What belongs in the house of God? Writing in Premier Christianity, Tony Wilson reflects on St Paul's Cathedral's renewed partnership with Fabric, the London nightclub and events organiser, to host a series of concerts in the cathedral — a decision that has provoked mixed reactions among Christians. Rather than simply celebrating or condemning it, he uses the moment to work through a deeper question about the boundary between the sacred and the secular.
St Paul's is far from alone, he notes. Ripon Cathedral is hosting a DJ night with a licensed bar; Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral houses an installation by the secular artist Tracey Emin; and plays, concerts and comedy nights are common in churches across the country. He resists setting up a false division between the holy things of God and everyday life as profane — much of our work and the art we create is good, true and beautiful — and he concedes that many church buildings sit empty most of the week, with pragmatism pushing congregations to open them as community hubs.
To resolve his indecision he turns to Scripture. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is invoked to make places and objects sacred — set apart for God's use alone — as with the tabernacle, altar and utensils in Exodus 40. God's holiness draws boundaries around what is consecrated to him: Uzzah is struck dead for touching the Ark to steady it (2 Samuel 6), and Belshazzar is judged for treating vessels devoted to God as common drinking cups (Daniel 5). But the New Testament, Wilson observes, radically relocates holiness around Christ and, through him, the Church and the whole people of God — the tearing of the temple curtain means people are invited to meet Christ without false barriers.
His conclusion is a careful middle course. Yes, create sacred spaces, and be generous enough to work with secular partners and artists of goodwill, who may help the church see familiar truths with fresh eyes — but only with boundaries, discernment and a very clear sense of purpose. "If they do not clearly and directly help people encounter the Risen Lord, what exactly are they doing in His house?" he asks. The spaces the church stewards, he concludes, are not ours to market, monetise or make fashionable: they belong to God alone.
Source: Premier Christianity — premierchristianity.com
