Abstract
The Holly Bough service is a unique pre-Christmas event, combining musical excellence and theological depth, crafted by the founding dean of Liverpool Cathedral in the early twentieth century for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Located within the developing science of cathedral studies, this paper analyses the demographic profile, motivational intention (drawing on religious orientation theory) and perceived impact on spiritual wellbeing (drawing on Fisher’s four dimensional model) among 564 participants who completed a detailed survey at the service held in 2019. The data demonstrated a mix of ages, a sense of Anglican commitment to this form of event-belonging by those who return year-on-year and invite friends to join them, and a perceived beneficial impact on all four dimensions of spiritual wellbeing.
Highlights
IntroductionWho drew together in one volume ten original research projects, integrated by collaboration within one research group, exploring different aspects of Anglican cathedrals in modern life
This research group is rooted within the school of empirical theology, a branch of theological enquiry that takes seriously theories and methods shaped within the social sciences
Working within the emerging field of the science of cathedral studies, and drawing in particular on earlier research that had concentrated on the experiences of those attending carol services in cathedrals and greater churches, the present paper has reported on a survey conducted among participants at the Holly Bough service held in Liverpool Cathedral on the evening of the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Summary
Who drew together in one volume ten original research projects, integrated by collaboration within one research group, exploring different aspects of Anglican cathedrals in modern life. This research group is rooted within the school of empirical theology, a branch of theological enquiry that takes seriously theories and methods shaped within the social sciences Each of the ten original research projects reported in this volume stands as a complete scientific investigation in its own right and demonstrates how disciplined investigation of a clearly defined research question can advance knowledge of relevance to the development and refinement of cathedral ministry and mission in England and Wales today. Taken together the ten studies demonstrate both qualitative and quantitative methods at work, addressing the kind of research questions for which these different approaches are best suited. Taken together the ten studies demonstrate the usefulness for cathedral studies of theories shaped in sociology (e.g., social capital theory), theories shaped in Religions 2020, 11, 478; doi:10.3390/rel11090478 www.mdpi.com/journal/religions
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