AN OXFORD vicar is taking a couple of months away from the rat race – to learn how to tell stories.

The Rev Tony Price has been vicar at St Nicholas Church in Old Marston for more than 20 years but will be taking a sabbatical from Wednesday, May 16, to learn how to bring the Bible to life.

The 62-year-old will use the opportunity to carry out research into telling the Bible story, as well as travelling to America.

He said: “Part of the sabbatical is about study and that is where the storytelling aspect comes in. My particular interest is in biblical storytelling and telling it as faithfully as possible.

“It is about thinking about what makes the difference between storytelling and reading something from a book.

“Sometimes readings can be very flat and dull, and storytelling helps people notice things in the story that they have not noticed before.

“In one sense it is so obvious that you find it hard to believe it makes such a difference.

“But the Bible story is tremendous enough and engaging enough not to need artifice when telling it.”

Over the course of his sabbatical Mr Price will be carrying out research in Oxford but will also be visiting America to meet some members of the Network of Biblical Storytellers International, a group of storytellers who perform biblical tales.

While he is away the church will be looked after by its wardens, while services will be taken by local priests, including Mr Price’s wife Alison.

He said: “I have been vicar here for 21 years so people here are very familiar with me and I am with them so I will miss the usual routine.

“But then that’s what a sabbatical is for – to prevent you from going stale.”

Mr Price will return to his post at the end of August.