Cathedrals in public: bridging the gap between public theology and cathedral studies

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study demonstrates the value of the field of public theology for cathedral studies. Both of these fields are concerned with the continuing role of religion in public life in contemporary societies, and yet those writing within these fields often do not draw from the work of the other. Therefore, in this study I show some findings of my PhD thesis entitled ‘A critical evaluation of the public theology of Manchester Cathedral’. In this project, I conducted research in both of these fields by employing a publicness-ethnographic approach to collect and analyse data from participant observation, analysis of public data, and 14 semi-structured interviews with key actors at the cathedral. This study analyses three key findings from this research: public theologies of inclusion at the cathedral, the location of theology in the public work of the cathedral, and an understanding of cathedrals as hosts of subaltern counter-publics.