Forum Thread
What do we make of 'Rev'

reality worse than fiction........  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1296568/Strip-bars-sessions-pub-distinct-dislike-bishops-The-inner-city-vicars-inspired-BBC-Rev.html

I totally agree with you Ken. It has left me asking a serious question which i am hoping will be addressed and answered. The Deans and the Archbishops are portrayed like drug barons or pimps in a circus, it is truly terrifying and i mean terrifying in the light of all the sexual abuse that has happened in the church, not only of children but also the women and men in the clergy.

I dont think i could envisage Rowan wearing black leather gloves i mean i saw him in his druid outfit he looked like a nun, if anyone had mistaken him as a nun they would have got a shock with that beard when he turned round

The motivator for that has been the Money the business of the church. and the cross pollination with general politics. Like i said in a previous post, its the educated mimicking the less educated by intimidating anyone who has core Christian values.

Also the issue of personal lives and relationships being affected by "the work of the church" It is the Archbishops responsibility to make sure they pastorally care for their clergy, for that to occur they have to take the St Andrews or Eton , Oxford or Cambridge head off and put on the Parental Nurturing Head, for no matter how old guidance is paramount. The emotion of care can be used to motivate a business head BUT we back to the BUT that presumes co-operation and we know that does not happen.

If no Church was the responsibility of any INDIVIDUAL vicar and all were managed by teams of equal status would that solve this problem. Or would we end up like the doctors surgery where no-one takes responsibility.

We get back to this "Family of God" issue even though i did not live at home and therefore had no father for guidance or mother for that matter, i learnt the role of family from the male clergy but that was when the "Family" was constituted as being two parents and children with extended family, but now that is not the model we have, so having clergy in a parental role does not seem to be as appropriate, but on the other hand, i would like to think that people without families could find that model in the church even if it is not reflective of society; but more reflective of the ideal. There is hope in achieving the ideal, some people need that hope. Mind you families also have that problem of falling into co-dependancy where they cannot function when one is missing, detatchment has some advantages; though i knew who I was in the "family "of God.

Waterangel

Having seen the last episode last night, a few things remain true all through the series:

- its terribly embarrassing. Every epsode has had a few moments when I wanted to turn away from the screen.

- it is on occasion hilariously funny

- its easily the most realistic depiction of what the CofE actually does in and out of church I've ever seen on TV or in a film. They dress and act in church as real Anglicans actually do. The church I'm a reader at is a bit lower down the candle, has a much larger congregation, and both our vicar and archdeacon are women.  But I think just about every character in the programme really exists in our church.

- Adam is portrayed as a real Christian. And he's not mocked for being one. I'm not sure that's true about some other TV depictions of church life.

Pete and Dave

You are both right, it is more difficult to be vicar and friend, in the same way as GP, social worker, nurse and friend, that i really do appreciate. But it is more than possible to be vicar and friend of someone in your area and beyond without a person being one of your parishioners. Maybe its about the level of friendship. More prayer vicar?

Waterangel

A long tie ago, when at theological college, i wrote a report all about the tension between friendship and pastoral ministry.  I wanted to believe you can offer both.  I still do.  But after a lifetime of trying to do that, I realise how difficult the role thing can make that, and it's disingenuous to pretend otherwise.  Ultimately friendship exists on a level playing field, but for most people relating to a vicar doesn't.  It's all about power - the balance and use of....  So - difficult.  Not impossible, but more difficult than people often like to appreciate.

Roles do present barriers to friendship. This is not unique to clergy. It can be difficult to be friends with your doctor, boss or councilor as well as vicar. Friendship can subvert the other relationship. Perhaps this raises questions about the perceived role of a vicar compared to say a home group  leader? 

David

Quote

" Its hard to make friends when you do what we do people want you to be their vicar not their friend" unquote.

Really??

Does one not pray with their friends cry, laugh and get mad with their friends. Maybe thats where the clergy  are going wrong nowadays they can no longer be friends because everything has to be official. People do not like being treated like "cases" if they want that they go to the statuary bodies.

John

I am really glad you put this question on. Having seen and read about the three vicars this is based on in the weekend mail sat july 24 where comments were reported as ACTUAL comments from the vicars concerned.

 My first reaction is horror absolute horror, not because they rib the church and the percieved holier way of life, but because  one breaks the law by saying that he openly tells children to f*** off for being on his car.

We spend time teaching children, there are other ways to communicate and he tells them to f***off.

I do not suggest that he nambi pambis them but that if a parent or any other professional was to say that to children they would be struck off. If a social worker doctor teacher or policeman said it would anyone laugh.?

Inner city or no inner city. An inspiration for laughter, that is what our calling is it,? purely to be an inspiration for laughter, to be ridiculed.? I have a good sense of humour so i am often told but i do not laugh at and use people that i earn my living off  the back of. did any of them pay for the church flowers or arrange them did you pay the going rate for a bouquest about a minimum of £25 a time oh no i bet the widows paid for them out of there £600 per month pension.

20,000 a year salary they keep bleeting on about ONLY £20,000 a year salary, they forget to mention their house bills telephone and petrol are paid for, most people would think that £1,600 per month food and spending money was ok thats £400 per week spending even in london some get less than that for 40hrs working a week to pay all there bills with. So does the church really think it is appropriate to spend their money on lap dancing clubs.  Jesus healed the sick and the broken hearted, he sat alongside the people considered to be unclean at the time and he forgave the prostitute. He did not use the prostitutes service pay her and then forgive her, he did not say give me security pay my bills and give me spending money after i have been educated and then i will answer the call of God. I have said in previous post i believe Clergy should get a fair wage 25000 is apparently the average wage though outside of London i am sure it is much less.

There does not appear to be much desire to be immitators of Christ here, more immitators of nacademous a price on everything, the tax of the clergy on the public, Pay for your service pay for your flowers pay for your tea pay in the collection and pay for the buildings repair oh and dont forget the poor we must not forget them and the children well we must give them 10% of the overall budget.

So you need a high earning "wife"  what you mean is if your wife wants anything after your selfish indulgance shes got to work for it and you wont care for the mother of your children  . Cake and eating it comes to mind. Glorifying men behaving badly its makes me sick to see that anyone thinks its funny to laugh at people who for various reasons find life hard, they earn a wage on the back of it and then laugh at them. 

They remind me of my stepson who mimics bad behaviour more than good, but he would not normally swear because he does not usually hear it, then again he has learning difficulties.

If these men have such contempt for the vulnerable people they serve, why do they bother? why dont they just join another service that does not require them to understand how devastating it is o be laughed at when you are at the bottom of he pile anyway.

The show will be mild it appears in comparison to the reality it depicts.

Waterangel

I've posted on Newswatch a Mail Online interview with three London Vicars who its is alleged are the characters behind the TV Series 'Rev'. Click here

So what do we make of the series?

1. Are the characters in any way true to life?

2. Do the plots ring true?

3. Have you met Vicars whose manner of speech has tempted you to prescribe their mouths being washed out with soap?