If I get up reasonably promptly in the morning, for a few
minutes I coincide with Farming Today
on Radio 4. Even though it’s clear that farmers always have some complaint to
make about the weather, no matter what the weather has been like, it’s an
interesting insight into a world I have no other contact with, in my suburban
environment. The programme’s reports aren’t all specifically about agriculture,
but also look at rural society and issues facing it more generally (they
regularly discuss internet access, for instance). A little while ago there was
a series of pieces about the role of rural churches and what alternative uses
might be made of them in a time when church attendance is mainly small.
Listeners’ comments were broadcast. ‘No effort should be wasted on these
useless buildings,’ went one, ‘bulldoze the lot and build houses’.
A little while later I was alerted to a discussion on a
Facebook board that covers Hornington and the area around: someone had gone
into Swanvale Halt church and found a couple of youngsters cycling around
inside. It wouldn’t be the first time. Most of the comments concerned issues of
respect and manners, and a few ribald statements about what Jesus might do, but
one fellow suggested ‘Good for them, at least they’ve found a use for a useless
building’.
I’m not suggesting such sentiments are common: in fact it’s
clear from the reactions (or definite lack of reactions) to them that they are marginal and, for all I know, the Farming Today commentator and the chap on the message board are one
and the same. Nor is it possible to judge whether they fit into something more
coherent and thought-out than simply a spasm of irritation. Is this standpoint
confined to religious buildings, or is it a utilitarian objection to any old
structure which has outlived its original purpose? Whatever the truth of that, it’s
worth noting that some people, at least, look at a church in the centre of
their community and heartily resent its presence. The word ‘useless’, that
unites both these comments, is probably the mildest of the epithets that might
have been applied.
The church is unique, in that people's perceptions are almost entirely mediated through received opinions and negative stereotypes. Other institutions and other buildings may share some of that fate, of course, but to nowhere near the same extent. People will resent the local castle or moot-hall, but only if they didn't like their old history-teacher at school.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, although you can never quite discount the possibility that someone commenting in this kind of negative way has had some genuinely bad experience with the Church rather than just speaking out of prejudice, which is why it occurred to me that much harsher words than 'useless' might have been used.
DeleteI admire your reasonableness rowards unpleasantly closed-minded comments. Why someone should resent the existence of a church, whether they ever go in there or not, is beyond me. I loathe the Premier League and its hype, but I couldn't see much point in resenting a football stadium.
ReplyDelete