I’m a priest - ask me anything!

[RevInTheHouse]

I’m a fairly young (and quite normal I think) Church of England priest. Am married with children

Rev, you have been absolutely awesome on this thread. If ever Mumsnet were to get a chaplain, I do hope you’d consider the post.

Our bloody marvellous resident Lady Vicar 😉 (Pardon my language)

How do process that your DH (& your non believing friends) will not be in the same place as you when you die?
This is one of my biggest worries for my DH (non believer) I pray every day.

I genuinely think that’s sad. I’d imagine I would be just as fearful and upset at the thought of being parted from my loved ones, if I held that belief.

My question is... would a good, kind, generous, honest, philanthropic non-believer go to heaven when they die?

Here is the thing. The Christians believe God is LOVE and we are all his children. Yet, he is going to exclude all the compassionate Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Mormons, Jehova Witnesses, atheists, agnostics, Wiccans, Spiritualists and all the other religions/ spiritual believers- you get the picture. And then only grant the Christians from Church of England an exclusive gold pass into Heaven....

Urbanbeetler

I’d take the mumsnet chaplain post It’s been fun!

I’ll answer other pps later as I’m out all morning

ShatnersWig

I actually spend a lot of time with my family. In term time way more time than when I was a teacher. I do have days where I’m in and out and all over the place, but I work flexibly and as part of a team.
Now finding time for myself is a completely different matter and person I tend to neglect is myself at times.

What do you do for your sabbatical? I always feel marginally envious of our clergy who get a sabbatical when the rest of the congregation battle on through thick and thin - do you think it would be beneficial for us all to have a sabbatical and a break from our own place of worship?

Flippetydip

I’ve not had one yet but I have a retreat every year normally just for a couple of nights. I tend to sleep, read and pray!
I’d love to go to Santiago De compostela at some stage

And then only grant the Christians from Church of England an exclusive gold pass into Heaven....

This is certainly not what I think and hope I haven’t implied that anywhere on this thread

Starlightjazz

I’ve tried to address all those points further up the thread. The truth is that of course I don’t have all the answers but have offered my opinion/ belief about these things. My answers are perhaps not as narrow minded and judgemental as you might assume!

I believe that vicars are meant to support their congregation, especially those they marry. I used to be a regular church goer. What would you say to me Rev if I'd come to visit you? I went back to the vicar who married me and my exdh 16yrs earlier. I told him how my dh had withdrawn from sex for 12 of those years & how the lack of affection was killing me. I told him how my dh's abusive behaviour had put our child in hospital from suicidal behaviour & child protection had become involved. & how my dh wouldn't engage in any therapy. I begged the vicar as the person who had married us before God to show me how to handle it now. I desperately didn't want to divorce, I believed in my vows. My vicar looked horrified and had absolutely nothing to say. I felt terribly let-down by the church. I never went back. I got divorced.

Unfortunately a lot of Christians do believe only their church is the right one and do dismiss other religious teachings as being false.

No you haven’t said anything wrong and you don’t seem that narrow minded.

However you’re a representative for the Church of England who teaches non-believers don’t go to heaven.

So do you believe that aithests as well as non Christian believers such as Muslims and Catholics go to heaven?

This is really interesting stuff. I wish i could have coffee and cake with a vicar or priest just to talk about a lot of things.

The explanation of the 3 in 1 /God/Jesus/Christ etc has left me even more baffled.

I shall continue to read this discussion with great interest. Thanks Rev..

Starlightjazz

I am pleased that I represent a church which is broad and diverse. ‘The C of E’ says is a phrase which can be used for some things but not others as the C of E has many voices - it’s a strength and a weakness at times.
I believe that when we die we come before God and he alone knows our hearts and our motives. All we can do is love our lives according to what we are taught and what we believe. I wouldn’t presume to be able to judge whether anyone of any faith or none would end up in heaven.
Some Christians have a universalist attitude and believe God’s Grace and desire for reconciliation is so immense and unfathomable that ultimately we will all be restored in our relationship with God.
The doctrine of hell is interesting- is a physical place or a spiritual place? Many understand hell as eternal separation from God.

Live our lives not love our lives! Sorry!

Limpopobongo

I have a lot of coffee and cake with people. I don’t have all the answers but I’m always happy for a chat. You may have a local vicar similar

sunshinecity1726

I would have spent a lot of time with you listening and also trying to support you in as many practical ways as possible (and also to help ensure safety for you and your family). I’d have pointed you to other sources of help if I felt out of my depth but still walked alongside you. You may well still have ended up divorced but hopefully loved and supported as you took those steps.
I’m sorry your experience with church was negative

Limpopobongo

Sorry you’re more baffled! I’m often baffled but it’s all very interesting in my opinion

furandchandeliers

I genuinely don’t see the CofE as a watered down RC!! It’s different in some practices and also theology. The origins of the CofE are interesting as is the whole of the reformation. It was long and complicated and varied from country to country. The misconception that the CofE only exists so Henry VIII could divorce is interesting because the church was reforming all over Europe and the issues were much more than divorce!! Interestingly Henry VIII remained a Catholic for the whole of his life.
I am very Anglo Catholic though and most of my practices and beliefs vary little from the RC church

Hehe I’ve said the word interesting 3 times in my post above! Sorry! I’ve studied the reformation to a high level and you can clearly see it interests me

Why do you think that ‘God’ didn’t answer my weekly prayers for years that ‘He’ would let someone in church know that I was being abused? 18 years of church, and ‘God’ didn’t help. This is why I lost all faith at a tender age.

Limpopobongo

In reply to your other comment, some churches are still full and growing, particularly in other parts of the world. The Anglican Church in Africa is thriving.
I think many only now attend church for festivals or occasions but I don’t begrudge that. I always think my Christmas, Easter, funeral, baptism and wedding sermons are the most important in some ways as there are people there who may only hear the gospel message once a year and I have an opportunity to sow seeds of God’s love and grace and hope that they grow.

Afonavon
I’m so sorry that you experienced this. There is no answer without sounding like a cliche but truly I believe as humans we have choice and some people choose to do horrific and hurtful things
Unanswered prayer is a tough one and I can’t claim to have the answers. I’ve struggled with this myself. At times hindsight has given me a glimpse of where God has been close to me even in the toughest times but in the moment my prayer has felt unanswered. If you came to me I’d try to assure you of God’s love and pray for healing for the hurt you endured (and I’d completely understand your feelings about God and the church)

Feel I need to add that all views I’m expressing are mine not that of CofE as a whole. I think I’ve made that clear in my posts but thought I’d clarify!

On going to heaven - from www.catholic.com/tract/the-necessity-of-baptism

Christians have also always realized that the necessity of water baptism is a normative rather than an absolute necessity. There are exceptions to water baptism: It is possible to be saved through "baptism of blood," martyrdom for Christ, or through "baptism of desire", that is, an explicit or even implicit desire for baptism.

Thus the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized" (CCC 1281; the salvation of unbaptized infants is also possible under this system; cf. CCC 1260–1, 1283).

Do you ever not think about God and religion? Such as doing a food shop...do you think about things without a religious perspective at all?

What is "Gods grace..."???