Sweden has the highest rate of domestic violence in Europe. Its suicide rate is among the highest in the world, and alcohol abuse is widespread. Yet, writes Giles Fraser, an Anglican priest who writes for Britain's Guardian newspaper, it is people in the arts who deal with these dark themes, not the church.

While Swedish artists and actors "tackle the big questions of human darkness," writes Fraser, Swedish churches seem like "like tasteful temples to nice." Most Swedes consider the church to be irrelevant (only 2% attend church regularly). Fraser comments: "Devoted atheists are never going to be persuaded by a theology of the cross. But no one whatsoever is going to be persuaded by a theology of nice."

Sadly, much of life is not nice. At best, life is messy and complicated; sometimes it is downright cruel and utterly vulgar. Even acting with the best intentions, we often hurt one another deeply. New York Times columnist David Brooks recently quoted Immanuel Kant: "Out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made."

Sure, most of us would rather deal with nice than with nasty. But all our piety will never reach the depths of human life unless we acknowledge the crooked timber of humanity, unless we confront not only human fallibility but the reality of evil.

Confronted by these shadows, let us always remember:

• to cut each other some slack and to be gentle with others' frailty (the main thrust of Brooks' fine column);

• to not be surprised by evil;

• to expect that justice and peace will require both effort and courage; and, above all,

• that God, well acquainted with the crooked timber of the cross, is neither surprised nor conquered by the darkness of life.

                                                                 - Bill