Just a job!

Former Gogglebox star and a priest in Nottinghamshire
Photograph: @revkatebottley

From the Guardian: "It’s a job that comes with a range of uniform options...The retailer’s women’s black jumper with the word 'Believe” emblazoned in bold colours is a hit with female priests, leading one Church of England bishop to describe it as “the new clergy uniform'...

"Rev Kate Bottley, the former Gogglebox star and a priest in Nottinghamshire, also posted a picture using the hashtag #TeamBelieve. '​​Never one to shy away from a bandwagon, like most of the clerics I know I’ve bought this jumper,' she wrote."

But believe what? 

More or less whatever they like these days. The creeds have become something to recite in religious rituals. Clergy believe what they want influencing laity to do the same.

In the Church in Wales "the Bishop of St Asaph is among four senior religious leaders and Parliamentarians recognised for their 'ground-breaking work' in the area of sexuality, gender identity.

"The Rt Revd Gregory Cameron received an award for his leadership within the Church in Wales in bringing it to a point of enabling same-sex blessings.

"Jayne Ozanne, whose Foundation instigated the new awards, said: 'It is so important to recognise the role that leaders have in tackling prejudice and discrimination at an institutional or national level.  So many of us yearn for change, but few know how to achieve it.  I am thrilled that we are able to recognise some of our unsung heroes who have given so much in the fight for equality'.

It is not prejudicial and discriminatory to belief other than these people would have us believe.

Gay couple receive 'landmark' Church in Wales blessing from the bishop of St Asaph   Source: BBC

Postscript 

More 'believers' or 'seasonal consumerism at its worst' as Richard Frith, canon precentor at Southwell minster described it.

https://twitter.com/LlandaffDio/status/1469383091479326724/photo/1

Postscript [12.12.2021]

Thanks to Archbishop Cranmer for this video of a 'Believe' sweater wearing cleric explaining what believing means to her. 

The bishops of the Church in Wales clearly demonstrate that reciting one thing and doing another is what they believe.

Yr eglwys a'r Gymraeg: 'Dechreuad' ond mwy i'w wneud

Andy John Bishop of Bangor                                               Source: BBC/Twitter

Another top job post has been created at the Church in Wales' expensive new HQ while ministry areas continue to scratch around for clergy and any help they can get if it is freely provided.

This time the bench of bishops require a Director of Welsh Language and Bilingual Mission to assist them having been negligent in ensuring that Welsh speaking bishops were appointed where appropriate. The diocese of St Davids is a glaring example where political correctness in appointing a woman bishop took precedence over all else.

Andy Pandy, as he is affectionately known in some quarters, gives his spin here on the need for a new post to promote Welsh within the Church in Wales which he says is "beginning" but there is more work to do.

Typically +Andy's account is in Welsh as if he has a vast Welsh speaking audience while Welsh speaking congregations are neglected. Certainly there is more work to do, starting with inadequate bishops engaged in empire building. Three dioceses have already come to readers' attention where the number of clergy is in stark contrast to priests out in the country dashing from church to church.