The “sin is such fun” vicar

From here:

A priest is under investigation after posting ‘Sin is such fun’ on Facebook.

Canon Dr Paul Shackerley, Vicar of Doncaster, is also accused of swearing on the social networking site and mocking relgious events and moaning about having to go to church on a Sunday.

Senior Anglican clerics are probing the allegations after a formal complaint was lodged against Dr Shackerley, who is accused of using a string of four letter words.

He also joined a group called – “I want to get back with my ex…!”…LOL jk…I’d rather SH*T in my hands and clap!

Dr Shackerley, who as priest-in-charge at Doncaster Minster is one of Yorkshire’s most high-profile vicars, posted the comments earlier this year, apparently sparking concern among parishioners.

[….]

The posts begin at around 7pm on a Saturday and say: “I think I will put my feet up. I’ve done f**k all today other than jazz lesson and visit a friend. I hear the fizz of tonic in my gin beckoning.

The learned Dr Shackerley is correct, of course: sin is fun. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t present much of a temptation. The part that seems to elude the Canon is that the temptation to sin is something that Christians are supposed to resist. Perhaps when Dr Paul went to seminary he skipped the lessons on the heresy of antinomianism; or perhaps he is simply too trendy and relevant to bother about antiquated notions like sin.

At least we can console ourselves with the reassuring thought that, since the Vicar of Doncaster enjoys spending his days doing “f**k all”, he isn’t busy polluting Doncaster and surrounding areas with his ideas.

Here he is, complete with inserted regalia:

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