Union criticises bishop’s Easter sabbatical

-23/01/06

The Bishop of London, the Rt Re


Union criticises bishop’s Easter sabbatical

-23/01/06

The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, is in hot water over his plans to spend Easter on sabbatical lecturing on a luxury cruise liner – rather than leading services in his diocese and at St Paulís Cathedral.

Easter, even more than Christmas, is the holiest time of year for Christians, marking Jesus’ crucifixion at the hands of the religious and political authorities and his being raised from death by God.

The Swan Hellenic cruise ship will go to Spain and historic sites in North Africa, and Bishop Chartres will earn his keep by giving a series of talks.

The Rev Andrew de Berry of the clergy section of the trade union Amicus says that the bishop has ìlost the plotî by undertaking a trip that is beyond the priests in his charge at one of the busiest and most significant seasons in the Christian calendar.

But Richard Chartresí staff team in London diocese say that the criticism is media sensationalism. One described it as ìa cheap shotî.

Supporters of the bishop say that he will be communicating with an audience who also need to know about and celebrate Easter, that it is a working holiday, and that he is only following the advice he gives to those in his charge to take proper breaks.

A commentator said to Ekklesia: ìInevitably this isnít going to look good, and he can get away with two of those arguments but not all three.î

However the bishopís office points out that the trip is a sabbatical, and therefore it properly blends work and relaxation. There is no contradiction, they point out.

The dispute, therefore, is more about the propriety of the timing of the trip.

The trend towards clergy and lay church workers joining trade unions has increased over the past fifteen years. In addition to Church of England priests, other denominational ministers are signing up.

Christian Aid, CAFOD and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland are among the major church bodies with union branches. Ekklesia, the UK Christian think tank, has associates in the National Union of Journalists.


Union criticises bishop’s Easter sabbatical

-23/01/06

The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, is in hot water over his plans to spend Easter on sabbatical lecturing on a luxury cruise liner – rather than leading services in his diocese and at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Easter, even more than Christmas, is the holiest time of year for Christians, marking Jesus’ crucifixion at the hands of the religious and political authorities and his being raised from death by God.

The Swan Hellenic cruise ship will go to Spain and historic sites in North Africa, and Bishop Chartres will earn his keep by giving a series of talks.

The Rev Andrew de Berry of the clergy section of the trade union Amicus says that the bishop has ‘lost the plot’ by undertaking a trip that is beyond the priests in his charge at one of the busiest and most significant seasons in the Christian calendar.

But Richard Chartres’ staff team in London diocese say that the criticism is media sensationalism. One described it as ‘a cheap shot’.

Supporters of the bishop say that he will be communicating with an audience who also need to know about and celebrate Easter, that it is a working holiday, and that he is only following the advice he gives to those in his charge to take proper breaks.

A commentator said to Ekklesia: ‘Inevitably this isn’t going to look good, and he can get away with two of those arguments but not all three.’

However the bishop’s office points out that the trip is a sabbatical, and therefore it properly blends work and relaxation. There is no contradiction, they point out.

The dispute, therefore, is more about the propriety of the timing of the trip.

The trend towards clergy and lay church workers joining trade unions has increased over the past fifteen years. In addition to Church of England priests, other denominational ministers are signing up.

Christian Aid, CAFOD and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland are among the major church bodies with union branches. Ekklesia, the UK Christian think tank, has associates in the National Union of Journalists.