Posted on 12/17/2001 10:06:44 PM PST by wyopa
LONDON (Reuters) - British vicars are to fight the good fight.
After a survey showed that one in eight ministers had been assaulted, Anglican clergy will be taught martial arts.
The classes are being organized by the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union which represents more than 1,500 clergy from the Church of England.
"It is a sad fact of modern life that members of the clergy will come into contact with individuals who are likely to resort to violence," the Reverend Bill Ward, head of the union's clergy section, said in a statement.
The union said being a vicar was more dangerous than working as a probation officer or as a doctor.
Whenever Friar Tuck had to whack someone unconcious with his staff, afterwards he would look up towards heaven and ask for forgiveness.
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