Norwich Cathedral has found a novel way to get into the news. As reported throughout the press, the Cathedral installed a Helter Skelter in order to attract people.
“It’s certainly not a gimmick – its fun but it’s meant to get people thinking about the meaning of life”. Whilst I have no qualms with anyone ‘having fun’ and struggle with the concept of sacred holy places – I think it is disingenuous or daft to think that a helter skelter in a cathedral will get people thinking about the meaning of life.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-49389623
Another City – Another Cathedral – Another Christianity
A couple of Sundays ago I went to another Anglican cathedral – this time at a heart of a city of five million. This was like Norwich a beautiful building – but they use the Bible, not gimmicks to fill the church.
Compare and contrast:
Norwich uses a Helter Skelter to attract the young – and they struggle. St Andrews, Sydney, teach the Bible and yet their church was mostly younger people.
Norwich speaks about diversity. In St Andrews you can see it. There were people from European, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, African, Indian and Middle Eastern backgrounds.
Norwich it wants people to consider serious issues but they are treated as a joke. St Andrews deals with the most serious issues and yet there is joy.
Norwich compromises with the culture and loses the people. St Andrews challenges the culture and wins many of the people.
Listen to the first sermon here from the Dean – Kanishka Raffel. It was a tough sermon, but full of compassion and hope. It was biblical, intelligent, faithful, Christ exalting and thrilling.
They are not just two different cathedrals – they are two different religions. I know which one I belong to!
Here is another great example of an Anglican Cathedral leading the way –