From The Church Times-
ROWAN ATKINSON, the comedian famed for his portrayal of comedy vicars, was this week expecting a backlash, after accusing Church of England clergy of being smug, arrogant, and conceited.
In an interview in Saturday’s Times, Mr Atkinson said: “I used to think that the vicars that I played . . . were unreasonable satires on well-meaning individuals but, actually, so many of the clerics that I’ve met, particularly the Church of England clerics, are people of such extraordinary smugness and arrogance and conceitedness who are extraordinarily presumptuous about the significance of their position in society. Increasingly, I believe that all the mud that Richard Curtis and I threw at them through endless sketches that we’ve done is more than deserved.”
The Priest-in-Charge of Mr Atkinson’s parish in Northamptonshire is the Rt Revd John Flack. He said on Wednesday that he had never seen the comedian in church, and that to visit him would be difficult, as he lives behind high-security gates. “But I have written, inviting him to have a talk. I look forward to hearing from him.”
Even those sympathetic to the comedian were critical of his view. “Sadly I think he may be right,” conceded the Revd Richenda Leigh, Anglican Chaplain to the University of Derby. “In all jobs there are people who are smug and arrogant. But smug and arrogant clergy do more good in their lives than smug and arrogant actors and comedians.”
more here-
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=118588
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