THE WRONG MESSAGE OF THE MINSTER

We have just been on holiday on Yorkshire and before going I had it in my mind that one  of the highlights would be taking the family to York Minister. I thought it would be a great chance to see the biggest Gothic cathedral north of the Alps but more importantly talk about some of the Celtic missionaries who had helped found it. Personally I was looking forward to maybe finding out a bit more about the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who has always really impressed me. I was also keen to find out more about the VISIONS fresh expressions alternative worship service that the Minister has in its crypt.

 Well the visit to the Minister left me with a bad taste in my mouth. That’s because they wanted to over £7 to see round it! As we were on a tight budget that priced us out. They did allow you to go into the services free but that didn’t fit for us, Anglican evensong is not really appreciated by two teenagers and I didn't think as a matter of integrity I could then look round the place. There were however thousands of tourists who were paying many of the Asian but I did notice many who looked at the price and left. I had a look in the bookshop and had a sinking feeling there. It was filled with what I can only describe as middle class tat, scented candle, t-towels, models of the cathedral, little gargoyles and some icons. Among the books there were kids bible story books but I couldn’t find any books that someone who was interested in finding out more about Christianity would have found helpful in English never mind in any other language.

The second thing that got to me was the only statue in the Cathedral precinct. It was of the Emperor Constantine, who was proclaimed emperor in York. A sign behind the statue explained Constantine had been the founder of western Christendom. On the front of the statue of Constantine, who was seated with his sword drawn, were the words, “By this sign conquer” There was no explanation about the cross being the sign, just a man with a sword and the explanation behind that he had been the founder of Christendom. I watched an Asian couple read the inscriptions and then look at the statue and have their photographs taken in front of it. I thought about the fact that they had probably read that this was the second most important Christian site in England, a place of Christian worship and pilgrimage for over a thousand year. That it was seat of the Archbishop of York, the second most senior Church of England bishop. They must have concluded that if anything would express the essence of what Christianity is all about it would be York Minister.

The more I think about it the more deeply troubled I am about the message that the Minister gave these tourists abut Christianity. Personally the plainest message I could see that the Minister proclaims to visitors is, Christianity is about Power and Money. Oh I am sure it would be different message if people went to a service, but most tourist don’t. The medium is the message and to me the message of York Minister as a building and institution is Christianity is about power and money. There is only one statue around the Minister and its not of someone who embodied Christian values and advanced the Kingdom of God like William Wilberforce or St Cuthbert but a military man with a drawn sword, I doubt it many people notice the point was broken. Anyone from former colonies of Britain must have been reinforced in their perception that Christianity is essentially aggressive and imperialistic by the words “by this sign conquer” .

 I realise it must cost an enormous amount of money to maintain the Minister but there must be a better way of doing it than charging the way they do. I think it destroys any sense of pilgrimage the place has. The admission price reduces it to another tourist attraction among many of others, just another historic building. I may being unfair but I think there is a deeper issue. My understanding of Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple wasn’t that his motivation was the vast profits that the Temple authorities were making. It was the fact that all of this was taking place in the court of the Gentiles, the only place were seekers of the true God outside God’s people could come to get a sense of what He was all about. Jesus anger was that those seeking to find out more about His Father were being prevented from doing so. As I watched many young Asians turn away from the admission area having seen the price I wonder what Jesus would have thought about what was happening.

 I am sorry if I have been unfair to York Minister but I really do feel it gives the totally wrong message to hundreds of thousands of tourists about the essence of Christianity.