With the appointment of a new and exciting kind of episcopal vacancy, we ask the question every church in an interregnum is asking: "isn't 'interregnum' a terribly patriarchal, hierarchical, needy word? Isn't 'vacancy' a lot more sensible?"
And the other question they're asking is -given a colourful choice of flying bishops, suffragan bishops, assistant bishops and bishops who are actually in charge - which one should we choose? The options are endless, the permutations incalculable. Is it about doctrine or Biblical theology? Enculturation or boldly proclaiming? Charisma or chutzpah?
That's where "Speed-Dating for Bishops" comes in. 12 bishops, 24 churchwardens, and 10 minutes each - one minute for each of our special questions:
1. "Either/Or" or "Both/And"?
2. If Christ is the head of the Church, who is the head of the family?
3. How many Isaiahs were there?
4. Fleetwood Mac or Genesis?
5. Are you secretly gay?
6. Are you going to raise the Parish Share extortionately or merely enormously?
7. What's the point of the Lambeth Conference?
8. Are you a woman?
9. Biretta or Lambretta?
10. Can we do what we like?
At the end of the evening, every church will be teamed up with a new bishop who should be perfect for them in all respects - just ready for the next step, the following evening. Speed-dating for vicars.....
Can we use this in Leicester? And, as we also have a parish vacancy, perhaps we can use a modified version more locally?
ReplyDelete