Amidst
all the handwringing about the future of the Church of England, attendance at
cathedral services is up. Yes, up,
and notably so.
The
linked article cites a desire of anonymity among other factors for the
increase, and that might be so.
But I think something more fundamental might be happening.
People
desire beautiful worship with reverent traditional liturgy,
excellent choirs, and a stately setting.
And cathedrals are among the chief places to experience that.
In the
past, I’ve seen all the empty seats at such excellent services and thought the
English do not appreciate what they possess. Perhaps that is changing?
Indeed,
when friends and I worshipped at Ely Cathedral on a Sunday morning late this
Spring, we arrived a bit late (not on purpose) and found we had to sit way back
even though the service was in the nave.
Ely is a very small town, yet their cathedral is indeed well attended. And understandably so given the
excellent choir and setting. That weekend we
were also surprised by the lines to get into the Chapel of King’s College
Cambridge (which is not a cathedral, of course, but also excels in glorious
worship).
Beautiful
worship can be an important way of evangelism. Perhaps we are seeing that in England. Let us pray so at least.
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