Jeffrey John was not the favourite – The stories about Jeffrey John’s nomination as bishop of Southwark are mischief-making based on ignorance
An important piece in the Guardian today by Bishop Nick Baines, following the media frenzy over Jeffrey John, which I hope is widely read to the shame of many.
So, the Dean of St Albans has been “blocked” from becoming the next Bishop of Southwark. Really? Well, the Telegraph has confidently told us so – so we might as well remove our brains and take their word for it. Or not.
What is amazing about this whole story is not just the shameful behaviour of the leaker (who has sworn an oath of confidentiality), but the credulity of many people who have responded (look, for example, at Thinking Anglicans) is depressing. They have accepted the details and language of the story without thinking. And, predictably, the usual suspects from the extremes of the Church were ready with their quotes of indignation and threat.
The Telegraph story last Sunday stated that the candidate concerned was on the shortlist; was the “understood to be the favoured candidate” and suggested that the process was only about him: would he or would he not be appointed? Readers were clearly intended to make certain uncritical leaps of logic that defied the realities of the process. Apparently, being on the shortlist meant that the named candidate was likely to get the appointment; so, if he was not appointed, it could only be that he was deliberately blocked by the Archbishop of Canterbury; oh, and the reason for the “block” could only be the candidate’s sexuality.
Update: Bishop Nick Baines has posted his Media literacy: lesson 2, which is well worth a read.
Media literacy: Lesson 1 can be found here.
Tags: Christian Life, Christianity, Church Life, Media, News, Religion Society