Exploring the missional capacity of cathedral installations and events:Theory and data

Francis, L.J. and Village, A. (2026) Exploring the missional capacity of cathedral installations and events:Theory and data. Theology. ISSN 0040-571X

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Abstract

Hosting income-generating installations and events in cathedrals remains controversial. This paper examines three narratives suggesting that such activities are missional and supportive of Anglican ecclesiology. Then it explores new survey data gathered from people attending the 2024 pre-Christmas son et lumiere in Liverpool Cathedral. Five statistics stand out within these data: while only 30% were churchgoers (attending at least six times a year), 91% felt welcomed and at home in the Cathedral, 61% lit a votive candle, and 56% said they would attend more events like this. As a consequence of attending this installation, 28% said that they were more likely to attend a carol service in the Cathedral, and 21% that they were more likely to attend a carol service in their local church.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Published by Sage in 2026. This is an author accepted manuscript of a published open access article available at https://doi.org/10.1177/0040571X251401160. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.
Keywords:	cathedral studies sacred space common ground implicit religion Christmas music
Depositing User:	Ursula Mckenna
Date Deposited:	13 Oct 2025 13:58
Last Modified:	02 Feb 2026 10:05
URI:	https://lbro.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/1271

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