The Church of England needs more theological expertise
Martyn Percy – Dean of Christ Church College, Oxford, priest, theologian, author, Canon, professor, academic and controversialist – is not, it is fair to say, a household name. However, in the corridors of power of the established church, universities, and those responsible for appointing people to senior jobs in public life, Martyn Percy is very much in the forefront of their thoughts. He is the first Dean in the 473 year history of the college to be elected to the job, and he has been in the newspapers in recent weeks because of a dispute between him and his fellow Fellows. The details of the dispute are unclear but in the way of these things when they take place in smallish institutions more heat than light seems to be being generated. To this Percy is no stranger.
As the Church of England has fought to keep a foothold in the national discussion so it has become less welcoming of debate and challenge. The Church is nailed to the national consciousness because of its historical place in our Parliament and communities and too often finds it easier to console itself by talking about the breadth of its community activity and eschew the more painful debate over its theology and liturgy.
As Pope Francis is fond of saying however the Church is not an NGO. Throughout his career Percy has challenged the church on its theology, liturgy and ecclesiology. For a church that was criticised in one of its own reports recently for lacking sufficient theological expertise in its leadership such challenges have become increasingly uncomfortable.
Percy is no fan of the current leadership of the Church of England and he has not been afraid to challenge it at every turn. In particular he waged a vociferous campaign against the recent appointment of a Bishop to a senior diocese. Insecurity tends to lead to aggression and Percy’s challenge was met not so much with an equally strong and thoughtful response but the kind of social media barrage we have become more accustomed to when MPs debate each other on twitter over Brexit.
Reasonable Radical? Reading the writings of Martyn Percy, edited by Ian Markham and Joshua Daniel, is a serious and sustained attempt by a group of theologians to interrogate the strength and coherence of Percy’s work. ‘This text is intended to be a challenge of the academy’ it says in the introduction. This is a mistaken intention. It is notable that only two of the many contributors to this book come from and/or are based in the United States. They are engaging Percy across the vast range of his interests and writings but it is Percy as a church politician that is the piece missing here. Much of what Percy does and says is small p political. For the Church of England this is participating in an important part of its role in the national debate.
I first met Martyn Percy when I was sent up to Cuddesdon, the theological college of which he was then the principal, to finish my formation for the priesthood. He was immediately kind and open. The college he led was dynamic and enterprising, and I was made to feel welcome. Who knows what the future holds next for Martyn Percy but this book is a worthwhile read for all those who are interested in the national discussion and engagement and who think its important that intellectuals are encouraged to contribute to public life.