One of the more entertaining episodes from the Yes, Prime Minister series. Showcases the close relationships between Oxbridge, the Church and the Civil Service. Sir Humphrey's answer to the question 'What is a Modernist?' Is a classic.
💯 One might also note that by the time "the commission", "Apostolic succession", the sovereign, the Holy Ghost and those other bits of God, the other servants of God in the civil service, and, presumably, the sovereign's favorite Corgi (at the time of the show) have all 'weighed in', it does rather seem like it might be the merest of window-dressing to bother the PM with it at all... I mean, look how much respect is paid the Holy Ghost (much further up the list from the 'last stop' of the PM, apparently) in the process. 😄
The old joke remains that the more you go into theology without conviction the less you will believe in big G and the more you will believe in Socialism or Marxism. Granted that happens in non evangelical churches.
I am a theologian. This episode did more to fashion my understanding of the Church of England than any other input. Besides, being an (ex) Anglican, it is rather accurate.
A modernist being someone more interested in the moral and philosophical lessons of the bible than believing it's all literal truth? So in other words, he's in line with the pre-Reformation Catholic church, rather than the nonsense churned out by today's evangelicals in America and other such dregs spawned from Calvin?
1:43 Why is that something to be derided? Should we not accept scientific evidence over the conjecture of unnamed 2000 year old scribes who had no scientific training or evidence for their views?
That wasn't the thing they were deriding--the fact that he believes those things were allegories was fine. The joke was later in the scene where Humphrey comes in and says "Modernist is code for non-believer." The joke here is that the Church of England man suggesting the names is very quick to say it's just about those allegories, but the candidate he is suggesting is basically an Atheist (which, by definition, seems a strange choice for a bishop). It's important to remember that often Hacker is kind of a surrogate for the audience and their opinions. He's supposed to react how a normal person would to certain things he's told, like in The Whiskey Priest where he is upset by British weapons being sent abroad. Here, he says "Sounds a good man" to the Church guy's description of Modernism. But Hacker's supposed to be a slightly dumb politician too, so the joke is that the audience knows more about Modernism here than he does, and that it means the candidate is basically an Atheist.
The problem with accepting scientific evidence over the conjecture of 2000 year old scribes with no scientific training or evidence for their views, is that it doesn’t leave a lot of space for an actual religion. You basically reduce Christianity to “There was probably a man who got nailed to a cross for saying things the Romans didn’t like, here are some of the things he might have said.”
@@kenlandon6130 Personally I don't have a problem with it, but the Church of England might, because if they accepted that they'd immediately stop existing. Which I'd also be okay with, but you can see it from their prospective.
One of the more entertaining episodes from the Yes, Prime Minister series. Showcases the close relationships between Oxbridge, the Church and the Civil Service. Sir Humphrey's answer to the question 'What is a Modernist?' Is a classic.
keep church out of state he should have picked the 2nd candidate
I’m not sure it’s wise for the Prime Minister to decide that, given that the church and state are inherently linked in the U.K.
"Bishops tend to have a long lives. Apparently the Lord did all that keen for them to join him." LMAO
'Recommended the appointment to the Sovereign.' That's how you put a PM in his place!
One of the most underrated lines in the show - "We are in no ways confident that the Holy Ghost knows what would make a good church of England bishop"
💯
One might also note that by the time "the commission", "Apostolic succession", the sovereign, the Holy Ghost and those other bits of God, the other servants of God in the civil service, and, presumably, the sovereign's favorite Corgi (at the time of the show) have all 'weighed in', it does rather seem like it might be the merest of window-dressing to bother the PM with it at all... I mean, look how much respect is paid the Holy Ghost (much further up the list from the 'last stop' of the PM, apparently) in the process.
😄
Don't forget that even with the drawing of lots...
God had the final say when he appointed *Saul*
Kind of sums up the Church of England! 😂😂😂
I honestly think my favorite bit here is Peter deadpan saying "it's God's will" in reference to the candidate selection process.
So one wants to get God out of the Church and the other want's the Queen out? Brilliant writing.
The old joke remains that the more you go into theology without conviction the less you will believe in big G and the more you will believe in Socialism or Marxism. Granted that happens in non evangelical churches.
I am a theologian. This episode did more to fashion my understanding of the Church of England than any other input. Besides, being an (ex) Anglican, it is rather accurate.
This is why I can never be a good politician I would pick the disistablishment character in a heart beat just to spite the man
The best content EVER!
Ronnie Stevens was always good.
1:43 Can't believe in the big bang and that...
The Big Bang was first theorized by a Catholic priest.
1:32 Really that's not what a metaphor is at all... the writers really went after theological liberals with this for some reason
Probably because Theological Liberalism is a self-contradiction that, when taken to its logical extent, demands its own dissolution.
Ask Jordan Peterson about his theology and he will tell you the same:)
A modernist being someone more interested in the moral and philosophical lessons of the bible than believing it's all literal truth?
So in other words, he's in line with the pre-Reformation Catholic church, rather than the nonsense churned out by today's evangelicals in America and other such dregs spawned from Calvin?
1:43 Why is that something to be derided? Should we not accept scientific evidence over the conjecture of unnamed 2000 year old scribes who had no scientific training or evidence for their views?
That wasn't the thing they were deriding--the fact that he believes those things were allegories was fine. The joke was later in the scene where Humphrey comes in and says "Modernist is code for non-believer." The joke here is that the Church of England man suggesting the names is very quick to say it's just about those allegories, but the candidate he is suggesting is basically an Atheist (which, by definition, seems a strange choice for a bishop).
It's important to remember that often Hacker is kind of a surrogate for the audience and their opinions. He's supposed to react how a normal person would to certain things he's told, like in The Whiskey Priest where he is upset by British weapons being sent abroad. Here, he says "Sounds a good man" to the Church guy's description of Modernism. But Hacker's supposed to be a slightly dumb politician too, so the joke is that the audience knows more about Modernism here than he does, and that it means the candidate is basically an Atheist.
@@johnschleider7877 yeah true
The problem with accepting scientific evidence over the conjecture of 2000 year old scribes with no scientific training or evidence for their views, is that it doesn’t leave a lot of space for an actual religion.
You basically reduce Christianity to “There was probably a man who got nailed to a cross for saying things the Romans didn’t like, here are some of the things he might have said.”
@@HALLish-jl5mo And why is that bad?
@@kenlandon6130 Personally I don't have a problem with it, but the Church of England might, because if they accepted that they'd immediately stop existing.
Which I'd also be okay with, but you can see it from their prospective.