminishing returns. The "religion sector", as they call it, can consume more than it yields, economically.

All this is intriguing, but does religion make much difference? Japan, where there are many sects but little fear of hell, has grown far faster since the second world war than the Catholic Philippines. Officially atheist China is growing at a cracking pace. Presumably, what your religion is matters as much as whether you are religious: has anyone theorised about a Catholic work ethic? And if religion does have an effect, is a 20-year period long enough to find it?

Equally, religious people would say that prosperity is not the purpose of faith. Few these days would even see it as a reward for their belief and behaviour, but as at most a by-product, and then not necessarily a welcome one. Recall Jesus's words about the rich man, a camel and the eye of a needle. So is Mr Barro's and Ms McCleary's rough, preliminary research good news for the faithful? Or is it just a little disconcerting?

* "Religion and Economic Growth", NBER working paper no. 9682. Available at http://www.nber.org/papers/w9682

[Slightly abridged from an article in The Economist, 13th November 2003, and reproduced by permission (italics are the editor's). Feel free to discuss it.]