Whitechapel Art Gallery
Thanks to Helen-ann Hartley for blog-sitting for me yesterday. From the response to her post, I can tell that she really got some of you going. I'm just back from London. It was a pretty busy day. The venue for the interviews I was conducting (apparently that's the correct term, even though I avoided waving my arms around) was a terrific exhibition space in Whitechapel Art Gallery (which will look wonderful on TV), and my guests were the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg and Ruth Lea, director of the Centre for Policy Studies (the right-wing think-tank founded some years ago by Margaret Thatcher).
In the morning, I talked to Melvyn about culture, class and television: he spoke very personally about his upbringing in Cumbria, his continuing struggles with depression, and his passionate commitment to challenge the distinction between "high culture" and "popular culture". He arrived in very dapper clothes, was extremely good company, and the interview felt more like a conversation (which is a very good thing, too).
After lunch round the corner in Brick Lane, I interviewed Ruth Lea, who proved to be terrifically feisty and (refreshingly) politically incorrect. She says exactly what she thinks and doesn't really mind how others react to her views. I pressed her "denial" of the global climate change crisis, her case for the UK's exit from membership of the European Union, whether Britain should do more to end poverty across the world, whether family life is in terminal decline, and a lot more. She clearly loves a good knockabout debate about issues that matter.
Helen-ann mentions the story of Bishop Tom Butler. This is all the talk in London -- in cabs, cafes, and airports. It's hard not to smile at the press acounts -- ok, it's impossible not to laugh out loud at the description of the inebriated prelate tossing children's toys from the back seat of a stranger's car -- but now some are calling for him to stand down. It's plainly an embarrassing episode for a bishop with a reputation for serious reflectiveness; but is this really a resigning matter? A few drinks too many at a Christmas party? The Labour MP Chris Bryant (a former Anglican vicar) has authored a full-page defence of the bishop in today's Evening Standard, arguing that the bishop should receive seasonal mercy. I suspect Bishop Butler will be under significant pressure to quit his diocese in the next few days. Meanwhile, I imagine quite a few people will be trying to get invitations to next year's Irish Embassy Christmas party.
Comments
Ruth Lea is among the first who William has interviewed whose views I share a real passion with. I remember reading some of her op-eds in the Telegraph some years back, and of course the Centre for Policy Studies remains an important and healthy influence (and antidote?) in London.
Lea's strength is that she understands that economics is as consistent a discipline as science. It cannot be manipulated to provoke a surprising outcome; it is predictable and, when you screw with the economy in the name of the environment, the poor, equality, or anything else, you will observe predictably horrible results. In fact, David Cameron would do well to listen more to people like Ruth Lea instead of whichever cretins he happens to be listening to now.
Well said on the Bishop!!! Some of these fundies need to have a drink and loosen up. The bishop's leading by example. Good thing too. Hic-cup.
I think that Andrew O'Hagan hit the right note in the Daily Telegraph when he wrote:
"This Christmas, while the children unwrap their plastics and the clerics fill their boots, let us remember that without failure there would be no need of forgiveness. No man or woman is simply one thing, and true tolerance means leaving a margin in life for people's vanity and weakness, as well as one's own. In recent years, Britain has increasingly been given to the witch-hunt and the quick condemnation, the rule of the mob and the holier-than-thou cheer of execration. We behave as if we enjoy the spectacle of other people's failure.
Perhaps it might serve us better occasionally simply to smile at folly. The Bishop of Southwark's only sin was to bow so pitiably to the fear of his congregation's judgment.
But let he who is without such fear cast the first stone."
Amen,
Michael
I AM APALLED...but not in the least surprised. So Tom Butler had a few too many at a Christmas party and made a silly goose out of himself, who did he hurt? Is he a child molester? Is he the Suffolk Ripper? If every guy in Britan who did that was thrown out of work, half of both houses of Parliament would be empty and the most of the nation's bussinesses would grind to a halt. Hell, half the seats in the soccer stadiums would be empty every weekend. And what happened to "let he who is without sin cast the first stone?" I guess that' doesn't count if it isn't Sunday Morning. If they throw him out, he'll probably wind up on the dole. After all, what kind of useful work that an employer would actually pay money for is someone like him qualified to do?
I agree with everyone here so far. What an over-reation from the conservatives. I can see why it's a good story for a tabloid, of course it is ... but give the man a break. Asking some christians to show mercy at christmas though? That will take some doin.
If Melvyn Bragg can genuinely bridge the gap between high and popualar culture, he will have performed a real service. I suppose George Orwell tried to do that in a different setting. I always think of Q.D. Leavis' "Fiction and the Reading Public" as a classic statement of the superiority of high culture. And F.R. Leavis, her husband, savaged C.P. Snow for calling attention to the gulf between the humanists and the scientists in his "Two Cultures."
No one is perfect. But if I was guilty of misconduct in my employment I would have to sit a disciplinary hearing and answer to that disciplinary board for my behaviour, for bringing dishonour upon my position. The pulpit has a higher calling than that of the standards of the worlds.
The Bishop needs to read his job description, which is partially defined as follows Tit 1:7 for a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine. He must enquire of himself as to his suitability to carry out his high calling in the manner which is required of him, which should be above reproach.
Today in our present age of laissez-faire there seems to be countless uncalled men in the pulpits of our land the church has been contaminated with the world and the pulpit has caught this worldly sickness, there is no unction upon this high calling of God any longer, we no longer can tell the difference between the church and the world. God鈥檚 people seem to be lost in the desert with no vision and are perishing because they are without a Joshua to lead them to the Promised Land. The church has become the laughingstock of the world.
If he does steps down he may be able to invest in and to titivate himself in a red suit and grow a white beard and hand toys out at Christmas as he seems to have the talent of handing toys outs and of drinking Santa鈥檚 tipple, he would have no problem of finding work the only problem, it would only last for a season.
鈥淎 holy minister is an awful weapon in the hands of God.鈥 Robert Murray McCheyne
The story is hilarious and it's certain that nobody is in a position to demand that he resign. Lighten up, people. What sin is he being accused of having committed? It sounds like the only victim here was possibly Butler himself who suffered a head injury at some point, and the simple fact that this has given cause for many a breakfast table smile over the newspaper should surely be enough to let it be.
In post 7, Billy wrote:
"No one is perfect. But if I was guilty of misconduct in my employment I would have to sit a disciplinary hearing and answer to that disciplinary board for my behaviour, for bringing dishonour upon my position."
Billy: What evidence do you have that the bishop is guilty of misconduct?
How do you know that some joker didn't put something into his wine? Has his glass been checked yet?
I read that you have had one death in the UK from plutonium poisining so some pretty strange things are getting into the food chain over there!
And remember all of this went on at the Irish embassy! As an Irishman myself I can assure you that we Irish have no principles but we are prepared to die for them!
;-)
Yours unsincerely,
Michael
Billy #7
"No one is perfect."
Billy, please speak for yourself.
The biggest problem with the Bishop's actions seems to be that, according to the reports I saw, he actually claimed to have been mugged and there was mention of a possible police investigation.
Questions need to be answered, in particular was this "mugging" story just a lie he told to garner some sympathy from his wife or his flock (not exactly the most creditable behaviour) or was it something actually reported to police.
If the mugging was reported to police then it indicates unbelievable arrogance on his behalf. He is found behaving badly and instead of taking responsibility for his actions he decides to level mugging allegations against others.
Being caught drunk in a car is not exactly the worst thing in the world, provided you not driving. The whole mugging aspect however is a lot more troubling and does not seem particularly funny. A false mugging report to police (if that happened) could lead to an entirely innocent person being arrested and possibly even charged and convicted.
If this was reported to police as a mugging he should definitely resign.
REF: POSTS #8,9,10
Michael don鈥檛 be so na茂ve, naivety is unbecoming you. Get real Mark you are living in Walter mitty land. For you John you are so comical in your thought you can鈥檛 be treated as serious, wooden spoons. Believing in Santa is more realistic than believing your thoughts.
Ho! Ho! Ho!
A holy weapon? Can we stop using this kind of serial killer language about God?
Ref post #13
"A HOLY MINISTER"
Please read the quote