Rector’s Reflections
Wednesday 18th September 2024
The Role of Cathedrals in the Modern World
Today I am starting a new series of reflections, on the subject of the role of cathedrals in the modern world. Why should we have cathedrals? What is their role? How should they be managed? Who should pay for them?
Let me start with some preliminary remarks, by way of introduction.
Firstly, what is a cathedral? Technically, a cathedral is simply a church which contains the bishop’s cathedra, and hence the church is known as a cathedral. The bishop’s cathedra is the name for his official seat. Sometimes the bishop’s seat is known as the bishop’s throne, and is quite an elaborate affair. It symbolises the bishop’s status and authority as the presiding priest of his or her diocese. But there is no reason by the bishop’s seat could not be an ordinary chair. Furthermore, a bishop could choose to place their official chair in any church within their diocese – it doesn’t have to in a grand building. Our local bishop, the Bishop of Oxford, could choose to place his cathedra in one of the churches of our own benefice, should he wish to do so. However, it can be convenient for the bishop’s cathedra to remain in one place – that way, everyone knows where it is. It can also be convenient for the bishop’s office to be based closed to where he or she has their cathedra, and for the bishop to live nearby. This is the case for the bishop of Oxford: the Diocesan offices are located just to the north of Oxford, in Kidlington, and this is where the bishop lives.
Having said this, the word “cathedral” can sometimes be used more loosely, to describe a large and historic church which continues to play an important part in the life of a local community. Large parish churches are sometimes know locally as “cathedrals”: for example, I have heard Uffington parish church referred to as the “Cathedral of the Downs”. This loose word of the word “cathedral” in a non-technical sense can be deeply rooted. It might surprise you to know that the Church of Scotland still refers to some of its larger churches as “cathedrals”, even though they abolished bishops centuries ago. It is interesting that the people of Scotland have found it useful to keep the idea of a cathedral, while dispensing with the need for an episcopate. I wonder what this might have to say to us, living south of the border? I shall leave this question for another occasion!
In some parts of England, the word “Minster” is sometimes used to describe a large and imposing church which may or may not be a cathedral in the technical sense. For example, the cathedral in York is by tradition known as York Minster. However, not every church described as a “Minster” is necessarily also a cathedral: for example, Beverely Minster in east Yorkshire is an imposing church (hence “Minster”), but it is not a cathedral.
All very confusing. And an additional confusion has been added in recent years. The Church of England has decided to give some churches in town or city centres the official title of “Minster” in an effort to raise their status. For example, the old church in the centre of Sunderland is now “Sunderland Minster”. Doubtless it sounds good from a marketing point of view. But does it make any difference to the ministry of the church itself, or what people think about it? I don’t know. Perhaps it is too early to say.
Finally, I should add that there are some very grand churches which are neither Cathedrals nor Minsters, but to all intents they function as if they were indeed fully-fledged cathedrals. Examples of such churches would be Westminster Abbey or St George’s Windsor. Neither of these are cathedrals in a technical sense. But their mission and ministry are largely indistinguishable from the mission and ministry which would be typical of a cathedral.
For the sake of clarity, in these reflections I shall be using the word “cathedral” in its broadest sense, to include all Cathedrals, Minsters and cathedral-like establishments.
But what is the mission and ministry of a cathedral in the modern world? What should it be? Are they simply a nice piece of heritage, or do they play a vital role in the mission of the Church of England? We will explore these questions further in the days ahead.