Combining thematic analysis and stimulating close readings, 'The Collar' is a wide-ranging study of the many ways - heroic or comic, shrewd or dastardly - in which Christian clergy have been represented in literature, from George Herbert and Laurence Sterne, via Anthony Trollope, G.K. Chesterton, T.S. Eliot, and Graham Greene, to Susan Howatch and Robertson Davies, and in film and television, such as 'Pale Rider', 'The Thorn Birds', 'The Vicar of Dibley', and 'Father Ted'. Since all Christians are expected to be involved in ministry of some type, the assumptions of secular culture about ministers affect more than just clergy. Ranging across several nations (particularly Britain, the U.S., and Canada), denominations, and centuries, 'The Collar' encouragescreative and faithful responses to the challenges of Christian leadership and develops awareness of the times when leadership expectations become too extreme. Using the framework of different media to make inquiries about pastoral passion, frustration, and fallibility, Sue Sorensen's well-informed, sprightly, and perceptive book will be helpful to anyone who enjoys evocative literature and film as well as to clergy and those interested in practical theology.

Combining thematic analysis and stimulating close readings, 'The Collar' is a wide-ranging study of the many ways - heroic or comic, shrewd or dastardly - in which Christian clergy have been represented in literature, from George Herbert and Laurence Sterne, via Anthony Trollope, G.K. Chesterton, T.S. Eliot, and Graham Greene, to Susan Howatch and Robertson Davies, and in film and television, such as 'Pale Rider', 'The Thorn Birds', 'The Vicar of Dibley', and 'Father Ted'. Since all Christians are expected to be involved in ministry of some type, the assumptions of secular culture about ministers affect more than just clergy. Ranging across several nations (particularly Britain, the U.S., and Canada), denominations, and centuries, 'The Collar' encouragescreative and faithful responses to the challenges of Christian leadership and develops awareness of the times when leadership expectations become too extreme. Using the framework of different media to make inquiries about pastoral passion, frustration, and fallibility, Sue Sorensen's well-informed, sprightly, and perceptive book will be helpful to anyone who enjoys evocative literature and film as well as to clergy and those interested in practical theology.

"Foreword Acknowledgments Prelude: Why Literary Ministers? Interlude: ""The Collar"" by George Herbert 1 Heroism and Suffering Romero, The Mission, Becket, Murder in the Cathedral, The Power and the Glory, Gilead Interlude: 'Diary of a Country Priest' by Georges Bernanos 2 The Counselor / Confessor George Eliot, E. M. Forster, A. S. Byatt Interlude: 'Scenes of Clerical Life' by George Eliot 3 Fools for Christ Tristram Shandy, The Vicar of Wakefield, Bleak House, The Warden, Monsignor Quixote, Heavens Above!, Rowan Atkinson's vicars Interlude: Barbara Pym and Jan Karon 4 The Collared Detective Brother Cadfael mysteries, Father Brown stories, The Name of the Rose Interlude: 'Cry, the Beloved Country' by Alan Paton 5 Passion, For Better and for Worse The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, Racing Demon, Priest Interlude: 'The Book Against God', A Novel by James Wood 6 Failure, For Worse and for Better Jane Eyre, Middlemarch, Margaret Oliphant, Jane Austen, John Updike, Clint Eastwood Interlude: 'Doubt', A Parable by John Patrick Shanley 7 Disaster A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Brand, The Spire, Light in August, Rain Interlude: 'Pale Rider', directed by Clint Eastwood 8 Frustration: The Collar on Screen The Thorn Birds, Footloose, 7th Heaven, Keeping the Faith, The Vicar of Dibley, Rev. Interlude: The Bing Crosby and Richard Burton Movie Priests 9 Clergy Wives and Daughters: The Concealed Collar A Clergyman's Daughter, Bed Among the Lentils, The Rector's Wife, Candida Interlude: Iris Murdoch, 'The Bell' 10 The Canadian Collar The Stone Angel, Such is My Beloved, As For Me and My House, Good to a Fault, Robertson Davies, Ralph Connor, Stephen Leacock, Warren Cariou Interlude: 'Lights and Shadows of Clerical Life' by William Cheetham Postlude: 'Corpus permixtum' Bibliography Index"

Why should ministry attract so much cultural attention? For Christians, one substantial reason, although largely unacknowledged, is that we are all ministers.