Setting the Agenda

Although it is one of the C of E’s most venerable publications, the magazine ‘Theology’ is becoming a stimulating source of new ideas under editor Robin Gill. In the last issue Professor Nigel Biggar subjected the Bishops’ statement on sexuality to searching criticism. The May/June issue contains an interview with Rowan Williams on Teresa of Avila and an article of ‘The Church of England and the love of learning’ by Anders Berquist, Rector of the Parish Church of St John’s Wood. Berquist, who has the prophetess Joanna Southcott buried in his church grounds, emerges as something of a prophet himself. A former vice-Principal of Westcott House and married to a priest who is an academic, Berquist warns that the church can no longer depend on universities to be centres of theological scholarship. Bureaucratization, an emphasis on targets and measureable outcomes and concern with subjects that have economic utility mean that the study of religion is unlikely to be a priority. Berquist worries that fewer and fewer ordinands learn Greek. He does not say so, but one reason for this is the fact that many of them are probably too old to learn a new language, especially a biblical language, very easily. Quite rightly , he warns about ‘cultural managerialism’ in the church (something effectively satirised in ‘Rev’) but may be optimistic in thinking parishes and cathedrals exempt. It all depends on the parish or the Cathedral! There are deans and vicars who are addicted the management-speak! A point Berquist makes that the bureaucrats who emphasise targets forget is that scholarship takes time. The only concrete recommendation Berquist offers is that the C of E should establish a scheme of post-doctoral fellowships but anyone reading his article carefully will see he implies more than he spells out. The Ministry Division should take note and so should the rest of the C of E. There is always a strong temptation to try to have theological education on the cheap.