I'm a Church of England parish priest - AMA

[whyhere]

Baptisms, weddings, funerals, Sunday worship, belief in general - I'm at your service 🙂

How do supposedly Christian people behave in abjectly un-Christian ways and live with themselves?

@toffeecrisps I am aware other people have differing opinions, but at the same time there are some things which shouldn't be compromised or watered down. If I see something which clearly goes against truth I'm going to call it out.

@Vincitveritas very gracious of you to overlook it. 🤣 Expert of christainity, I once heard the bible warns us about things such centaurs, anything mixed species. Is that in the bible? I'm obviously googling for the wrong thing to find out.
If so, I have another question for OP.

Yes and to some people their interpretation that homosexuality is wrong shouldn't be watered down. You don't get to tell anyone else what they can or cannot believe.

You’re probably not back from evensong yet, OP, but I want to say thank you for this thread. Some of the questions have been frankly hostile, others have been heartbreaking - and some have been both at the same time. And I think you have answered with great grace and compassion. I bet you are a wonderful priest.

I’m a supernumerary Methodist Presbyter. I retired at 57, because the pressure was just too much to countenance for another 10 years and we could afford to stop, so we did. It is very interesting now sitting in the pew more often than standing in the pulpit (though I have now started to preach again, for a magnificent £25 per service plus mileage), you see things from a different perspective.

Many of the things that I got terribly exercised about when in the active work really don’t seem that important any more. Maybe if I’d been able to sit lighter to them then, I wouldn’t have needed to stop early.

@toffeecrisps I don't think there's any need to be rude, you are getting rather personal.

@PeterRabbitHadACarrot I never claimed to be an expert 😄but to answer your question, there's no mention of centaurs in the Bible. Part of the Mosaic Law, detailed in Leviticus, prohibits the Children of Israel from mating different kinds of animals. There is a very offbeat whacky theory that some of the fallen angels who produced the Nephilim with human women, also mated with animals to create hybrid beings such as the Minotaur.

Telling me I can't comment because I'm not a Christian is also quite rude. As is telling OP whether she should or should not be okay with reiki.

I think that all of us are pretty good at justifying our own behaviours. It is sad to see though.

Thanks @Vincitveritas . Leading on from that info.... Why do we need to worry about them and not about angels who have several heads some being lions heads or hooves etc? Think I remember something about angels having several eyes like a spider too. Apparently less scary when down on earth but still enough to try and stop people screaming.

Also OP, you've said you're not a bible literalist but I'm guessing you know people who are. How do you think they take it literally when there are so many contradictions?

You're welcome. Angels are messengers of God and there are indeed different types - some have wings, some don't. When visiting earth they're generally described as looking like men. They are fearful creatures and the angels in Revelation bring destruction into the world. With the exception of those that are restrained, being 'chained in darkness', fallen angels are otherwise known as demons or deceiving spirits and can negatively influence humans' lives, even today.

Sorry to ask such a charged question. I am curious to know your opinion of abortion.

If a pregnant woman does not have the means to provide for a child then would there ever be an instance where abortion is the right thing to do?

I will admit I'm on the defensive tonight and apologise if that's how it came across.
I appreciate OP taking time out to have a Q&A session but have been surprised, to say the least, by some of his/her responses.

Why are you so concerned? I'm just curious, so no need to reply if you're not happy to do so, or if you think it distracts from the OP.

I think this thread illustrates well how different those of us who nominally share a faith are, and that is valuable, surely? I would not personally understand angels the way you do, or exorcisms the way the OP does, but it's always interesting to come across a new perspective. None of us has ownership of Christianity; we're all just trying our best ... or that's what I think.

They would have to answer for themselves I'm afraid.

Again, I can only give you my personal view here. In an ideal world there would be no divorce, and no violence, and no abortions, but we do not live in a perfect world - that only exists in the next life. I believe that each woman has to make her own decision in the circumstances you describe. I also believe that human beings who are already in this world, rather than waiting to be born (so the woman, and any previous children) should take priority. I would hope that a baby coming into that situation could be offered for adoption, leaving termination as the last option if nothing else was possible.

Exactly @SarahAndQuack

Who are your favourite saints from the British Isles?

Can the historical schisms within Christianity be healed and reunified into one holy, catholic and apostolic church?

Thank you 😊

Are you going to answer my post about child abuse of choristers in the Anglican (CofE) church (can PM you exactly where) which my friend partly had to leave her job as she was so disgusted about it? Can’t give too much detail as outing.

Surely you can’t say you defend that.

What made me have reservations about religion was I went to a private convent school and one of the few Protestants was a holier than thou girl who berated me for not attending church every Sunday. How I laughed when she got pregnant by her singing teacher at 15/16 and had to leave the convent in disgrace to have the baby. The father didn’t want to marry her…

And my cousin who was a minister in a church sent a begging letter to my wealthy atheist nana asking for cash donations which I’m pleased to say she ignored. He rarely saw his nana unlike me and DB.

I'm concerned because I care. You're right that nobody has ownership over Christianity and I don't claim any. You used an intersting word - nominally - so many now are Christians in name only; unwilling to make changes in their lives, or bending scripture to suit themselves or ignoring other aspects to please others. I worry that the core principles of Christianity are in danger of being eroded and try to point out any false teaching or misinformation that may cause someone to stray from the 'right path'.

You don't get to decide what counts as false teachings,.

And you seem to be implying that people who don't follow your particular brand or interpretation of Christianity are Christian in name only, which is far more than just rude.

@toffeecrisps Jesus said "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:17. The 'word' is the Bible and anything obviously contrary to that I would consider a false teaching. Some aspects are open to interpretation, yes, but there are definitely rights and wrongs when it comes to Christianity.
I said there are a lot of nominal Christians around today, not that anyone who disagrees with me is one.

Ah, sorry, I wasn't clear. I simply used 'nominally' because my understanding is that we all happen to belong to the Church of England (is that right?), so we are all part of one denomination; one group with the same name. I didn't mean 'nominally' in the pejorative sense of 'in name only,' but I do see there's cause for confusion.

I suspect we might disagree what are the 'core principles' of Christianity, but that's why I like the Anglican Church - it's permissive and flexible and much more interested in the spirit than the letter.

@SarahAndQuack Thanks for clarifying. I attended Pentecostal, Baptist and C of E churches growing up but lean more towards Methodist now. I have found it difficult to find a 'spiritual home', mainly due to the big issues that have been raised. Anyway, I don't wish to make this thread all about me.

I can't cope with 'O Holy Night' it makes me cry - even more so as I lost my parents recently.
I do very much like Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar, though.
I think my favourite older carol is Coventry Carol and Adam Lay Abounden, although the latter is very rarely heard and in my opinion nicer to listen to than to sing!