Church ahead

Welcome back to series 2. 
Meet Henry Faithful, Henry Hurray & Brilliant Bob.  These 3 fine clergymen trained Rev L in ordained ministry.  Other than taking on Rev L what were their mistakes?
How does ministry training compare with medical training?
Are the current crop of curates loyal?
This is the 1st of 3 episodes on the clergy, kicking off series 2 which promises to be spicier and face some really big issues.   
Look out for How does Church package Jesus?
Sexuality.
Which conferences give Church the best hope today?

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Summer pop festival week 2.  On stage today we have Every Day is Like Sunday by Morrissey.
Watch him sing it on You Tube at the Move Festival Old Trafford 2004.  Can you see Rev L in the crowd?   Last week the Bangles sang about Sunday as their funday.  What is Morrissey's take on the Christian holy day?  Why does he use Christian symbols to trash Christian symbols?  Why are so many Manchester pop bands Irish Catholic?  What is their brand of Catholicism?
This is the last episode of series 1. 
Please subscribe to Church ahead on your podcast platform to make sure you don't miss 
series 2 on 2 September 2022

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Welcome to LA for our 2 week summer pop festival.  On stage today it is The Bangles' song Manic Monday.  Is it about Monday?  Or is it really about Sunday?
How does this song capture the spirit of Isaiah?
Is Sunday still relevant?
What do you think of this podcast so far?  Please send any feedback by email to [email protected]

Please send any comments to [email protected]

Church is broken, beyond its own repairs says one theologian.  Church is not safe to work in says another.  These are not maverick fringe voices but 2 top mainstream people.  
What is the right tone for talking about abuse problems?  We look at 2 bishops - one who gets it wrong and one about right.  
This final episode about the subject of abuse in church never really finds a neat conclusion.  
Please prepare for next week's Church ahead summer pop festival by finding and playing the song Manic Monday by The Bangles.  See you in LA...

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We step into the shoes of a church youth group leader trying to get a bunch of teenagers home.
Is the minibus the answer to our problems?
Do the safeguarding rules guarantee to keep children safe?  No but they guarantee to make youth work harder.
If this is all too depressing then just 2 weeks to go to Church ahead summer pop festival.

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10 effects of abuse on the church.
How has Premier League football got off so lightly?
What would CS Lewis' Screwtape say about abuse?
Have we seen the whole story yet?
Trigger warning ; if you have been affected by abuse you may find this episode distressing.

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Have you been as naive as Rev L about the reality of abuse in church?
What is the scale of the problem?
Who are the culprits?
What made the clergy of 1995 drop their smile towards their bishops?

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Church versus world ; which way does the influence flow?
Who is the greatest English Christian leader in our lifetime?
What did the princess do in the bishop's sermon?
Why do Christianity's cleverest cheerleaders not go to church themselves?
Meet the 18th century church people who changed the world for the better.
Do today's social change movements find their energy in church?
This is the 3rd of 3 episodes defining church decline.  

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2nd of 3 definitions of church decline.
We look at church through the Marxist lense of power.
Which part of the Archbishop's body saw off the amorality of Cole Porter?
An organisation that used to control almost everything now controls what?
Is a weaker church truer to itself?

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What is church decline?
Here we get to a definition of decline and we put some numbers on it.
What does the RC priests' reunion at Midland Hotel tell us about the priestly pipeline?
How much has  church declined in the past year, decade & century?
Have we missed something?  Are some churches bucking the market?

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