Space to Explore: Cathedrals and Contemporary Mission
CONTEMPORARY Christianity faces challenges on multiple fronts. Not only is there a decline in religious belief generally, but even amongst adherents of the Christian faith, there is a decline in participation in traditional church life. The abuse of power by institutions of religion has led to churches being labelled untrustworthy and hypocritical. The progress of secularisation in the realms of education, healthcare and political life has seen religion retreat from being a public activity, binding nations and societies together, to a private pursuit occupying an exclusively private sphere.
Meanwhile, violence perpetrated in the name of God is constantly in the headlines, as religiously motivated terrorism becomes a new normality. This context of suspicion, distrust, disengagement and disbelief, both globally and locally, is the environment in which Christian mission must nd expression. In what follows, I want to explore how cathedrals can facilitate this expression amongst those currently outside the church, and to consider the spirituality required to make this work.
Secularisation and Institutionalism
Within the churches there has been a tendency to view secularisation as entirely negative, and this has given rise to a sharper distinction between religion and secular society. We often assume that those outside the churches have no interest in existential questions, but this is not the case. While the religious landscape is indeed changed, the human condition remains the same. Those of “no religion” nd themselves exploring the same questions about the meaning of life and the possibility of transcendence, but they do so not from an institutional or a religious standpoint, but from that of secular humanism.
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Eimhin Walsh
is national coordinator of SCM Ireland and development and fund-raising manager at Educate Together.