Rave in the Nave

 

There have been some serious desecrations of churches. In Speyer, Germany at Memorial Church where German Princes defended the evangelical and protestant faith in 1529 against an imperial ban, a Muslim Imam was allowed to make the Muslim call to prayer in the church, with only one woman protesting (https://www2.cbn.com/news/world/brave-german-woman-rebukes-islams-lie).So when other churches begin to have any seemingly secular services, fears rise that Paul words are indeed happening, “They will consider nothing sacred” (2 Timothy 3:2 NLT). The latest was a rave in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral, which is seat of The Archbishop of Canterbury, the bishop who coronates kings and queens of England. This was a silent rave, which means that the youths wore headphones listening to Disco music transmitted to headsets. The effect for anyone entering without headphones would be people dancing to nothing. 

The Church is claiming that raves like this are meant to raise revenue to save the nave. It is no secret that Christianity is in decline in The UK, and to preserve and restore these historical churches requires patronage and these kind of events.  This makes sense from fiscal point of view, but protesters claim this is a form of desecration. I do wonder where their outrage was when churches were converted into bars and Yoga studios. But to be fair Canterbury is the Vatican of Anglicanism, so the ire and concern is more concentrated, fearing this will further erode the seriousness of faith. 

“On the other hand..” as Tavia says, youths rock’in out in a religious setting could make Episcopalianism more attractive and modern, and what parent wouldn’t prefer their children raving in a cathedral over those seedy underground clubs? I mean you cannot cry despair over youths becoming nones (irreligious, no faith) and then when they finally enter a cathedral call them sacrilegious and expect the youth to be endeared to the Church. Perhaps Jesus would say, “suffer the teens come to me, and rave in my resplendent [cathedral] nave.” We cannot ignore that irreligion is becoming the dominate religious preference, and so Archbishop Welby is no doubt trying to shore up a fastly changing religious landscape. 

I do understand the concern of the sacred being dwarfed by spectacle. You don’t see Mosques, Hindu Temples, and other places sacred to those religions converted temporarily into secular raves. One could argue this kind of “Seeker Friendly” approach will only make the holy more irrelevant, putting  the lid on the coffin of Christianity in Europe, not holding the lid up as intended. The verse by St. Paul seems like bell ringing over these events, “For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.” (2 Timothy 3:2). But is this rave a fulfillment of that Scripture? Or what if instead of Disco it was worship music? What if youths could have glow sticks and headsets and blast modern Christian music and bands like Skillet as they dance in Cathedrals. I say that would be an epic alternative for youth groups and there would be no concern of a lack of respect or defilement. On the other hand, I would say that raves like this I would be concerned about potential Satanists trying to defile cathedrals, since Satanism is on the rise in the UK blasting in their headset chants to demons and to devils as they silently do ritual with others in the rave. At least with public music you know the content, what is playing on the DJ’s record. 

Ultimately the pros and cons of this kind of hosting will be debated. The camp that sees this as eroding the sacred for entertainment and the love of money have a point, and those who think its better to have youths hosted in a church than going to clubs has some sense. The delicate balance is not to bring sin or wicked behavior into holy places, but at the same time considering new ways to turn once packed stone cathedrals into a place for 21st Century people to connect with the faith has merit too. Amen.