Thursday 21 January 2010

Shock! Horror! Churchgoers Look Forward to the Sermon


Various places are reporting the findings of the CODEC research centre's investigation of attitudes to sermons. Here's the BBC's take, and here Ruth Gledhill's at Timesonline.

It turns out that for many the sermon is the best bit of the service often eagerly anticipated.  Can't yet find a link to the actual report (don't think it's available on line) so for now I'll suspend judgement.  One question though, "Should I be at all suspicious, or perhaps "careful" would be a better word, that the research was commissioned by The College of Preachers, an organisation committed to and seeking to promote preaching?"

6 comments:

Stephen Lingwood said...

I just find it wrandom that on the BBC report there's a picture of the vicar of Dibley (not in a pulpit), with the caption "Most sermons are preached from a pulpit or lectern"

tim f said...

Disappointing that the methodology isn't publicly available, for free, so we don't know what question they asked. (Unless I just couldn't find it.)

I look forward to sermons more than any other part of the service (apart from perhaps open prayer), but that may say more about my distaste for Christian worship songs.

Glen Marshall said...

The report is available for £5 (cheque payable St. John's College) from:

Theresa Phillips
Administrative Assistant
Cranmer Hall and Faith & Order
St John's College,
Durham University,
3 South Bailey,
DURHAM
DH1 3RJ

andy amoss said...

My favourite bit is coffee and biscuits.

Kezia said...

The people staying in church probably do love it, but what of those that leave and the one's who have never been?

Glen said...

Well, they obviously don't know what they're missing.