I have this weekend received a really nice communication asking me why this blog is not 'more distinctly Christian'? The points raised are interesting and challenging and I will seek to address them as best I can from the limited resources before me.
1. "So much of your blog relates to incidents and material taken from outside the church setting and rarely are your response or observations Christian in terms of quoting the Bible or promoting what I understand to be a Christian viewpoint."
2. "You appear to be a minister in a challenging setting and yet rarely speak of the ways in which the Gospel has brought sinners to a place of faith and repentance. Is this because you don't see them or are there other reasons?"
3. "Do you think your Christmas cards, images and caption contests are something that should appear on a blog which claims to be Christian? I know they would not be well received in my fellowship but then again neither would many of your views."
The writer does take pains to point out that fact that they find the daily readings and some of the material on this blog to be helpful and commends the blog overall, it is just the problems they have with the lack of Bible quotes, promotion of things Christian and some of the images and the like.
I will attempt to answer in the order given (a real challenge for me):
I have to say that I hope (and would like to think) that everything in this blog is Christian and although I don't continually write chapter and verse or post (or quote from) some of the great minds out there who excel in Christian (or theology) speak, the Bible is present (as are Christian viewpoints and lifestyles).
I don't do the great 'I led them to the Lord' stories because I often find them to be more about the person who led them than the Lord who called them and the Christ who died for them. There are many who will regale you tales of their great evangelistic zeal and successes (although oddly many are in small churches and fellowships so where do they store them?) if you search the internet. Others will ask you for donations and will invite you to buy CDs, books and the like (so you can read, hear and watch them too). The encounters I have, when spoken of are the encounters of a minister amongst a people who know little of Christ and want even less to do with His Church! The engagements are of an apologetic nature and seek to bless what God is doing and find ways to introduce the reality that, even when they don't know it, God is acting in their lives.
Question three is a bit of a silly question because the fact that the images and stuff you speak of are there indicates that I obviously do think they are fitting for a Christian site! That the church or fellowship you attend would not welcome them is perhaps as much their problem as the posting of them is mine. Mind you I soon learned that as a Pentecostal (for instance) the 'F' word was much in use but travelled under the cover of 'Jolly' (i.e. Where's that jolly spanner; the man's a jolly nuisance!).
I might be a little more gritty but then again as a wonderful old Welsh preacher one said, "You may sometimes look like the world to the church but to those in the world you look like Jesus!" So I guess that means that those who are offended or discomforted by my words will be so, and this isn't my intention, but there are many in a variety of settings and roles who enjoy the madness that is this blog and so I suppose those who want to come will and those who don't won't. The economics of a market culture (and as they don't pay neither side loses).
That said, if I do cross the line (and that's a real possibility knowing the schoolboy and rag-mag writing child who resides behind these eyes) I know that there are many who love and care for me who would restore me gently (most of the time).
Thank you for your question. I hope I have done them justice.
Pax
Showing posts with label dear vicar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dear vicar. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Dear Vicar - Comments
Having sought to answer the questions I will now turn my attention to the comments:
"You appear to be very frustrated by many above you and even more alongside you."
Well I suppose this is true to some degree but isn't this true for everyone regardless of what they do wherever it is that they do it? I am frustrated by those senior types who miss the pastoral, evangelistic and grounded theological opportunities and am even more frustrated by those who fail to pastor because they are otherwise distracted, but they are few and far between (and so even more frustrating when they turn up). Of course we all get distracted, tired, disillusioned and negative at times I guess and so this is probably a weakness in me as much, if not more, than them.
"It would seem from the way that you write that you are very much a polymath in that you have myriad strands to your ministry and your experience both prior to ordination and since appears to indicate great width and almost multiple-lived lives."
I guess a polymath is someone who knows stuff about a lot of different and so I can but plead guilty as charged as long as I don't have to be an expert, or the authority, that is. I have indeed lived a number of lives and have a pretty wide-ranging ministry thanks to my inability to never say the dreaded word 'No' that is. I have a number of chaplaincy roles and do a fair few deanery and diocesan type roles as well and these add up to something rather different I guess. Thus far I've been a techie, scientist, IT person, flyer, sporty type, embryonic theologian, musician, poet, trainer, pastor, Anglican dog-collar (apologies if this offends, not my intention), soldier and much more besides. All this conspires that even when the life has passed the memories carry on and their resonances colour the rest of the portrait in progress.
"I hope you do not think this communication offensive or too pressing but I am confused as you write as if you don't want to be quoted, as so many do, or seen to be an authority, the last word' or from a place of fame (sought or gained)."
As I have said before, I don't write to be the authority but for myself in the hope that others may glean something of worth, and am happy to leave the task of writing for the sake of being whatever they seek to those who seek it. I am happy to be quoted and am equally happy to be challenged because either act brings further thinking and dialogue, internally and externally, and this can only be good. I don't write sound bytes or take up a topic to be noted and quoted, but good luck to those that do, I hope it works for them and they achieve whatever it is that floats their boat - but it's not me.
"You don't quote yourself like so many with their tiresome 'best of nnnn' or a 'my greatest blogs' link and do not mention those who have quoted you either. Is this some self-effacing part of your personality or is it intended?"
I guess I have answered this but I can't post, "As quoted by Ruth Gledhill," or claim to have been the specialist source for the Guardian, BBC or anything else as, as far as I know Ms Gledhill and all the other media don't know I exist and have never quoted me either. So not false pride, just living in the reality that few know who I am and more probably wouldn't care if they did. As for producing lists of my best post, comment or whatever - don't suppose you can have a list with one or less items in it and this explains my reluctance to so do this :)
"I look forward to hearing your response and wish you and your family a Happy New Year for 2012."
Well here it is and I hope it has explained enough about me to answer your questions and to give you some the desired insight, understanding and whatever it is that you were looking for and a very Happy New Year to you and yours (and those who read this) too!
Pax
"You appear to be very frustrated by many above you and even more alongside you."
Well I suppose this is true to some degree but isn't this true for everyone regardless of what they do wherever it is that they do it? I am frustrated by those senior types who miss the pastoral, evangelistic and grounded theological opportunities and am even more frustrated by those who fail to pastor because they are otherwise distracted, but they are few and far between (and so even more frustrating when they turn up). Of course we all get distracted, tired, disillusioned and negative at times I guess and so this is probably a weakness in me as much, if not more, than them.
"It would seem from the way that you write that you are very much a polymath in that you have myriad strands to your ministry and your experience both prior to ordination and since appears to indicate great width and almost multiple-lived lives."
I guess a polymath is someone who knows stuff about a lot of different and so I can but plead guilty as charged as long as I don't have to be an expert, or the authority, that is. I have indeed lived a number of lives and have a pretty wide-ranging ministry thanks to my inability to never say the dreaded word 'No' that is. I have a number of chaplaincy roles and do a fair few deanery and diocesan type roles as well and these add up to something rather different I guess. Thus far I've been a techie, scientist, IT person, flyer, sporty type, embryonic theologian, musician, poet, trainer, pastor, Anglican dog-collar (apologies if this offends, not my intention), soldier and much more besides. All this conspires that even when the life has passed the memories carry on and their resonances colour the rest of the portrait in progress.
"I hope you do not think this communication offensive or too pressing but I am confused as you write as if you don't want to be quoted, as so many do, or seen to be an authority, the last word' or from a place of fame (sought or gained)."
As I have said before, I don't write to be the authority but for myself in the hope that others may glean something of worth, and am happy to leave the task of writing for the sake of being whatever they seek to those who seek it. I am happy to be quoted and am equally happy to be challenged because either act brings further thinking and dialogue, internally and externally, and this can only be good. I don't write sound bytes or take up a topic to be noted and quoted, but good luck to those that do, I hope it works for them and they achieve whatever it is that floats their boat - but it's not me.
"You don't quote yourself like so many with their tiresome 'best of nnnn' or a 'my greatest blogs' link and do not mention those who have quoted you either. Is this some self-effacing part of your personality or is it intended?"
I guess I have answered this but I can't post, "As quoted by Ruth Gledhill," or claim to have been the specialist source for the Guardian, BBC or anything else as, as far as I know Ms Gledhill and all the other media don't know I exist and have never quoted me either. So not false pride, just living in the reality that few know who I am and more probably wouldn't care if they did. As for producing lists of my best post, comment or whatever - don't suppose you can have a list with one or less items in it and this explains my reluctance to so do this :)
"I look forward to hearing your response and wish you and your family a Happy New Year for 2012."
Well here it is and I hope it has explained enough about me to answer your questions and to give you some the desired insight, understanding and whatever it is that you were looking for and a very Happy New Year to you and yours (and those who read this) too!
Pax
'Dear Vicar' - Answers
So here goes:
Is most of the material you post yours? I ask this because you post poetry and images which I am unable to find elsewhere and wonder if this means that it has originated with you or perhaps that you are good at concealing sources.
The majority of the stuff is mine, when it's not I try to make sure that I post credits and links to the it. Some of the stuff is sent to me by people but the poetry, writing and many of the images are indeed generally mine.
When you write do you do so to impress people, become a source for others or write for yourself? I ask this because at time it appears that I am nestling inside your mind rather that watching you on the big screen (something I rather like if I am honest in my own assessment).
I don't write to impress people, which is good because it isn't that impressive, but to fulfill my own need to dialogue internally, This means that the blog is a sort of scratchpad for me to hang ideas, situations and other 'stuff' that is going on around me in my various bits of ministry and life. So your assessment of 'being inside my head' is pretty well spot on. It's not a performance, it's my reality.
Do you mean it when you claim to be 'an average Church of England priest'? It appears to me that you are very different from the majority of Church of England priests and your ability to engage with often quite complex thinking and produce something simple is either a gift or the result of more, or perhaps different, education from many of your colleagues.
Indeed I do mean it. I don't see myself as being anything but one of the many Anglican Priests who are out there doing the stuff and pastoring the flock. I am different from the others because I am me and my journey to ministry was, I assume, different to everyone else (even though I'm sure there are common areas as well)and everyone else is different too! With the thinking bit, my interests and theological training and study do all shape how I engage and it was one of the courses I've done that pushed the idea of trying to make theology accessible rather than use all the 'theology speak' stuff and make it high sounding and generally inaccessible. I assume (well I hope) that this is what is going on. Of course it could just be that I don't understand it :)
So there we have it, the questions answered as best I can. I hope that this meets some of the demands (undemanding though they were) of your mail to me and hope that this will help others understand me and the blog a little better.
V
Is most of the material you post yours? I ask this because you post poetry and images which I am unable to find elsewhere and wonder if this means that it has originated with you or perhaps that you are good at concealing sources.
The majority of the stuff is mine, when it's not I try to make sure that I post credits and links to the it. Some of the stuff is sent to me by people but the poetry, writing and many of the images are indeed generally mine.
When you write do you do so to impress people, become a source for others or write for yourself? I ask this because at time it appears that I am nestling inside your mind rather that watching you on the big screen (something I rather like if I am honest in my own assessment).
I don't write to impress people, which is good because it isn't that impressive, but to fulfill my own need to dialogue internally, This means that the blog is a sort of scratchpad for me to hang ideas, situations and other 'stuff' that is going on around me in my various bits of ministry and life. So your assessment of 'being inside my head' is pretty well spot on. It's not a performance, it's my reality.
Do you mean it when you claim to be 'an average Church of England priest'? It appears to me that you are very different from the majority of Church of England priests and your ability to engage with often quite complex thinking and produce something simple is either a gift or the result of more, or perhaps different, education from many of your colleagues.
Indeed I do mean it. I don't see myself as being anything but one of the many Anglican Priests who are out there doing the stuff and pastoring the flock. I am different from the others because I am me and my journey to ministry was, I assume, different to everyone else (even though I'm sure there are common areas as well)and everyone else is different too! With the thinking bit, my interests and theological training and study do all shape how I engage and it was one of the courses I've done that pushed the idea of trying to make theology accessible rather than use all the 'theology speak' stuff and make it high sounding and generally inaccessible. I assume (well I hope) that this is what is going on. Of course it could just be that I don't understand it :)
So there we have it, the questions answered as best I can. I hope that this meets some of the demands (undemanding though they were) of your mail to me and hope that this will help others understand me and the blog a little better.
V
A 'Dear Vicar'
I have had a lovely email regarding 2011 and the VtV blog and so I thought I'd post it here (with permission gained and anonymity maintained as promised). So here goes:
"Dear Vicar,
I thought I would write and pose some questions and offer some comments regarding your blog which I find myself reading on a fairly regular basis these day. My questions are:
Is most of the material you post yours? I ask this because you post poetry and images which I am unable to find elsewhere and wonder if this means that it has originated with you or perhaps that you are good at concealing sources.
When you write do you do so to impress people, become a source for others or write for yourself? I ask this because at time it appears that I am nestling inside your mind rather that watching you on the big screen (something I rather like if I am honest in my own assessment).
Do you mean it when you claim to be 'an average Church of England priest'? It appears to me that you are very different from the majority of Church of England priests and your ability to engage with often quite complex thinking and produce something simple is either a gift or the result of more, or perhaps different, education from many of your colleagues.
Additional comments are that you appear to be very frustrated by many above you and even more alongside you. It would seem from the way that you write that you are very much a polymath in that you have myriad strands to your ministry and your experience both prior to ordination and since appears to indicate great width and almost multiple-lived lives.
I hope you do not think this communication offensive or too pressing but I am confused as you write as if you don't want to be quoted, as so many do, or seen to be an authority, the last word' or from a place of fame (sought or gained). You don't quote yourself like so many with their tiresome 'best of nnnn' or a 'my greatest blogs' link and do not mention those who have quoted you either. Is this some self-effacing part of your personality or is it intended?
I look forward to hearing your response and wish you and your family a Happy New Year for 2012."
The response is on the way - as for anyone else, I'm always happy to try and explain the weirdness that is me - I just love to Panda to people's needs:
Pax
"Dear Vicar,
I thought I would write and pose some questions and offer some comments regarding your blog which I find myself reading on a fairly regular basis these day. My questions are:
Is most of the material you post yours? I ask this because you post poetry and images which I am unable to find elsewhere and wonder if this means that it has originated with you or perhaps that you are good at concealing sources.
When you write do you do so to impress people, become a source for others or write for yourself? I ask this because at time it appears that I am nestling inside your mind rather that watching you on the big screen (something I rather like if I am honest in my own assessment).
Do you mean it when you claim to be 'an average Church of England priest'? It appears to me that you are very different from the majority of Church of England priests and your ability to engage with often quite complex thinking and produce something simple is either a gift or the result of more, or perhaps different, education from many of your colleagues.
Additional comments are that you appear to be very frustrated by many above you and even more alongside you. It would seem from the way that you write that you are very much a polymath in that you have myriad strands to your ministry and your experience both prior to ordination and since appears to indicate great width and almost multiple-lived lives.
I hope you do not think this communication offensive or too pressing but I am confused as you write as if you don't want to be quoted, as so many do, or seen to be an authority, the last word' or from a place of fame (sought or gained). You don't quote yourself like so many with their tiresome 'best of nnnn' or a 'my greatest blogs' link and do not mention those who have quoted you either. Is this some self-effacing part of your personality or is it intended?
I look forward to hearing your response and wish you and your family a Happy New Year for 2012."
The response is on the way - as for anyone else, I'm always happy to try and explain the weirdness that is me - I just love to Panda to people's needs:
Pax
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