Building: The Church New Church Use of Secular and Sacred Space, 1980 to 2012 David Goodhew & Anthony-Paul Cooper SOCREL Annual Conference: Material Religion 10th April 2013
Background - Decline The decline of British Christianity is well documented (Brierley, 2006; Brown, 2001; Bruce, 1995). Empirical studies have demonstrated that British church attendance in many places is in decline (Voas & Crockett, 2005). Decline has been variously interpreted as the result of the secularisation thesis, people believing without belonging, and as a result of demographic shifts (Bruce, 1993; Davie, 1990; Davie, 1994; Kaufmann, Goujon & Skirbekk, 2011).
Background - Growth Church growth is less well documented, but still prevalent. Such growth is centred on London, black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and amongst new churches (Goodhew, 2012i). Once recent study found that between 1960 and 2010, over 200 new churches were formed in the London borough of Newham alone (Merchant, 2011). 5000 new congregations have sprung up in the UK in the last 3 decades and this is probably an underestimate.
Background Materiality The subject of materiality and the sociology of objects is an important, growing field in the area of sociology and religion, increasingly attracting the attention of sociologists and social scientists alike (Dant, 2006; Morgan, 2010). A plethora of research exists investigating the ways in which subjects interact with and respond to sacred buildings (Cook, 2010). Little attention has been paid to the role of secular spaces, or spaces with a secular history or background, in the interaction process with subjects (Jones, 2011 is a notable exception).
This Study Investigation of new (< 30 years old) churches in York. Quantitative: Congregation size/growth rates, building types/locations. Qualitative: Interviews with church leaders, church website review This study is an extension of a study previously conducted by Goodhew (2012ii). Seeks to investigate how new and growing churches in York utilise sacred and secular spaces as places of worship.
New churches in York Adult Attendance (Sunday) Under-18s. Attendance Year Founded (Sunday) The Ark Calvary Chapel Chinese Church Christ the Light Clifton Moor LEP Elim G2 (Anglican) Gateway C.F. Groves Pentecostal Hope Centre Church 40 200/100 45 40 40 150 160/90 150 30 15 6 65 5 20 18 26 25 35 8 2003 1997 2003 2007 1990 2004 2005 1981 2003 2011 Korean Church 25 5 2004 Living Word Church 50 15 1987 New Hope Ministry 20 5 2008 20 3 2004 (Portuguese) Orthodox (Antioch)
New churches in York (Continued) Adult Attendance (Sunday) Under-18s. Attendance Year Founded (Sunday) Orthodox (Ecumenical Patriarchate) 10-1995 Orthodox (Ethiopian - - 2011 Orthodox (Greek) 15 3 1980s The Rock 250 30 1993 Trinity Church 45/27 6 2009 United 120 80 2005 5 1999 The York Vine Church 26 Vineyard 63 24 2008 Visions/Transcenden ce Mass 18/90 5 1991 YCC 200 55 1993 YEC 120 25 1982 Church 110 20 1999 York (NFI) City
New Churches in York (Continued) Since the data presented in table 1 were collected, the following new churches have been established in York: - Kingdom Life Tabernacle - Root of Jesse Sanctuary - United: South Central These buildings in which these churches meet, and the activities/ministries in which these churches engage are considered within this study,
Categorisations of York church meeting locations (Owned) Converted Secular Building Calvary Chapel (Former terraced house) Elim (Former retail unit) Gateway C. F. (Former school) United (Former school) Living Word (Former pub) Orthodox (Ecumenical Patriarchate) (Garage) (Owned) New Build Clifton Moor LEP (Owned) Converted Former Church Rock (Hire) Another Church Building Chinese Church (St Helen) United: South Central (Spurriergate Centre) Korean Church (Heslington Church) Orthodox (Greek) Orthodox (Antioch) New Hope (York Baptist & St Columba s) Visions (Various different church buildings) Orthodox (Ethiopian) (Hire) School Building Elim (Archbishop Holgate s School) G2 (Burnholme Community College) YCC (Burnholme Community College) YEC (Millthorpe School) Vineyard (St Olave s School) Christ the Light (Joseph Rowntree Secondary School) (Hire) Community Centre The Ark (Foxwood Community Centre) YEC (Clements Hall) Vine Church York (Orchard Park Community Centre) Rot of Jesse Sanctuary (Poppleton Road Memorial Hall) Hope Church Centre (Clements Hall) (Hire) Hotel Kingdom Life Tabernacle (Park Inn) Trinity Church (Hilton Hotel) (Hire) Other City Church (Upstage Centre, a theatre based in a former church building) Trinity Church (Space 109, an art centre based in a former shop)
Results and Observations There has been a proliferation of new churches in York. These churches are varied in terms of size, meeting location, denomination and activities/ministries. York s churches show startling mobility: 9 of the 29 churches studied have shifted location in the last decade (some more than once!).
Results and Observations The most common building categorisation was churches leased from other congregations
Results and Observations Many of the churches engaged in a variety of typical activities/ministries: Children s, youth and student s ministry, small groups, mid-week prayer meetings and courses for those enquiring about faith. Several of the churches also engaged in a variety of more unusual activities: A romance academy, prison ministry, pregnancy crisis support, a dance academy, debt-support ministry and an additional church service on a weekday evening in a licensed bar. There was generally no relationship between activities/ministry and building type... With the exception of churches meeting in community centres.
Results and Observations Various churches met in community centres, some even met in the same centre!
Results and Observations St Anne s House and Chapel A church which meets in a garage.
Results and Observations Visions An alternate worship community which hosts regular services in York Minster.
Results and Observations Secularisation versus Sacralisation
Results and Observations The Rock of York provided an example of previously ecclesial space being reclaimed by the church community.
Conclusions Whilst it is true that many churches close and see their buildings used for secular purposes, it is equally true that previously secular buildings are increasingly being put to church use by new and growing churches. Additionally, many existing church buildings house multiple congregations. Evidence exists of formerly sacred space being reclaimed by the church community. Material church buildings/structures affect, and are affected by, the human subjects which meet in them, in a complex relationship of interdependence.
References Braudel, F. (1981). The structures of everyday life: The limits of the possible. University of California Press, Los Angeles, USA. Brierley, P. (2006). Pulling out of the nosedive: A contemporary picture of churchgoing. Trust Media Distribution, Cumbria, UK. Brown, C. (2001). The death of Christian Britain. Routledge, London, UK. Bruce, S. (1995). Religion in modern Britain. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Bruce, S. (2002). God is dead: Secularization in the west. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK. Burgess, R. (2012). African Pentecostal growth: The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Britain. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 127-143, Ashgate, Surrey, UK. Cook, C. (2010). Finding God in a holy place. Mowbray, London, UK. Dant, T. (2005). Materiality and society. Open University Press, Buckingham, UK.
References Dant, T. (2006). Materiality and civilization: Things and society. British Journal of Sociology, 57, 289-308. Davie, G. (1990). Believing without belonging: Is this the future of religion in Britain?. Social Compass, 37, 455-469. Davie, G. (1994). Religion in Britain since 1945: Believing without belonging. Blackwell, Oxford, UK. Duffuor, A. (2012). Moving up and moving out?: The expansion of a London-based African Pentecostal church. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 145-159, Ashgate, Surrey, UK. Goodhew, D. (2012i). Church growth in Britain, 1980 to the present day. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 3-20, Ashgate, Surrey, UK. Goodhew, D. (2012ii). From the margins to the mainstream: New churches in York. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 179-192, Ashgate, Surrey, UK.
References Goodhew, D. (2012iii). The death and resurrection of Christianity in contemporary Britain. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 253-257, Ashgate, Surrey, UK. Judah, S. (2013). The heavy metal-loving church. The BBC News website, February 14th 2013. Taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21425108 (Last accessed: 25th March 2013). Kauffman, E., Goujon, A., & Skirbekk, V. (2011). The end of secularization in Europe?: A socio-demographic perspective. Sociology of Religion, 0, 1-23. Kauffman, E. (2012). London: A rising island of religion in a secular area. The Huffington Post website, December 22nd 2012. Taken from: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/eric-kaufmann/london-a-rising-island-of-religion_b_2336699. (Last accessed 2nd March 2013).
References Glendinning, A. (2011). Church launches 4pm Sunday pub service for hungover students. The Manchester Evening News website, January 20 th 201. Taken from: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/church-launches-4pm (Last accessed 25th March 2013). Marsh, C. (2012). The diversification of English Christianity: The example of Birmingham. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 193205, Ashgate, Surrey, UK. McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: The extensions of man. MIT Press, Massachusetts, USA. Miller, D. (2005). Materiality. Duke University Press, North Carolina, USA. Osgood, H. (2012). The rise of black churches church. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 107-125, Ashgate, Surrey, UK. Voas, D. & Crockett, A. (2005). Religion in Britain: Neither believing nor belonging. Sociology, 39, 11-28.
References Wilford, J. (2008). Toward a morality of materiality: Adorno and the primacy of the object. Space and Culture, 11, 409-421. Wolffe, J. & Jackson, B. (2012). Anglican resurgence: The Church of England in London. In D. Goodhew (Ed.), Church growth in Britain 1980 to the present, 23-39, Ashgate, Surrey, UK.
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