Quality comes free
Date: 26 June 2004
Sir - You write that, in every profession, quality costs money, hence the Church needs fewer, better bishops (Opinion, Jun 22). I am afraid that, theologically, you are wrong. Quality and money have no connection within Christianity. In fact, theologically, quality should be free. Jesus gave his teaching free of charge, unlike other preachers of the day who would charge for their wisdom.
in response to
Fewer, better bishops (Filed: 22/06/2004)
A bishop of the Church of England should have a touch of magnificence about him. His job is to look after his clergy and to guide his flock on the great theological and moral issues of the day. As a local dignitary, he should be looked up to in his diocese. To fulfil all these roles properly, he should not have to worry about where to find the money for the next tin of Whiskas to feed the episcopal cat.
Yet today, newly appointed bishops are paid only £33,930 a year - roughly the same as train drivers on the London Underground. Their palaces are being sold, and their few perks cut back. Even the Archbishop of Canterbury, on £62,520 a year, gets no more than many middle-ranking local authority executives. Despite this, the General Synod in York is to debate a motion calling for bishops to be paid even less. No churchman, says the Rev Christopher Lilley, rector of the Scawby group of parishes in Lincoln, should be paid more than the lowliest parish priest. There is a very strong case for cutting the number of bishops, which has almost doubled over the past 100 years, while the numbers of church-goers and clergy have fallen. But those who remain should be paid more. In every profession, quality costs money. The Church needs fewer, better bishops.
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