Modern Vicar's Dating Dilemma: Ghosted When Men Discover Her Vocation
Fun-loving Pippa White, a 30-year-old vicar from Shropshire, enjoys Taylor Swift concerts, weekend rugby matches, and creating humorous TikTok videos that have amassed millions of followers. With a bubbly personality and steady job, she might seem an ideal match as Valentine's Day approaches. However, Pippa confesses that dating as a vicar is an absolute nightmare, often leading to ghosting when men find out about her profession.
She explains, "I'm on dating apps, which in itself is funny, because when I first became a vicar I remember thinking, 'am I allowed to be on a dating app?' No-one really talks about dating and being single and being a reverend." On her profiles, she lists her workplace as the Church of England as a subtle clue, but reactions are polarised once she reveals her role. "They either have loads of questions, or they ghost me. There's never anything in between, sadly," she adds.
A Thoroughly Modern Cleric on Social Media
Previously a barmaid, Pippa launched her TikTok account @not_a_priestess 18 months ago, becoming an internet sensation with light-hearted posts. Her videos include giving a tattoo while wearing vestments, dancing in church with sunglasses, and jokingly baptising a cuddly toy. She aims to challenge perceptions that the church is uncool or only for older generations.
"The church isn't seen as cool and edgy and for younger people. There's this perception of 'oh yeah, my gran goes to that.' But plenty of statistics show that lots of young people are actually curious about religion and faith. I just want to make it less scary," Pippa states. As curate of the rural parish of Whitchurch, Fauls and Tilstock, she often surprises people, given that only a third of Church of England vicars are women and nearly half are aged 55 and over.
Viral Success and Mixed Reactions
Pippa's social media journey began when her sister suggested she become a TikTok vicar. Initially sceptical, she posted a clip contrasting a Friday night at a Ministry of Sound event with leading a Sunday service, which went viral. "I had to email my bishop going 'Dear Your Grace, I've gone viral, I thought this was probably something you should know,'" she recalls.
While her bishop is supportive, opinions are divided. "I get really divided opinions. People are either very supportive, or they don't like it," she says. Drawing inspiration from Jesus, she notes, "He didn't sit in a temple being really holy and never talking to anyone. He was out and about. If it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me!"
Background and Broader Impact
Growing up in Norfolk with an atheist father and Christian mother, Pippa became a regular churchgoer at university, getting baptised at 19. After working as a barmaid and waitress, she enrolled at theological college, ordained in 2022. She finds similarities between bartending and vicaring, joking, "The only difference is that there's not a bar between you when people are telling you about their problems."
Away from work, Pippa enjoys Taylor Swift concerts, saw Dizzee Rascal last year, and plays rugby, which she took up at theological college. "It's nice to have a pastime that isn't churchy," she remarks. Her social media presence recently led to an ambassadorship with Tearfund, a Christian charity, allowing her to make a difference globally.
Pippa hopes her unique approach will attract more young women to the church. "When I decided I wanted to be a vicar I couldn't see anybody who looked like me in a dog collar. That makes it really hard trying to work out what your life is going to look like," she reflects. Her family supports her career, often gifting novelty items like an inflatable Jesus.
