Managers or pastors?

The management revolution proceeds apace in the C of E. Following the example of Westcott House, the Mothers’ Union has called in headhunters Saxton Bampfylde to find its new Chief Executive (who needs ‘substantial experience of leading dispersed organisations of significant scale and complexity’) while Gatenby Sanderson are looking for a new Secretar y General (‘exceptional leadership skills which translates into a culture focussed on achieving outcomes’). Gatenby Sanderson specialises in public sector recruitment and has had to defend itself against press allegations it has helped to artificially increase the salaries of local authority and NHS executives. In The Spectator Quentin Letts has fun at the expense of job adverts for clergy. ‘Team players’, people who can ‘manage change’, ‘effective communicators’ and clergy who can ‘grow mission and outreach’ are in big demand. He quotes an advert from Oxford diocese looking for a rural mission dean who is ‘an effective communicator who understands the complexities of envisioning traditional structures’ and confesses he does not know what this means. Referring to one advert that speaks of ‘nurturing and discipling all in the church for ever y member minister’ Letts wonders if the Archdeacon who wrote this speaks English as a first language. Few parishes (or Archdeacons) seem to be looking for clergy who say their prayers, enjoy pastoral work, preach well and have an interest in theology. The CEO of the Church Commissioners (management-speak is catching), Andreas Whittam Smith, has not deigned to reply to criticism in the Financial Times for using £100m of assets for clergy recruitment. When synod asked for longer consideration, Whittam Smith said he didn’t need synod approval. Now questions are being asked in Parliament.