tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8229767916391856208.post5598448472705856643..comments2023-09-20T11:20:47.644+01:00Comments on Fat Prophet: What's going on?Fat Prophethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05180456857091238743noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8229767916391856208.post-45474242454085859612008-01-22T09:34:00.000+01:002008-01-22T09:34:00.000+01:00Sometimes other people beat me to a topic and I th...<I>Sometimes other people beat me to a topic and I think I better not blog about it in case they think I am copying</I><BR/><BR/>Actually, I think it's perfectly OK to pick up on a topic from elsewhere and give your own spin on it. The only no-no is copying someone else's text without crediting them for it; rather like writing assignments!<BR/><BR/><I>One comment on another blog says they hope that a topic doesn't develop into a clergy versus laity type thing and I agree with this it would be really sad to see that happen especially when topics being raised and discussed are important to those people who raise them.</I><BR/><BR/>I agree with you on this too. I'm definitely not anti-laity, far from it. I joined the Methodist church because it structures itself around the belief of 'priesthood of all believers'. I came into ministry with the commitment to expanding every-member ministry and I think it's absolutely and utterly vital if the church is going survive and grow in this country. <BR/><BR/>But there really does not seem to be way to convince those who are invested in the idea that the clergy are anti-laity.<BR/><BR/>The 'clergy versus laity' conversation has all been one way and I think it's set up by the mind-set that 'Someone must be to blame and if I'm the laity and I tried my best, then it must all be the clergy's fault'.<BR/><BR/>I don't think that 'blame' can be laid on any doorstep. I think that there are a lot of social and cultural factors that have contributed to the decline of Christianity in Britain in general. I most certainly don't blame laity and I don't like being blamed either. (Caveat: I hope and believe you know I don't think you're blaming me.)<BR/><BR/>Yes, there are some interesting conversations but I think that the answers are more complex than 'the clergy is to blame' or 'the laity is to blame.'<BR/><BR/>And anyway, blame-placing doesn't actually help us to move forward into the future with the new strategies. It's the new strategies that I'm interested in and all members of the Methodist church - clergy and laity - should be a team working together to spread the Gospel.PamBGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11324370506889227234noreply@blogger.com