Cathedral spirituality!

What next for a Cathedral near you?

After crazy golf in Rochester Cathedral, the helter skelter in Norwich Cathedral and a semi-nude fashion show in Southwark Cathedral, Exeter Cathedral is to trial video games on Sunday 13th October as an "aid to spirituality". 

Hat tip to Llandaff Diocese for this revelation in a tweet picked up from their web site:
 "Talk about fully embracing digital! Sounds like a great idea 👍 - How video games can offer new spiritual experiences to church congregations. The contribution that interactive media offers the faith setting is similar to poetry or beautiful music." 

How long before artificial grass is laid in the cathedral nave with chairs around the perimeter to watch indoor games, popping up to the altar at half time for refreshment?

All the fun of the fair

The Dean of Norwich, the Very Rev Jane Hedges, slides down the helter skelter. The Rev Andy Bryant 

 insists the funfair ride has a ‘serious intent’. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA/Guardian

Rochester Cathedral's nine-hole, bridge-themed crazy golf course divided opinion. The cathedral said it hoped visitors would learn about faith, building "both emotional and physical bridges". Opponents described the move as sacrilege here and here.

Not to be outdone Norwich Cathedral installed a 55ft-tall helter skelter in their nave "so that visitors can enjoy a better view of its ornate roof". The Rev Canon Andy Bryant told The Guardian that the idea came to him when he was visiting the Sistine Chapel in Rome. That was not something that occurred to me when I was part of a jostling crowd being ushered through the chapel. Nor is the nave roof anything like the roof of the Sistine Chapel.

There will be vastly more room in Norwich Cathedral unless there has been a change in fortune. Responding to the fact that the 2011 census highlighted that the City of Norwich was rated the most godless city in England, the then Communications Director for the Diocese of Norwich, the Venerable Jan McFarlane, said the good people of Norwich are 'doing their church-going differently'!" - ie, staying away.

Such inventiveness earned the archdeacon promotion to Bishop of Repton! Perhaps the Canon seeks to emulate her success but in today's Church of England his sex is against him.

As for providing an opportunity to view the ceiling, the helter skelter more likely provides yet another opportunity for racing to the bottom in the Church of England - no pun intended.