Canon Mark Oakley was delivering the Donald Barnes Memorial Lecture, arguing for a renewal of theological language.<\/p>\n
The Canon, who is responsible for the educational and outreach work of the Cathedral, explained that a priest\u2019s vocation \u2018is not about giving information\u2019 but helping \u2018formation\u2019 and \u2018growth\u2019, adding that \u2018the Church is always in danger of such deadening jargon that means little to the uninitiated\u2019.<\/p>\n
He said that talk of faith and God is \u2018so often at the moment polarised\u2019 and \u2018beaten into crass characterisations and then fired like bullets\u2019.<\/p>\n
This leads to \u2018a lot of bumper-sticker theology, soundbites on God that we\u2019re meant to honk at if we agree or just drive by if we don\u2019t\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not here to resolve the mystery of God but to deepen it. We are not to reflect jargon and clich\u00e9 \u2013 the devil is in the drivel when logos have turned to slogan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n