Yes, indeed. We duly remember: ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.’ That was Orwell. ‘Freedom of the press in Britain means freedom to print such of the proprietor’s prejudices as the advertisers don’t object to.’ That was Hannen Swaffer.
But who said this: ‘People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered than by those that have come into the mind of others.’? Answer: Blaise Pascal, of course.
I say ‘of course’ because Pascal was one of the great thinkers of the age. He found time to be a mathematician, physicist and theologian. (That reminds us of Christopher Wren, who combined proficiency in maths and physics with genius in architecture.) As the quotation suggests, Pascal knew a good deal about human nature as well as theology and the principle he stated here is a principle that has its place in parish politics as much as elsewhere.
We do not like to be told. G.K. Chesterton has some nice little poems that make this point. We like to find out for ourselves. And we also like to be persuaded rather than coerced. This, of course, like democracy, is a very inefficient way of proceeding – but it is better than any other way. We make mistakes. We get things wrong and sometimes we waste time and money. There is always the possibility of manipulation. This is true at all levels of political activity. Offices, parishes, dioceses, charitable organisations: all have their politics.
When a PCC prays, it seeks to do things in God’s way. It then debates and votes. It can only do this in methods familiar to psephologists. Amendments may be involved. Technical snags may be examined. Procedures may be arcane.
This way of going about things requires somebody in the driving seat – i.e. the vicar – who has experience of different places, different practices and knows how to propose and explain the ins and outs of a project, say, with a measure of detachment. He or she will not have been taught this at a theological college or training centre. It has come with the years.
On occasion the vicar will curb enthusiasm -- discreetly. Consistently the vicar will see that standards are respected. This will not necessarily make him or her popular. But ruffled feathers and bruises are almost unavoidable when it comes to shared decision-making. We have to be good-natured about differences and remember priorities. Parish politics is a tool in the Kingdom of God.
KILVERT AND OTHERS
Many readers of this blog will be familiar with Kilvert, Woodforde and other diarists who ministered in C of E parishes in the old days. Trollope, too, contributed to the picture. Less familiar is a short story by John Galsworthy. Entitled ‘Fisher of Men’ it gives an account of one incumbent who found his parish rather more than he could handle. He saw himself appointed and given authority by God. The cure of souls was his responsibility. ‘Is the shepherd selected by the sheep?’ he asks. ‘Talk o’ lovin’ kindness,’ said a fisherman, ‘there’s none ‘bout the Church ‘sfar’s I can see.’
NO SCOFFERS, NO TRIFLERS
John Wesley did not always gain an attentive congregation. But in 1762 he preached – on a return visit to Lisburn – on an April evening to a large congregation ‘and yet I saw not a scoffer, no, nor a trifler among them.’
HALLIWELL PROJECT
St Peter’s church, Halliwell, Bolton celebrated its 180th birthday in 2020 and began work on a new entrance. Glazing is a prominent component. The work, which has been delayed by recent events is due for completion next month. The church, which at present has a vacancy, has a full programme.
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