Dean of Peterborough
on Wednesday, 6 September 2017 at 9.18 pm by Peter Owen
categorised as Church of England
We reported in July that Canon Tim Sledge was to be the next Dean of Peterborough. The Bishop of Peterborough has now announced that Canon Sledge has withdrawn his acceptance of this post.
The link to the announcement appears to be broken.
[now corrected]
I don’t wish to speak out of turn, but does anyone know what became of the well-liked previous Dean,who was apparently required to retir at age 61?
The Cathedral faced acute, even existential, financial problems and the Dean was an inevitable casualty. Emergency funding was secured from the Church Commissioners, but with conditions. That the Dean-designate is unable to take up his position is most unfortunate. This is not a honeypot cathedral attracting coach loads of tourists. It is challenging to fund it going forward.
@Michael Skliros, the delightfully humane former Dean, Charles Taylor is, after unacceptably shabby treatment by the ‘Christian’ Powers-that-Be in the C of E, exercising a very welcome ministry at Salisbury Cathedral during the decanal interregnum. This is something for which many long-standing worshippers at the Cathedral are profoundly thankful.
Anthony Archer speaks with considerable authority, from a different part of the country, on the challenges and opportunities of our Cathedral here in Peterborough. Describing Charles Taylor as ‘an inevitable casualty’ tells me all I need to know about the lack of human, let alone Christian, care that pervades CofE plc in these days of self-serving self-survival. The treatment of a deeply caring and self-effacing priest like Charles, who was a figure of respect and affection in the City, as well as the Cathedral community, will long be a stain on the Church’s dwindling reputation. I am thrilled to read… Read more »
Sometimes you don’t know what you have until you lose it.
Or deliberately choose to break it.
Maybe Tim Sledge withdrew from the post because it occurred to him what a poisoned chalice he was taking on! As a former Chapter colleague of Charles Taylor’s I can longer bring myself to associate with the nest of vipers which is Peterborough Cathedral.
It is fortunate that Charles Taylor & his wife have a roof over their heads once again. Cruelly forced to resign, threatened on a Friday evening by email and forced to respond within 48 hours, he & Catherine were left homeless & without income by the church they had served faithfully for 40 years. Is it any wonder that church attendance is plummeting if this is how the church demonstrates its Christian message? When they needed a neighbour were you there? Did you walk by on the other side? A terribly sad reflection on the church community.
Former Dean of Peterborough, Charles Taylor
I was appalled to hear about the treatment of Charles Taylor, who was allegedly persuaded to resign by simply a threat of blackmail, with the powers that be , refusing to pay the staff, should Charles the then Dean not resign. In our company (A Sunday Times 100 best Company to work for)it would be unthinkable getting rid of staff this way. No right of appeal….. simply a bullying tactic… Shame on those involved. 🙁
I’m glad I spoke.
Aside from the disgraceful way he seems to have been treated, since when has a priest’s career been dependent on his/her church’s cashflow?
I remember my college principal (Cyril Bowles) saying firmly “never get involved with church finances, gentlemen; leave that to the experts”. One benefit of not knowing who the main benefactors were meant being able to preach with neither fear nor favour.
Have things changed? Even if so, surely the main point at issue here is that the Church’s duty of care has not?
If the Church’s treatment of Charles Taylor is an indication of Christianity in this country then I am not surprised we live in a secular country. He was left homeless after 40 years of service. He worked tirelessly for his Church family and I am in no doubt that his absence will be keenly felt. Shame on all those who had anything to do with this travesty of a decision.