Stop bullying us, ‘hounded’ clergy tell parishioners
CHURCH of England vicars are demanding safeguards to protect them from bullying parishioners, it emerged yesterday.
Papers released ahead of the Church’s General Synod claim members of the clergy have been ‘hounded out of office’ due to aggressive behaviour by the faithful.
The issue is due to be debated by bishops later this month when they will consider two motions calling for a code of conduct for parishioners as well as rules to kick bullies out of the church.
According to one of the motions, which was drawn up by Rev Dr Sara Batts-Neale of the Chelmsford Diocese, some church council gatherings have become so bad-tempered they are ‘psychologically damaging’.
Her motion – which notes that ‘lay volunteers face no significant consequences for persistent departures from acceptable standards of behaviour’ – cites ‘aggressive behaviour in meetings, slamming fists on tables and continually interrupting when others speak’. Meanwhile, she also pointed to behaviour ‘outside meetings [including] emailing repeatedly, and when blocked on email, printing and delivering copies of a message’. Dr Batts-Neale said: ‘A PCC [Parochial Church Council] meeting should not be a psychologically damaging or physically threatening environment.
‘In many parishes, the shortage of enthusiastic volunteers means that one individual may have multiple responsibilities.
‘Repeatedly poor behaviours sidetrack meetings, waste the time of all participants, and detract from the church’s ability to share the gospel and nurture disciples.
‘In one parish a PCC member refused to share the keys to the cupboard that stored the resources for children’s work.’
A separate motion put forward by the Venerable Mark Ireland, Archdeacon of Blackburn, called on bishops to recognise bullying as ‘unacceptable behaviour within the Church of God’. He called for greater regulations on the church’s lay officers.
‘If a priest is guilty of bullying behaviour, they can rightly be disciplined. However, lay officers guilty of persistent bullying can neither be removed from office nor disqualified from future election,’ he said.
‘This lack of effective sanction means that bullying is allowed to go unchecked with deeply harmful consequences which can blight the life of a parish.’
Additionally he warned the extent of bullying meant bishops were ‘reluctant’ to recommend certain problem parishes to prospective applicants.
‘Threatening environment’