Choosing a New Bishop | Yes, Prime Minister | BBC Comedy Greats

yes thank you what's a modernist in the church of england ah well the word modernist is code for non-believer you mean an atheist no no prime minister an atheist clergyman couldn't continue to draw his stipend so when they stop believing in god they call themselves moderners how could the church of england suggest an atheist as bishop of berison edmonds well very easily the church of england is primarily a social organization not a religious one is it there is it's part of the rich social fabric of this country so bishops need to be the sort of chaps who speak properly know which knife and fork to use the sort of people one can look up to so that's what peter meant when he said that cannon stanford's wife was eminently suitable of course is there really no other possible candidate well not really there are a couple of better jobs available recently what's better than a bishop a rook buried role no the dean of windsor is a better job or westminster a such preferment enables one to be on intimate terms with the royals being a bishop is just a matter of status the question of dressing up in classics and gators yes though gators are now only worn at significant religious events like the royal garden party well the church is trying to be more relevant to god no of course not prime minister in sociological terms so the ideal candidate from the church of england's point of view would be a cross between a socialite and a socialist precise just interrupt uh may i give you the career details of canon stanford yes please do well after theological college he became chapman to the bishop of sheffield he moved on to be the diocesan advisor on ethnic communities and social responsibility he also organized conferences on interfaith interface and interface between christians and marxists and between christians and the women of green and common and he went on to be the university chapter of the university of essex then vice principal of a theological college and is now as you know secretary to the disarmament committee of the british council of churches has he ever been an ordinary vicar of a parish good heavens no prime minister clergymen who want to be bishops try to avoid pastoral work so what i'm saying is that canon stanford is a political troublemaker well not exactly but it could be a thorn in your sight on several issues strikes public expenditure on welfare inner cities unemployment defense it's interesting isn't it that nowadays politicians want to talk about moral issues and bishops want to talk politics and he'd speak with the authority of a bishop and as a member of the lords he designed a new church in south london and on the plans were places for dispensing orange juice family planning and organizing demos but no place for holy communion are you serious well there was a dual purpose hall in which you could hold a service and the church approved this well of course you see the church is run by theologians what do you mean well theology is a device for enabling agnostics to stay within the church at one cannon stanford what am i to do well you could turn both candidates down but that would be exceptional and not advised even though one of them wants to get god out of the church of england and the other wants to get the queen out well the queen is inseparable from the church of england what about god i think he's what's called an optional extra you

Channel: BBC Comedy Greats

Views: 501,604

Keywords: bbc, bbc comedy greats, bbc comedy, comedy greats, british comedy, stand up, Sitcom, Comedian, Comic, Sketch show, yes prime minister, yes minister, Choosing a new Bishop | Yes Prime Minister | BBC Comedy Greats, jim hacker, nigel hawthorne, sir humphrey, sir humphrey appleby, paul eddington, derek fowlds, Choosing a New Bishop, yes prime minister bishop, yes minister bishop, yes prime minister choosing a new bishop

Id: m2dNCw0hPLs

Length: 4min 6sec (246 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 29 2021