Revd Justine Allain Chapman, Director of Mission and Pastoral Studies, South East Institute for Theological Education (SEITE) reviews The Curate's Guide and The Vicar's Guide to see whether they are worth a read...

As I read these two books I had the very strong feeling that most of us had to learn all this the hard way.

After ordination I remember chatting with some peers along the lines of, ‘Wouldn’t it be good to write a manual to help the newly ordained to find out all those things that nobody tells you?’ But after a while we knew what CME was, what the rural dean did – even in an Urban Priority Area – and had discovered the joys and sorrows of wearing a dog-collar in public. By the time I became a vicar I understood that finding out the hard way was part of the course.  If I had read these books, each of the stages from selection to first incumbency would undoubtedly have been clearer.

The Curate’s Guide will help those exploring their vocation, from initially seeking the Church’s confirmation of that vocation to taking up the first post of sole responsibility. Vocations advisers and diocesan directors of ordinands will certainly find it a useful addition to reading lists. The book’s real-life scenarios and examples do give a feel for parish ministry, and it is packed with sensible and helpful facts and advice – from taking oaths at ordination to taking funerals.

Inevitably the audience for such a book seems very limited. The audience for The Vicar’s Guide might well be wider. I picked it up expecting it to guide any vicar around team-building, faculties and PCCs, and indeed it does. The book states that it is aimed at ministers in their first post of responsibility, but would, I think, be very handy for any vicar who would like an insight into the way things have changed, or into the expectations that the newly ordained have of their ministry and of the church’s structures – or, indeed, for anyone who is looking for a new job.

It is not uncommon to hear moans among experienced clergy that ‘management-speak’– talk about appraisals and the demands from NSMs and new curates for time off – has found its way into church structures. At first glance these books will confirm those fears, for they both undoubtedly promote a clergy and church culture of targets and teams that reflects current management thinking. You will read much about mission statements, self-management, even ambition, and might wonder where concepts of sacrifice and service have gone. The emphasis is on self-awareness, context and mission – a little more on one-to-one encounters and pastoral care would have enriched the material.

The curate with whom I did my Post Ordination Training, who felt that going to the Post Office every day to buy stamps furthered his mission and ministry, won’t find these books very friendly. He will, however, find much that is being taught in theological education today that does promote good practice in ministerial skills, and largely among people who have long been using and developing such skills in their professional lives. In addition, chapters on ‘Inner self: the “being” of being a curate’ and ‘Maturing into your vocation’ in The Curate’s Guide and ‘Spiritual life’ in The Vicar’s Guide are not only welcome, but, like the rest of the material, realistic, honest and written by people who know what they are talking about. The authors’ experience encompasses the rural and the urban, high as well as low church, and all stages of the selection and training process.

These books will be invaluable to those who not only need to weave their way through ‘church-speak’, but who are also keen to learn the best of what the world can offer to ministerial and parish development and how they might grow and mature in their ministry. They are very Anglican books (a greater focus on different denominations working together would strengthen the mission of the whole Church). They are not books of theology. They are very parish focused and, as guides, they are easy to read and contain a wealth of practical advice and material on which to reflect.

I commend them not only to those considering ordination, about to be ordained or recently ordained, but also to those working with them, especially training incumbents, who may well have found things out the hard way in many areas of their ministry. They may not recognize the jargon, but hopefully will find themselves affirmed and discover a few new tricks to keep up their cassock sleeves.

Revd Justine Allain Chapman, Director of Mission and Pastoral Studies, South East Institute for Theological Education (SEITE)

Justine Allain Chapman joined SEITE in February 2004 and before that spent a number of years in parish ministry, most recently as Vicar of St. Paul’s, Clapham. Justine is responsible for overseeing the elements of the SEITE programme relating to Pastoral and Practical Theology.