The Problematic Church Building: History, Authority and the Liturgy of Church Closure in Australia, 1973-1998
Church closure in Australia is often a disturbing process even if handled well. Attachment to a building, especially if it is an historic one, is difficult to sever. The formal and symbolic separation is achieved through liturgy. This paper discusses a sample of liturgies used in Australian Protesta...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
AASR
[2010]
|
| In: |
Australian religion studies review
Year: 2010, Volume: 23, Issue: 1, Pages: 64-90 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) Volltext (doi) |
| Parallel Edition: | Electronic
|
| Summary: | Church closure in Australia is often a disturbing process even if handled well. Attachment to a building, especially if it is an historic one, is difficult to sever. The formal and symbolic separation is achieved through liturgy. This paper discusses a sample of liturgies used in Australian Protestant churches that closed between 1973 and 1998. The liturgies address the disturbance of closure by interpreting the history of the building and its congregation in theological terms. In the process, the authority of the church is re-established in a climate of fracture and dissolution. In its ultimate purpose, the liturgy of closure resembles a Christian funeral. At the point of death', the liturgy provides a means to return to God. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1744-9014 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Australian religion studies review
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1558/arsr.v23i1.64 |