Canterbury Cathedral

[emmie]

after 1,000 years has finally allowed girls to sing in it's hallowed halls, how on earth will the traditionalists stand it, no wonder the church comes in for criticism at times. I love choristers, choral music, even though i am not remotely religious, so this is a welcome change, it's taken rather a long time though.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-25879403

[Zacs-Master]

It would seem to have been a Canterbury tradition as the article cites other cathedrals which have female choristers.

[Prudie]

I've sung Handel's Messiah in Canterbury Cathedral, the no-girls obviously refers to the actual choir itself. great step forward and a wonderful opportunity for the local schoolgirls.

[anotheoldgit]

Should all ancient English traditions be sacrificed in the quest for equalisation?

Not in anyway disagreeing with the formation of an all girl's choir in this instance, but just adding an extra point.

[Zacs-Master]

But it's not a tradition. Lots of other cathedrals have female choristers, as I've pointed out the link states.

[murraymints]

Was there years ago..guide was recounting tale of Thomas a Beckett.....American voice pips up...

GEE IS THIS WERE THE HOMICIDE TOOK PLACE ?

We all burst out laughing ...

[anotheoldgit]

Steve.5

/// Unfortunaely AOG we have to catch up with the real world, we dont want to be lingering in the past.Some traditions have to be updated for the sake of progress. ///

All depends on what one considers to be the 'real world of progress' for example in the past it was traditional to have all boys and all girls schools, now we have Co-educational schools and classes.

http://www.theguardian.com/women-in-leadership/2013/oct/30/co-educational-schools-bad-for-girls

[anotheoldgit]

Zacs-Master

/// But it's not a tradition. ///

It was in Canterbury Cathedral.

[Zacs-Master]

But it's not an 'English tradition' as you were suggesting.

[New Judge]

If I were one of the girls I would tell the Canterbury choirmaster to go forth and multiply. As far as I would be concerned they could get on with their silly boys only club.

The Church is gradually, with great reluctance, moving slowly into the eighteenth century and I suppose this is testament to it. But rather like the issue of women bishops (and before that, women clergy) I’m afraid if I were a woman I would ask the question “Do I really want to be part of an organisation that clearly thinks that women are second class citizens and that has fought tooth and nail to keep them out for so long?” I think I know how I’d answer.

[anotheoldgit]

Zacs-Master

/// But it's not an 'English tradition' as you were suggesting. ///

Are you being excessively pedantic or just argumentative? this is what I put;

Should all ancient English traditions be sacrificed in the quest for equalisation?

This was in response to the headline in the link;

*** Canterbury Cathedral Girls' Choir ends centuries of male
tradition ***

And for future exclamation Canterbury Cathedral happens to be situated in England, if you didn't know that also.

[Zacs-Master]

But it's NOT an English tradition. Why do you keep asserting that it is? And, yes I've actually been so I am aware of its location.

[anotheoldgit]

It was a Canterbury Cathedral tradition, Canterbury Cathedral is in England, therefore it makes it one of England's ancient traditions.

End of.

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, using that reasoning, would you agree there is an English tradtion of driving on the right in England?

[Zacs-Master]

What a ridiculous argument.

[THECORBYLOON]

At The Savoy Hotel, cars drive on the right, it's a tradition. They have done so for about a hundred years. It's in London which is in England. Therefore it's an English tradition... Try using that excuse next time you're driving the wrong way down a main road.

[mikey4444]

I visited the very beautiful Wells Cathedral about 13 years ago, and was surprised to see girl choristers, and asked one of guides what was going on.

He looked a little embarrassed but admitted that a thunderbolt had not riven the Cathedral roof in two yet, and that some of the girls actually had better voices than the boys ! They certainly sounded marvelous to me. Apparently both boys and girls played football together on the green every Saturday as well !

[FredPuli43]

AOG : “Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about.” [G.K. Chesterton]

Do you agree with that ? Doing something simply because it is a tradition means doing it because our ancestors did it in their times.

[DTCwordfan]

Disgraceful - the priests and others lose a lot of the chance to molest their young choirboys then.

[mikey4444]

DTC...I am sure that the girls are quite capable of being molested just as easily as the boys !