Talk:The Church

As usual on this wiki, a huge number of assumptions happily stated as facts. For instance, the only use of the word Anglican is in the dialogue of the fat/thin couple who are listing the reasons why they stand out in the company they keep. Isn't it likely that they stand out by being Anglicans in a largely Catholic body rather than the idea that all of the other marines are also Anglican?

Divisions?
Onboard Demon's Run the uniforms of Thin Man, Fat Man, Lorna, Lucas and Dominicus are printed with the word Cleric. But the uniforms of Thin, Fat and Lorna also have VGR 3 printed on them and Dominicus and Lucas have CHP 8 printed on their. Could this be some sort of division? I am rufus 10:53, June 16, 2011 (UTC)

Rank or profession maybe? Skittles the hog-- Talk 11:02, June 16, 2011 (UTC)



Re: Divisions

Rufus. VGR is shorthand for Verger, a type of layperson, which was a known rank in the Church. CHP could possibly be shorthand for Chaplain, which is a military clergyman.

The numbers are either serial numbers, or level numbers - Father Octavian in the Crash of the Byzantium is called a Bishop Second Class, indicating that there are subdivisions of each rank in the Church.

Traskold.

Closing time
When did the Church appear in Closing Time? The powers talk to me 15:57, October 4, 2011 (UTC)

Kovarian and the Silence are accompanied by a group of clerics when they take River at the end. 220.239.109.57 05:07, December 3, 2011 (UTC)

Catholic/Anglican
I think that there is an obvious split between the two versions of the Church we see in Doctor Who. At the Crash of the Byzantium they are probably Catholic, with names like Marco, Pedro, Octavian and Crispin, and Bishop Octavian is referred to as Father, a Catholic term.

The Clerics at Demons Run are different in that they are fighting AGAINST the Doctor - albeit on the Silence's hypnotic suggestions. There are female clerics at Demons Run, whereas the Byzantium Expedition is purely male. The 'Fat One' and the 'Thin One' refer to themselves as denominationially Anglican. Colonel Manton says that the Papal Mainframe governs the Headless Monks who are completely separate from the mainstream Church.

I believe that the two groups of Clerics are both part of the Church, which is still split into denominations such as Catholic and Anglican - with the Anglican regiment at Demons Run being manipulated by the Silence and the Headless Monks