BBC's coverage of Archbishop Rowan Williams' recent interview included this bit at the close:
"In his interview Dr Williams also revealed he will retire before his
full term as Archbishop ends in 10 years, saying: "I will not be doing
this job when I'm 70.""
He could of course come over here to the US, where about fifty percent of the clergy are over 55. One more over 60 clergy person looking for something to do after being Archbishop of Canterbury will not skew the table very much.
The table is as follows:
From the CPG's 2009 Church Compensation Report, Table 5 (p. 4), full time clergy:
Male
Age :: Percentage
18-35 :: 7.4%
35-45 :: 13.9%
45-55 :: 29.8%
Over 55 :: 48.9%
Age :: Percentage
18-35 :: 7.4%
35-45 :: 13.9%
45-55 :: 29.8%
Over 55 :: 48.9%
Female
Age :: Percentage
18-35 :: 7.5%
35-45 :: 11.8%
45-55 :: 30.9%
Over 55 :: 49.8%
Age :: Percentage
18-35 :: 7.5%
35-45 :: 11.8%
45-55 :: 30.9%
Over 55 :: 49.8%
Realistically, the table should start at 24 since that is the earliest one can get ordained, no? What the table does not convey is for those who are in the upper ages, how long they were ordained... inevitably, one gets older. So, e.g., not everyone in the 50-age bracket was ordained as a second or third vocation. Nonetheless, the younger crowd definitely is missing here.
ReplyDelete"I will not be doing this job when I'm 70."
ReplyDeleteIt can be argued that he hasn't been doing the job yet, either.
Of course, these tables are also just for "full time clergy." Many clergy, of various ages and both genders, are not "full time" by CPF standards, for a wide variety of reasons. Some cannot find a full time position although they would like to have one; others are "bi-vocational" or "semi-stipendiary" by choice and calling. I have colleagues who have part time academic positions and serve in parish ministry part time. I know a number of people in other professions, such as medicine and dentistry (including my own dentist) who choose to work part time because they have small children at home; I assume that most, though not all, of these professionals are women, and their status may be quite voluntary and not necessarily permanent. Of course, among senior clergy all who have been ordained for more than about 35 years are male (apart from a few women who were deacons and later became full time priests). These statistical charts need to be parsed pretty carefully.
ReplyDeleteThe Archbishop of course would be welcomed! In 330 years Saint Peter's has never turned anyone away. However, he would not be allowed to wear his miter, since he does not allow our PB to wear hers because of her gender (even though the Pope can in Westminster).
ReplyDeleteYes Jeffrey+, but the Pope was also wearing Pope Leo the 13th's stole to remind all the Anglicans in the room, including his sycophant host, that their orders were utterly null and void!
ReplyDeleteWell, I'd be very sorry to see him up this way, perhaps he could send a resume' to "Bishop" Duncan...
ReplyDelete