VERSION|0.5.1|NAME|Dinah|DATE|1376480073|CONTENT|‘I&#039;m now even more concerned about the mental health of C of E vicars. I still find it bizarre that some people must really believe this stuff.’  (Andy)

It’s strange how professions such as nursing which were once seen as vocations are now mostly regarded as careers by those who embark on them, whereas being a Vicar or cleric, which was formerly a career for gentlemen, usually younger sons, seeking a comfortable home and a stipend, is nowadays regarded as a vocation.  I suppose in the past it was taken for granted that any gentleman worthy of that title must necessarily be a believer, though how many of them actually were is open to question.

As for the motivations of those who become members of the Cloth today, again how can we really know?  No doubt some of them feel genuinely feel ‘called to Holy Orders’ as the obituaries put it.  Perhaps the rigours of a course in Theology is guaranteed to turn students either into  lunatics or atheists.  The lunatics we already know about.  Possibly some of the atheists, having invested a lot of time, effort and self-esteem into becoming professional supernaturalists, may decide to go ahead anyway, convincing others of the things of which they themselves remain totally unconvinced.  Maybe they really enjoy the status, the respect shown to them by parishioners, and are prepared to turn themselves into glorified social workers.
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