Hagia Sophia, Istanbul was once a cathedral. Westminster Abbey was once a cathedral These two great buildings have that in common.
We need shed no tears about Westminster Abbey. It may have forfeited its status as a cathedral but it has something only slightly less than divine approval as a royal peculiar. It continues to be a place of Christian worship as well as a heritage centre for the English people. It can well look after itself.
But Hagia Sophia is different. Its recent switch from museum to mosque has caused excitement and dismay. It is an emblem of Turkishness as well as a historical staging-post. Built at the order of Justinian in the sixth century it was the greatest church in Christendom. Then, in 1453, it became a mosque. It remained so in the days of the Ottoman empire until in Kemal Ataturk’s secular Turkey it took on a role as a museum and became a world-beating tourist attraction. Now President Erdogan has reclaimed it for Islam. Turkey is the stronger for that.
A parish in which I once had an interest had within it a disused Catholic Apostolic church that had been turned into a furniture store. The remnant of a congregation proved to be an asset to worshippers at the parish church. The Catholic Apostolic Church, led by Edward Irving during the 19th century, practised speaking in tongues and laid great emphasis on the second coming of Christ. It had in 1901 315 congregations in the UK and a church in Gordon Square, Bloomsbury as its landmark. For 30 years this imposing building was home to the London university chaplaincy. It is now redundant and hosts a daily Forward in Faith service.
It is no uncommon thing for church buildings to serve different purposes. We nowadays see redundant parish churches being converted into mosques, St Mark’s, Camberwell being a notable example.
During the lockdown it has been frequently asserted that the Church is not a building; it is people. And that is certainly the case. But the loss of parish churches is not an insignificant matter. Once a journey across England meant that the traveller was never out of sight of a church tower or spire. That amounted to a distinctive statement about the nation.
We live in a changing society. There is every reason why we should get on well with our Muslim neighbours and nothing will ensure that so much as the experience of coming together as people of faith. We shall find where the boundaries are but good fences make good neighbours. We need to recognise what’s what today and not be so much concerned about what used to be.
If you have a comment on this post please send an email to Revd John King. Edited extracts may be published. To forward this to a friend click on the chain icon below.
Comments