The Trajectory of Vocation from
Bishops’ Advisory Panel to
First Incumbency
Summary, Background, Methodology and
Discussion of Main Findings
Research Report
September 2011
The Trajectory of Vocation
September 2011
1. Summary
The background to this research was an indication to Ministry Division that the training processes were not
producing the incumbents that bishops were seeking. The report was commissioned by the Ministry Council
and conducted by the Research and Statistics Department to ascertain whether the bishops’ concerns were
justified, and if so, what is amiss.
Investigating vocation over the required period with full academic rigour would have been accomplished
best by a longitudinal study lasting ten years. Instead, in view of the time pressures, we have used a mixture
of quantitative and qualitative methods, sampling at four points: just after a BAP, at the end of IME1-3, at
the end of curacy (IME4-7), and two or three years into a first incumbency. To ensure sufficient accuracy,
the research involved more than eighty semi-structured interviews and two hundred completed
questionnaires, with care being taken to ensure the samples were representative of the Church of England. In
consequence of this surfeit of information we are highly confident of results. The two facets of the
qualitative research matched the quantitative material, and are borne out by contemporaneous congruent
programmes.
The first core issue identified by the research is the narrowing of perceptions. The decline in numbers of
stipendiary clergy with the consequent amalgamation of parishes within benefices, and more diocesan
officers having dual roles, has changed the church environment. Clergy may be serving parishes of differing
churchmanships. The dual role clergy may well have to serve in a parish that does not match their theological
background. With a mobile population a priest will, increasingly, be serving in a parish where individuals in
the congregation come with very differing ecclesial models. In a mission shaped church the clergy will be
responding to those who are coming towards faith with widely different needs. For ministry today and
tomorrow the church needs ministers of wide sympathy and understanding. However, we have encountered a
trajectory of understanding and practice about ordained ministry that narrows, rather than widens, during the
period from BAP to incumbency.
Four main strands of practice emerge from the interviews:
 A personal ministry of presence in the community, commending kingdom values to all
 The provision of occasional offices in the benefice
 Building the church community in its numbers, faith and witness
 Being the link through the diocese to the wider church, ministry that is ‘both mine and yours’.
However the narrowing of viewpoint often creates an either/or about ‘presence’ and ‘building the church
community’. For the most effective ministry all four need to be in place. Section 4 of the report contains a
list of factors influencing this narrowing.
The second core issue is the huge ‘step-up’ that is required when a person becomes an incumbent. The
learning required for incumbency is not so much skills or information (though these are necessary) but the
more significant qualities underlying formation: character, insight, breadth of awareness, judgment,
leadership and confidence. If we are to have the incumbents we need, we will have to become intentional
about these deeper formational matters from the first. More thought needs to be given to how to bring about
formation for incumbency without de-skilling ordinands at both stages of IME1-7, and over-protecting them
during IME4-7. The church needs to consider how leadership and professional skills such as reflective
practice can be encouraged without turning them into further subjects for academic study. We recommend
that we work towards a mandatory ‘staff college’ covering the first three years of incumbency. It would
create cohorts of incumbents who support each other, with a syllabus relating to their direct needs and being
staffed by successful practitioners. This would also assist in integrating the realism of the task with the
idealism of the ordinal.
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There are nine other findings, less central to the core issue but are nevertheless highly significant.
1. Over the last decades the average age of ordinands has risen. One consequence is that many come with
family ties: spouse, children, elderly parents; involving significant responsibilities which limit
deployability. Secondly, for financial and equality reasons the ministerial vocation no longer outweighs
other vocations in family decisions.
2. The financial issues of the church include the necessity for more and ever larger multi-parish benefices. In
them, the balance of ministry becomes different. Incumbents believe it would be helpful if senior staff
shared the challenges of this adjustment to both clerical work and parochial expectations.
3. This culture which is failing to remember its Christian heritage results in clergy needing greater support.
None of us seem to know from where it can come.
4. This society seems committed to ever greater activity and productivity, which in turn means that clergy
feel that they are not justified in anything less than 24/7 activity. This leads to lack of efficiency and
effectiveness, with lives that are not good witnesses. Sometimes burnout ensues. At times the church
seems to admire (and reward) those who are the worst offenders. It seems we are caught in the paradox
of God’s limitless opportunities for good and our own frail humanity, and do not have the wisdom to find
a creative balance.
5. Nearly every interviewee believed that mission is an essential component of church life. However, many
clergy themselves are unsure of how to articulate the faith effectively in twenty-first century England.
Consequently, most are unable to assist their congregations in communicating the faith.
6. At the point of appointment to an incumbency the triangle of communication between the candidate, the
diocese and the benefice often leaves considerable distrust, undermining the subsequent incumbency.
Clergy believe that, during an interregnum, senior staff should reflect very candidly to the benefice the
diocesan perception of their situation, so that during the early years of the incumbency the new incumbent
is more likely to encounter realism than fantasy.
7. Too many curacies fail to achieve their potential. Often diocesan decisions about the placement of curates
are distorted by the location of housing, benefices that are traditional ‘training parishes’ and good
incumbents who prove less than good trainers. Ordinands are told to seek good ‘chemistry’ between
themselves and their incumbent, so recommending good matches requires that diocesan authorities take
care to understand the people involved. When a curacy is failing to work well, not only does it involve the
direct participants, but other curates lose confidence if remedial action appears dilatory.
8. The financial stringencies in the church have left some clergy sensing that they should keep their options
open for the future. This has the potential for undermining commitment to ministry, and needs to be
monitored by the church.
9. Early academic promise is not a predictor for later competence. Putting additional resources into people
before they have proved themselves in ministry is unwise.
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2. Background
There is growing evidence that the perceptions of ordained ministry are changing among ordinands and
clergy in their early years, with questions being raised about the understanding of vocation, flexibility, and
commitment by those responsible for deployment.
The background to this report was an indication to Ministry Division that some bishops sensed that the
training process was not producing the incumbents that they were seeking. The report was commissioned to
ascertain whether the bishops anecdotal evidence related to legitimate concerns, and if so, could they be
accurately identified? At its heart, the concern might be expressed as “What is happening to the sense of
vocation and the associated issues from the point of recommendation for training, through the training
process and as far as three years into a first incumbency?”.
In autumn 2009 Ministry Division, in consultation with the Ministry Council, invited the Department of
Research and Statistics to evaluate the perceptions of ordinands as they moved through training both during
their time in college or on a course, in their title posts and in their first incumbencies. This would require
views to be ascertained and monitored over the period from a candidate attending a Bishops’ Advisory Panel
(BAP) to the point when they might be settled into their first incumbency. A wide range of perceptions
would need to be investigated so that any significant issues might be identified and evaluated.
Stephen Ferns met with Lynda Barley (Head of Research & Statistics) and Ian Aveyard (retired DDO
Canterbury) to plan the project. Having liaised with Christopher Lowson and other Ministry Division
colleagues, Lynda and Ian designed the project together. Over the ensuing months, as the project unfolded,
they have kept in touch with Christopher and Stephen to ensure that the research would discern and discover
appropriately within the scope of the original brief. They have been assisted by Research Assistants Naomi
Maynard and Ayse Hasan, with further help on the statistics by Louise McFerran. We also thank Eileen
Hodgson who transcribed the interviews.
The past few decades have witnessed major changes in society in England and significant shifts within the
Church of England, many of which have impacted upon the life of the ordinand or clergyperson. The
statistics show that over a forty year period there has been a significant reduction in churchgoing and in the
proportion of the nation considering itself Christian. As with many slow changes, the effects are likely to
have been insidious. At this time there is no consensus on the precise reasons for these changes to church
attendance, but research suggests that people journeying towards faith belong to the church before they
believe wholeheartedly.
Within the church there has been a significant growth in the number of clergy whose work is multi-faceted.
Not only are there many more multi-parish benefices but also, anecdotally, there are many more diocesan
and training posts being held in conjunction with parish roles. There is every reason to believe that this trend
will continue.
Within the training environment there has been the reorganisation resulting from the Hind report, and the
changes brought about in response to requirements to include Reader training in the system of ordination
training. We note also that during a period of several decades the training courses have increasingly been
allied to university awards and therefore come under the jurisdiction of their validation systems.
We are also aware that there is a perception amongst clergy that their stipend’s relative value has fallen.
Though this is disputed by Church Commissioners, the perception itself has effects on clergy’s selfunderstanding.
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In the last couple of years the ministry of the Church of England has come under greater scrutiny though the
research behind the report Understanding Clergy Patterns of Service 2008/9, and From Frustration to
Fulfilment. We are moving from awareness based on anecdote to a more reliable knowledge rooted in
research.
3. Methodology
To investigate the question of the trajectory of vocation over the required period with full academic rigour
would have best been accomplished by a longitudinal study lasting ten years or so, following a substantive
number of individuals through the processes of training and into a first post of responsibility. Those
requesting the research believed that some urgency was indicated and so were unwilling to wait a decade for
results. An alternative was devised. There would be a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods,
sampling at four points, just after a BAP, at the end of IME1-31, at the end of curacy (IME4-7), and two or
three years into a first incumbency. To ensure sufficient accuracy, the plan included what might appear an
excess of sampling and information.
The samples at BAP, end of curacy and in the incumbency were derived from four different dioceses which
should reasonably represent the Church of England: Norwich being rural, Oxford middle England, Coventry
industrial midlands, and Ripon & Leeds being both northern and encompassing rural and industrial. All four
dioceses had elements of suburban environments. The IME1-3 sample was from two colleges: Westcott at
Cambridge and Trinity at Bristol; and two courses, The Southern Theological Education and Training
Scheme (STETS) based at Salisbury and the Southern North Western Training Partnership.
To ensure that the results would have statistical significance we aimed for a sample size of 32 for the
interviews in IME 1-3, curacy and incumbency, and a similar size of sample for a base line of candidates
who had just been recommended for training at a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.
In the case of courses and colleges, all their final year Anglican ordination candidates (excepting those for
‘local’ ministries) were invited to take part through the questionnaire. Because we wanted to ask questions
on deployment we sought to exclude those who were considered to have a ‘local’ ministry. On it they were
asked whether they were prepared to be interviewed. Of those who responded positively a representative
group, based on that college or course year’s makeup, was interviewed. We valued the facilities offered by
the staff and students in these institutions and their constant co-operation during this exercise.
Both Lynda Barley and Ian Aveyard interviewed in the first college visited. Having field tested the content
and style of the interviews the fieldwork was continued by Ian at the other institutions and the dioceses. In
the colleges and courses there was a group conversation lasting 1½ hours with 8 students and there were
subsequent follow up individual interviews lasting ¾ of an hour.
The selected dioceses were asked to grant us the contact details of candidates ‘just through a BAP’, final year
stipendiary and non-stipendiary curates and those between one year and four years into post of first
responsibility. Our thanks go to the bishops and diocesan clergy who facilitated this.
After preliminary contact by e-mail these individuals were sent a questionnaire and invited to make
themselves available for interview. These would take place in their own homes and last 1¼ to 1½ hours.
1
IME1-3 is the standard nomenclature for Initial Ministerial Education years 1-3, the more academic phase of training
undertaken in a college or course
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Some people were not available during the period the researcher could be in the diocese, and others were
unwilling to give the time required but all whom it was possible to meet were interviewed.
The questionnaire asked about age, gender, ethnicity, marital and dependants status, previous training, and
what theological training they were receiving before going on to the substantive questions.
We wanted to identify whether there were changes in the motivation for ministry and so to each respondents
were asked about the relative weighting of an ‘inner call’, ‘other people’s suggestions’, and the ‘church’s
need for ministers’ offering a seven point scale from ‘no sense of this’ to ‘overwhelming’. As a check, we
asked those at the second, third and fourth stages (student, curate, incumbent) whether they recognised any
change in their own weightings.
In order to discover whether the limitations that ordinands brought with them had changed over time on the
questionnaire we asked how congenial a post needed to be in respect of five credible limitations.
 location (where in the country, region, diocese an individual would be prepared to go),
 housing ( size, type and location of the clergy house needed),
 social setting (e.g. a sense of calling to urban, rural, or suburban ministry),
 church tradition (e.g. evangelical or anglo-catholic)
 local church attitudes to mission (e.g. fresh expressions, clergy fronted through
occasional offices).
In order to check the responses, those at the second third and fourth stages were asked whether there had
been changes in the importance of these limitations.
The questionnaire (a sample of which can be found at Appendix B) also asked about the importance of six
aspects of ministry, and again about how this was changing. The aspects were
 Ordained ministry of word and sacrament (particularly the Sunday duties)
 The mission of the Church of England
 Their own spiritual growth
 Their personal development
 Their growth as a leader
 Their growth in understanding the faith (so as to better teach it).
The semi-structured the interviews followed a set pattern. This can be seen at Appendix C. They were invited
to talk about their commitment to the church’s tasks with the hope that the researchers could ascertain
whether there were discrepancies which resonated with the concerns that had led to the research project. The
interviewer asked about
 changes in what they thought ordained ministry was about, and their own perceptions of what had
changed and what had enabled growth of understanding
 the three motivations for ministry (specified above), how they had changed, and, in particular, about the
contrast between mundane tasks undertaken by ministers and their high calling
 the practicalities of life and where they impinged
 whether for future posts they would be limited by location, housing, church tradition, social setting, or
local attitudes to mission
They were invited to comment on ministers having to straddle the church traditions, multi-parish benefices,
leadership, mission and whether current arguments in the church were having an effect on their vocation.
One of the most revealing aspects of the project is the interviewees’ perceptions of the difference between
their personal intentions and the church’s tasks as corporately understood.
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In order to avoid the questions on mission evoking the answers that individuals might believe we would want
to hear, they were framed through the lens of articulating faith. This also led to some surprising results.
Other research has been noted. Papers from the Alban Institute of the U.S.A. have been read. There have
been telephone conversations and meetings with other researchers, attendance at the Ministry Research Day
Colloquium organised by the Research & Statistics Department, presence at the Theological Educators
Forum, a meeting with the General Director of the Church Pastoral Aid Society and a meeting of the
Ministry Council.
It has been of concern how much information about the sources of the quotations, in the section below
entitled Main Findings, should be offered. The researchers found no significant differences between the
responses of men and women, nor with respect to age nor the area of the country involved. On the other
hand, giving this information could lead to the identification of the source. On balance it was decided to
withhold this information. The attributions only show whether the speaker was a student, curate or
incumbent.
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4. Discussion of main findings
It has been a great privilege to undertake this research, with the opportunity to meet so many students and
clergy, to listen to their concerns and to hear their enthusiasms. The Church of England has many committed,
dedicated and faithful students and ministers. There is much worship, love and self-sacrifice. Many of them
indicated that they really valued this attempt to understand their journey. For some it was the first time they
had had the opportunity to speak confidentially and candidly so that, inevitably, we heard some things more
negatively than, on further reflection, they might have wished. Nevertheless, there is enough in this research
to confirm the concerns which led to its commissioning.
The most serious matters are two which are inter-related; the narrowing of understanding, and the ‘step up’
to incumbency. Both originate from issues that are deeper and wider than the trajectory of vocation. For the
most part a couple of generations ago each parish had its own priest. Since people were not very mobile,
whatever the ‘flavour’ of the parish, ministry was carried on fruitfully with successive clergy, with the laity
accepting the style they were offered. In the cities a person wanting something more to their liking might
have had opportunity to go to the next parish. With the decline in numbers of stipendiary clergy and the
consequent amalgamation of parishes within benefices, and more diocesan officers having dual roles, this
situation now no longer holds.
For the clergy, their parishes may be of differing churchmanships. The dual role clergy are usually chosen
for their expertise and may well have to serve in a parish that does not fit their theological background. With
a mobile population a priest will, increasingly, be serving in a parish where individuals in the congregation
come with very differing ecclesial models. In a mission shaped church the clergy will be responding to those
who are coming towards faith with very different needs. As they are drawn toward Christ and his church
each requires a different response. All this indicates that the church needs minsters of wide sympathy and
understanding. However, we have encountered a trajectory of understanding and practice that narrows, rather
than widens, during the period from BAP to incumbency.
This narrowing, as the research has shown, is complex, with many forces at work. We have identified,
amongst others,
 the experience surrounding the ‘call’ becomes a ‘controlling narrative’
 its constant re-iteration increases its significance
 the BAP processes primarily ask about calling rather than the motivation for incumbency
 the over-accent on the themes of the ordinal, so that later the incumbent’s ministry becomes ‘not what I
was ordained for’
 the resistance of sending parishes to the development of their candidates
 the pressures amongst peer groups in training to hold ‘acceptable’ positions
 the desire of students to serve as curates in parishes that will seem comfortable
 the workload and pressures in post, which prevent clergy from further exploration and cause them to
minister in ways with which they are familiar and comfortable
If this situation is to be remedied then, whilst not undermining the ‘call’ and the great value of the ordinal,
each of these pressures will have to be resisted.
This is not a call to abandon our cherished stances, for each brings treasured aspects of the faith to the fore. It
is to say that in the situation we now find ourselves clergy will not only have to respect other viewpoints.
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They need to accept, inhabit, practice and rejoice in them so as to minister appropriately in differing
situations.
If the church is willing for this situation to be remedied, then much will need to be done to amend attitudes,
systems and policies. We will need to teach a theology that underpins a wider perspective. Those who have
influence in the formational process will need to insist on broader understandings. During IME1-3 the
colleges and courses might use the time allocated for teaching about Anglicanism2 to address the theological
foundations of these churchmanships. It would give students a frame of reference so that ‘others’ are part of
the church from whom they have much to learn. During IME4-7 clergy need to grow in that learning,
experiencing how the differing models give rise to additional opportunities.
Some clergy look to the ordinal as their whole inspiration and sit lightly to the role of the incumbent as it is
today. This mirrors what some business psychologists know about ‘double’ psychological contracts where
the worker is more concerned for one aspect of their work rather than the outcomes for the employer e.g. a
university professor who is more concerned for their own research rather than the prestige of the university.
For the good of the wider community the church needs its incumbents to minister as its representatives, not
as independent clergy doing their own thing (no matter how good they are).
The second major issue is related to, but not the same as, the first. The ‘step up’ to incumbency is huge and a
few manage it well. Most need further help. Some might be built into the process, but most help will be
needed in the first years of incumbency as the challenges unfold.
In section 7.3 we state “the learning required for incumbency is not so much the skills or information (though
that is necessary) but the more significant issues underlying formation: character, insight, breadth of
awareness, judgement, recognition of levels of importance and confidence.” If we are to have the incumbents
we need, we will have to become intentional about these deeper matters from the first.
There is a significant challenge to the church as a whole in finding appropriate candidates. When we recruit
and train those who are up to the task there is a virtuous circle, which increases as the sphere of influence of
the incumbent grows. However, what is virtuous could become vicious if they are not sufficiently able.
Many of our candidates are nearer 40 than 25, so we are not looking for potential. With these candidates it
might be appropriate to be asking whether there is real evidence of age-appropriate qualities like wisdom. If
they are only partially present we may need to be clear that the calling to be a priest can be fulfilled without
the added responsibility of incumbency. We know that a significant proportion of those starting in selfsupporting ministry as an assistant move on to stipendiary ministry as an incumbent. This might give us an
appropriate pattern.
Candidates know that once they have been recommended for training the vast majority are ordained. Those
aware of the research into tertiary education will not be surprised that most students function in such a way
as to pass the course, not to be changed by it. Most students clarify what is needed to clear the next hurdle,
and seek to achieve that and little more. In IME1-3 the encouragement to do better is understood in terms of
better academic marks. The need of incumbency today is not primarily more knowledge. It requires better
judgement, wider vision, deeper gravitas and enhanced skills (e.g. leadership). Testing these is rarely in the
purview of the university for objective assessment of subjective judgements is fraught with difficulty . If
they are to receive the appropriate attention both staff and students need to believe that they are significant
2
For example: the ecclesiology developed by Lesslie Newbigin in The Household of God might be a place to begin.
Despite its age (1953) it enables the ministries of ‘presence’, ‘building the church’ and ’empowering’ to be placed
within a Trinitarian framework in which all three are valued, needed and complementary.
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areas for growth. It is not more in the syllabus that is required, but making sure of the right attitudes in the
‘soft’ curriculum. It might be that a recommendation for ordination with a view to incumbency would be as
dependant on these matters as others.
The qualities needed are sometimes undermined by our own processes. For example: there is a consistent
complaint that our training institutions de-skill our more experienced candidates by giving the impression
that they must forget their preceding formation (as e.g. doctor) and start again with this new formation to be
a priest. Perhaps some greater thought needs to be given to how to amend, rather than forget, preceding
formations (e.g. how does the ex-GP continue to listen carefully but learn not to prescribe but to engage.).
From the interviews it seems that training incumbents are good at protecting their curates from some of the
more awkward and demanding situations. It might be that they believe, for instance, that the vicar should
take all the funerals of children, but such protection does not assist the curate to grow. When this learning
has to take place during incumbency the person is neither as well supported nor blessed with the necessary
reflective space.
One might hope that curates, after their three years in office, were a good deal more discerning, and had
deeper reflections on the role of a minister than they had as a student. We are not sure we heard it during the
interviews.
Improving the education of professionals is not easy. For example: Donald Schön’s book “The Reflective
Practitioner”3 brought reflective practice centre stage. However, there have been instances where this has
been turned into an academic exercise in theological education. Instead of it being a skill for ministry it can
become a subject to study. The church is not alone in this question of professional formation, as the enquiries
about other professions have indicated (section 6). From Schön onwards there has been debate about the
place of academic learning in creating first-rate professionals. In ministerial education, this aspect was raised
in From Athens to Berlin: The theological education debate by David Kelsey. This research shows that
whilst some ministers look back and are thankful for their academic work, others are quite critical. Ministry
requires the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but much more. The goal of the selection and training
should be ministerial excellence. Many of our candidates do not believe that this was true in their experience
of IME1-7. From their responses it would appear that this particular issue should be the subject of serious
informed debate.
Leadership is being addressed in places, but the questions over whether there is any leadership implied in
ministry are still there in some places. There ought to be no question about leadership in respect of
incumbency, and it needs to be carefully taught and mentored with all those who aspire to a position of
responsibility.
Given the levels of distress we encountered in incumbents we would like to suggest that the church work
towards a mandatory ‘staff college’ covering the first three years of incumbency. It would create cohorts of
incumbents who can support each other, with a syllabus relating to their direct needs and be staffed by
successful practitioners. Course support groups could be formed that can be continued using closed social
networking media, such as are being fostered in some of our courses and presently being considered by those
training GPs.
Other issues that we noted are:
3
Schön, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. How professionals think in action, London: Temple Smith.
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Over the last decades the changes in the demographics of those offering for ministry are profound. They
have a greater number of ties whose bonds are significant. The effect is that clergy seem less deployable to
themselves and their bishops. It might appear that there is a lack of self-sacrifice. However what we heard
was a desire to care for families. Both are gospel imperatives. Choices are difficult.
The necessity for more and large multi-parish benefices seems irresistible. It was not part of our brief to
investigate concerns about them but since many first incumbencies are in them, we needed to take note of the
implications. There is an extra burden of administration, lack of time for pastoral care, issues of BCP
worship, and perhaps too many buildings. Without these concerns being genuinely shared by the senior
staff, it can create feelings of despondency in incumbents.
There is a good description of mission in the Anglican church’s ‘five marks of mission’. It is evident that
whilst all the interviewees subscribed to mission being an essential component of the church, many clergy
are unsure of how to articulate the faith in twenty-first century England. Consequently, most have little clue
as to how to assist their congregations in speaking of faith. There is a significant distance to travel from the
statement “mission is essential” to the reality of an authentic proclamation of the gospel. It will need to start
with the clergy themselves.
This culture which is failing to remember its Christian heritage leaves clergy needing greater support. There
is an erosion of the numbers belonging to the church and a discounting of religious experience, which in turn
causes clergy to feel that their contribution to society is diminished. Consequently the need for support
grows. From the descriptions of many deanery chapters, clergy seem reluctant (or, given the structures,
unable) to engage in peer-group support. Senior staff have other priorities. Realistic suggestions are few.
This society seems committed to greater activity and productivity, which in turn means that clergy feel that
they are not justified in anything less than a 24/7 activity. For a church which values reflectivity and wishes
to place a high merit on ‘being’ as well as ‘doing’, the developing ‘action culture’ in the church is
incompatible with our values. There is no wonder that there is a sense of confusion in some clergy.
It seems that the vision we have, whether inherited or biblical, may be just too large for the resources we
have in an age of increasing imposed bureaucracy, decreasing public espousal, and our own financial
stringency. This is just as true for the individual clergy as for the parishes, dioceses and the Church of
England. The widespread denial of this leads to a lack of efficiency and effectiveness, and eventually to
burnout, with lives that are not good witnesses. Sometimes the church seems to admire (and reward) those
who are the worst offenders. We noted huge levels of self sacrifice which, when treated as normal and
commendable, might not be in our best interests. From the stories we have heard this is less an individual
failing and more something systemic within the organisation. It is self-defeating. It is as if we are caught
between God’s limitless opportunities for the good of the nation and our own frail humanity and do not have
the wisdom to find a creative balance.
Trust is hugely valuable and easily lost. At the point of appointment the triangle of communication between
the candidate, the diocese and the benefice has the potential for leaving considerable distrust. This
undermines the subsequent incumbency. The need for integrity is always there. Clergy believe that much of
this would be assisted if the senior staff would reflect honestly to the benefice the diocesan perception of the
situation. None of us like to bear bad news, but not doing so at the proper time leaves others with greater
difficulty.
In one institution the group conversation was somewhat predictable until we touched on the difficulties that
had been faced with those finding curacies. There seemed to have been practical difficulties with housing
and location which were inexcusable. Ordinands are told to seek good ‘chemistry’ between themselves and
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the incumbent, so recommending good matches requires that diocesan authorities take care to understand the
people involved. However, we learnt later that in some dioceses the person responsible had little knowledge
of the incoming ordinands and so the placing had become only a paper exercise. There was no wonder that
these ordinands felt ‘the system’ was unhelpful. The principal was invited to comment on placing of curates
that year, and he affirmed there was nothing unusual. When ordinands are led to believe they will be “cared
for” in the process, and when that care is significantly lacking, there is such strong cognitive dissonance that
they wonder what else they have been told lacks integrity.
Dioceses have good years and bad with the placing of curates. Some dioceses seem much better at this than
others. The strategy of choosing curacies primarily with the objective of training the curate is gradually
becoming the norm. This requires a setting aside the reasons of previous generations: ‘the need for an extra
pair of hands’, ‘that is a successful parish so it’s a good place for a curate’, and ‘that parish has always had a
curate’. To be successful this requires not only the identification of appropriate parishes and incumbents, but
also engineering good matches. When this goes wrong the effects can be almost terminal for the vocation of
the curate, morale-sapping for the incumbent and trust breaking for the watchers.
The changes taking place in the church have left some clergy sensing that they should keep their options
open for the future. This has the potential for undermining commitment to ministry, and needs to be
monitored by the church.
Full Report
The full report may be obtained from
The Rev’d Ian Aveyard
19 The Damsells
Tetbury
Gloucestershire
GL8 8JA
01666 502278
ian.aveyard1@btinternet.com
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