Why should Yorkshire’s historic cathedrals pay the price for these untried and unconvincing proposals from the national Church? To date, the compensatory benefits of a much larger diocese have not been spelled out. Bigger is not self-evidently better. The three dioceses vote in March 2013 to determine their futures.
It is essential that by then the proponents of the scheme furnish coherent arguments for change in order to allow informed and reasoned debate. It will after all be tragic to sacrifice these cathedrals, their heritage and their mission, along with the three dioceses they serve, for little or no overall gain.
We must not overlook a more sinister threat still. Should this new pattern of amalgamating dioceses be rolled out across the nation at large, what will become of all those other great cathedrals that serve as beacons of Christian faith across our land?
The Dean doesn’t quite make his case. As he admits, all of Yorkshire’s cathedrals already depend on the generosity of volunteers for their maintenance – the Church of England does not have the income to pay for them.
Could it be that his real underlying concern is that this restructure will result in two less bishop positions to be filled?
But that is one of the inevitable consequences of a church with diminishing income and membership – less opportunities for promotion.