wannabepriest has an article, Much better, but let me give you something to aim at…. which reports that the CofE website has a newer, better introductory video than it did before.
But he also links to a video from another source, which is even better. Here is what he says:
It is much better. The music isn’t turgid and hundreds of years old and the whole thing moves at a better pace. The quality of the typography is better and it looks edited.
However, I still question whether this is the kind of information and content that the Church of England should be aiming to communicate to the wider public. Indeed, the amount of information that this video still includes is voluminous. The whole thing feels pretty relentless now.
Anyway, let me give the CofE Communication gadgees a target to aim at. The following video was produced the Muslim MAS Media Foundation. This isn’t perfect either but it’s streets ahead, in my humble opinion. When can we do something like this, Archbishops’ Council?
I agree that the MAS video is far better than ours. I think still photos are a mistake and it was agood idea to have the individuals hold up signs rather than speak. The music was good too.
I followed the article on website about being called to a vocation in the priesthood to discover that if you are LGBT ‘Issues in Human Sexuality Apply’ so forget it, you will be discriminated against.
That’s terrible, clairejxx.
Can anyone find out if this was intended? (If so, per the ACI: “It’s Broken. Fix it!”)
Thanks Simon for the link and highlight although I’m not sure what claire’s subsequent comments have to do with my blog or with the CofE video. I am presuming that claire is referring to the official CofE site, and possibly the Call Waiting website, which is the official website from the Archbishops’ Council to encourage vocations. http://www.callwaiting.org.uk/be-sure.aspx The above page is from an official website with official guidelines. One of which is that everyone “submit to the disciplines in the Church of England’s Issues in Human Sexuality.” All potential Ordinands have to read that book if they haven’t done so… Read more »
I agree it has nothing to do with the video or with Dave’s blog, but it is extremely difficult to argue that the CofE does not discriminate against LGBT clergy – and some laity – when there is a specific exemption in Clause 2 of Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 (formerly clause 7(3) of the 2003 regulations)which deals with exactly this matter. CofE officials have been at pains to insist that this provision of the legislation was essential in order for them to continue to operate as they wished. And large numbers of bishops turned out in the… Read more »
Thanks Simon. I know this isn’t a good place to conduct any such debate and I’m not trying to start a debate, but just to say that I’m not disagreeing with you. I just think there’s a difference between what the official Ministry Division guidelines say, what Issues in Human Sexuality say, and what clairejxx was saying they say. 🙂
That’s right, the Church of England’s policy on gay ordinands is completely and totally non-discriminatory. As a heterosexual male priest, David Green gets to be married to his wife, and sexually active with her and have children, and that’s all cool even if the Church rarely supports clergy spouses to the degree that its ‘pro-family’ rhetoric would indicate. In the same way, a homosexual male priest gets to be married to his wife, and sexually active with her and have children. And many do. And if all of their lives end up completely in a mess as a result –… Read more »
PS – David, I agree with you about the videos!
Please, let’s stick strictly to the website/video issues here in all future comments. Thanks.
I don’t know why I bother sometimes. I thought I included the line in there somewhere that was addressed to Simon at the time… “I’m not disagreeing with you”. I’ll give up trying to be helpful in future.
To me the most astonishing statement on the new Church of England website (http://www.churchofengland.org/clergy-office-holders/ministry/vocation.aspx)
is that the ‘Call Waiting’ website ‘may be of particular interest’..’for those between the age of 13 and 30′.
I know we are worried about ageing clergy and the cost of their pensions, but are congregations really ready for teenage priests?
Assuming this is not the intention, perhaps what lies behind this startling phrase is the euphony of ’13 to 30′?
More worryingly, however, perhaps the church hierarchy really believes that immediately after confirmation we should be encouraging people to think about entering the priesthood?