The Church in Brit Lit - Where is the Search Committee

A couple of months ago [before we were online - the editor] I shared with you the sentiments of Silas Marner’s neighbor as she expressed her love for the comforting presence of the church. This month I would like to focus on one of the major differences in the English Church and our American Episcopal Church. That is the selection of clergy for a parish and, in this case, the selection of the Bishop for the See of Barchester.

Anthony Trollope tells us that:

the death of old Dr. Grantly, who had for many
years filled that chair with meek authority, took
place exactly as the ministry of Lord ____ was
going to give place to Lord ____. The illness of
the good old man was long and lingering and it
became a matter of intense interest whether the
new appointment would be made by a
conservative or a liberal government.

The Bishop’s son, Archdeacon Grantly, had long
managed the affairs of the diocese and was the
known choice of the outgoing government. Alas
the old Bishop lingered too long and the choice
fell to the new government. Dr. Proudie was
appointed to the post.

He was a man born to move in high circles: at
least he thought so himself, and circumstances
had certainly sustained him in that view…He
had for years held some clerical office
appertaining to courtly matters, which enabled
him to live in London, and to entrust his parish
to his curate. He had been preacher to the royal
beefeaters, curator of theological manuscripts in
the Ecclesiastical Courts, chaplain to the
Queen’s yeomanry guard and almoner to his
Royal Highness Prince of Rappe-Blankenberg.

Although my enjoyment of Trollope’s
Barchester Towers is extreme, my feelings
suggest that we might celebrate the work of the
founding fathers who separated church and state
– and also celebrate the work of our own search
committee.

Cass Wright