I spent half my childhood and early adulthood in cathedrals so I do have some idea of the challenges of running one, and also how common it is for people to smoke in them (not very). So I was sorry to see that English cathedrals seem to have allowed themselves to be used as ammunition in the attack on the government’s nanny statism. This won’t do the perception of cathedrals or churches as modern places of worship where normal people might want to go, any good at all, which I think is regrettable.
The row has arisen because of the introduction of the smoking ban in public places on 1 July, which require them to put up a sign saying that it is against the law to smoke in cathedrals or churches. You can certainly make the case that this is unnecessary, but the idea that it is a real problem, or in the words of the Bishop of Fulham “stark staring mad”, seems to me to be nonsense. Every public entrance to a church or cathedral has a noticeboard, which could very easily accommodate a sign no larger than a piece of A4 paper - without taking such prominence as to dominate the entrance of the monarch to Westminster Abbey during the next coronation service, as was raised during the Today programme this morning (again by the Bishop of Fulham, I think).
The irony is, of course, that it’s quite right that this government is entirely nanny-statist, and when the church sometimes attacks them for that then I think that can be very helpful - but there really are some rather more important examples of this than churches being required to put a piece of A4 paper on their noticeboards. I do think it’s regrettable that churches and cathedrals have given their name to this rather silly story.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:40
I agree. Furthermore, if it came down to a pissing contest between the CoE and the state about which was more nannyish, I suspect the CoE would win hands down. Broadly speaking (and yes, there are exceptions), what you do behind closed doors in your own home is up to you as far as the state is concerned; the CoE are veritably obsessed with it.
May 14th, 2007 at 13:16
Jed Bartlet smoked in a cathedral…
May 14th, 2007 at 13:39
Its a symptom of one of the great problems of today - stupid, ill thought out rules.
It is obvious that it is illegal to smoke in a church with the incoming laws.
Surely most churches are already non-smoking by custom if not rule from the church.
However, some bureaucrat seeks to justify their job by giving orders like this. Someone is being paid to tell the churches this and to enforce it - what a waste of money.
The costs also fall on the churches, which are organisations not usually known for having lots of money these days - they have to spend money to get the sign. The sign probably has to conform to specific regulations and be affixed in a specific way (designed by people seeking to justify their job and to give more people pointless work).
Its ridiculous micro-management which wastes money time and resources.
May 14th, 2007 at 13:43
Agreed, the no smoking sign, actually I think it only has to be A5, would just be put up alongside all the other notices…..I don’t know, but are churches and catherdrals exempt from the ubiqutous Health & Safety notice that is always up in workplaces?
What always surprises me about these sorts of stories is the fact the Church of England always seems to be continuing the argument well past legislation and up to the point of implementation; which is a bit rich because they have a whole bunch of unelected bishops with votes in the legislature and ample oppotunity to influence the outcome before it beomes law, yet are continually asking for exemptions for this that and the other!
It doesn’t do any good to the perception that they’re happy to take their place in a modern democracy either….
May 15th, 2007 at 18:51
“I spent half my childhood and early adulthood in cathedrals…”
Of course, Jeremy, you realise that this does not mean that you are speaking ex cathedra or that your announcements are infallble.
Does the law cover incense ?
May 17th, 2007 at 13:12
Interesting; did not know about this. Certainly no signs displayed at the York Minster, as I learnt yesterday. I was going to a talk on religion and liberal democracy by Shirley Williams; unfortunately Iarrived late (they really should put the same time on the tickets and the website) and did not get in. Yeah, and it was raining.