The Currency of Religion
by Caterina Carola
A melting pot
The recent inauguration of the new Muslim mosque in south London celebrates and reminds us of the multi-faith society in Britain. It is also proof of society's need to erect symbols of its culture, wealth and power, and an inspiration to the believers.
Similarly to many other places in the world where cultures have mixed over time, pockets of minority religions live, more or less peacefully, within a dominant faith. In London it is easy to be reminded of this, thatnks to the wide range of religious buildings that co-exist within a few square miles.
My local area is a bustling, cosmopolitan, but deprived part of London, a cultural and ethnic melting pot that is replicated across parts of the capital. It's at the boundary of three major local authorities (Hackney, Islington and Haringey) and crossed by major railway, road and underground routes.
Faith's changing fortunes
In the past few decades, since the times of Billy Graham in the '50s, there has been a rapid decline in the Christian faith and practice in the UK. In London, only 3% of the population attend church regularly.
However, there are signs of a reversal in this trend, as the Church tries to attract newcomers with initiatives such as the Alpha course. This is a practical and non-traditional introduction to the Christian faith and principles, started in the UK but spreading world-wide.
Attendance at Synagogues has also been in decline in the more recent past, whereas there has been in increase in other faiths, particularly Muslim and Hindu, following the change in population demographic. From the population census of 2001, non-Christian faiths account for 6% of the population of England and Wales, or 3 million people. This compares with 37 million professing to be Christians.
Changes in faith demographics have occurred in the world over centuries, and are reflected in the architectural legacy of religious buildings. Aya Sophya in Istanbul, at the crossroads between East and West, was built in 537: it has been both a Church and a Mosque, and is now a museum. Modern architecture can provide equally awe-inspiring buildings, such as the lotus shaped Baha'i Temple in New Delhi.
Local trends
These trends are reflected strongly in my local area. The Anglican parish church of Christ Church in Highbury is very active, but with a smaller congregation (about 200) than when it was built in 1848. Its steepled exterior gives it a very traditional outward presence, but the interior has been changed to reflect the more social use of the space, and posters outside advertise the Alpha course and community groups.
In contrast, my local Baptist community decided to demolish its decaying Victorian residence in favour of a new and more welcoming Church. The Church is totally self-funding, but relies on the donations from a congregation of about 50, an increase since it was reopened a year ago.
Mixed blessings
Some smaller churches have fallen into disuse, and have been converted into homes. The local Synagogue's modest 1960s building has fallen into disrepair, particularly since its desecration last year.
The Finsbury Park Mosque, built only a decade ago, is also in need of some repairs, since it was temporarily closed during an anti-terrorist police raid in January this year.
The famed Rainbow concert venue in Seven Sisters road has been rescued after years of neglect, and is now owned by a wealthy Pentecostal church: the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. It is an ideal new use of this very large building, once one of the largest cinemas in the country, built for 3,000 people.
But rather than any single church, what attracts very large crowds to the area now is the Arsenal football stadium, a major mecca for the sport's faithful and fanatics - so large that there are plans to build a bigger stadium nearby, to cater for an increasing number of spectators.
Faithful Service
Another trend from a survey by the Christian Research Organisation shows that income of local churches is increasing. This, and the investment in new religious buildings, is proof of growing, wealthier congregations and more resourceful fundraising.
The Highbury Baptist Church is totally independent and was financed by a membership of only 20. The congregation of Christ Church may be relatively small, but it makes a considerable contribution to the Anglican Church.
Two more examples of fine modern buildings include the white marbled Hindu temple in North London which was built in 1995 at a cost of over £12.5 million, but receives half a million visitors a year. The Muslim Ismaili Centre in central London was erected in 1985, and the building costs alone were estimated at over £9m.
Funding is supported in a variety of ways, including recycling schemes, or just simply by charging tourist visitors for entry, as St Paul's and Westminster Abbey in London have done. Catholicshopping.com is amusingly very well advertised on the Catholic Church Online website.
Money for nothing
The faithful can give very generously, but are these institutions of worship accountable to their congregations? Do they provide value for money? Are their services measurable? Most churches support social projects, working with children and young people, refugee, the homeless, those with disabilities, and the elderly. However, at its worst, money, power and ulterior motives make it easy for corrupt spiritual leaders to mislead their flock.
Within the past year, the UK Charity Commission has investigated both the Finsbury Park Mosque and the Pentecostal Church for accounting irregularities and malpractices in their activities. In spite of such shady events, I will continue to enjoy all the inspiring buildings funded by faith.
© 2003 Caterina Carola
[Note: this article and website was written as part of a wider group student project at City University - for more details please contact the author]
A view of the newly-built Baitul Futuh mosque in Morden, Surrey, which is the largest in western Europe. Photograph courtesy of Chris Young, PA.
Listen to Rev. Jonathan Brewster describing the Alpha course (4:50 mins).
See a map of Finsbury Park with information on local religious buildings.
| Religious orientation in England and Wales 2001 Census | Number |
|---|---|
| Church of England | 29m |
| Roman Catholic | 5m |
| Other Christian | 3m |
| Muslim | 1.5m |
| Hindus | 600k |
| Sikhs | 300k |
| Jews | 300k |
| Buddhists | 150k |
| Others | 300k |
| No religion | 8m |
| No answer | 4m |
| Total population | 52m |
The beatiful Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India.
See larger image.
The old Church of Aya Sophya in Istanbul, now a museum.
See larger image.
St Paul's Cathedral in London
See larger image.