sheila

I'm sure you'd be welcome. The only time I've felt awkward was in Italy, when I was with an Italian family, who had no qualms about walking around churches during a service. I couldn't do it, and left.

Which is kind of daft, because I've always loved the way Italian children treat the church as part of their ordinary life, and the fact that people, on teh whole, don't dress up- a ritual I hated, as a child.

flanneruk

There are two quite different issues here:

You're talking about the national ceremonial church (not, BTW, a parish church with a normal congregation) in the most-visited bit of just about the world's most visited city, in a country world-renowned for cold politeness. Neither you, nor any other person present, will be particularly welcomed as a member of the community, because it just isn't that sort of church. Nor are most English churches. Many English churches announce some kind of social event after the main service: usually at most 5% of those present go to the event. That's just how much of England is.

But you know that already, since you've been to Westminster Abbey. And you probably know, intellectually, that Christianity defines its mission as global, and that to deter non-believers from its services would, except in very unusual circumstances, be against its fundamental principles.

So the real issue isn't the Anglican Church, or its churchgoers. It's about you. You don't feel comfortable
- and you're not alone. It might help you to think hard about what it is you're uncomfortable about - and then about whether it really matters. You've been told that Anglicans are happy to have non-believers in the congregation. They absolutely are. Anglican churches are so empty most of the time that Anglicans are delighted at almost anything that fills them. But that might not affect your discomfort very much

We're all unique, so none of us can know where your discomfort lies. But I'd guess it's that you're aware that, apart from the beauty of the music, the words and the place, this service is intended to have a significance that you profoundly disagree with. You might think that it's hypocritical to be a freeloader on the beauty, when it's simply a by-product of something you think is plain wrong.

If that's roughly right, can I suggest you have a choice:
- You can see it as a matter of principle,and stay away
- You can attend for the beauty
- You can try a lot harder to understand why what to most people(see the answers above)is a minor matter of etiquette matters to you. You'll probably learn a great deal more about your own values as a result.

But this really is a question about you. And none of us can answer that one.

Patrick

I can't imagine who would worship a God that they felt wouldn't welcome anyone into his home, even out of curiosity.
Needless to say, total disrespect is quite another matter.

ben_haines_london

At the national ceremonial church of Westminster Abbey you will be welcomed as a visitor, as a person who respects and enjoys good words and music. At local English churches you are welcomed at least as a visitor, a person who wants to see what we Christians do when we are there with God, and perhaps as a fellow-worshipper: we do not know (nor want to know) which visitor is which. Many English churches announce tea and coffee after the service, and in south London I think a third or a half of those present stay for that social event. The others choose to worship as a community, but see no reason to add time for social contact. I am seldom at worship outside south London, but do think 5 percent is a low estimate for stayers-on.

Welcome

Ben Haines

janeg

sandykins: Do you really think any church would bar the door if they knew your spiritual condition or do you wish to just announce your non-believer-hood?

sandykins

I appreciate all the well-reasoned and thought-provoking comments made thus far in answer to my query. There's a lot of food for thought here, and I am still digesting. Right now I am, in consideration of the points you've made in favor of non-believers' attending evensong, inclining toward doing so.

Some of you ask what "spiritual condition" or such might cause me to have religious or philosophical objections to taking part in a Christian service or to being mistaken for a worshipper. I'd say, honestly, that I personally have no such objections. I am open to the validity of just about all religions, and I have always comported myself respectfully in places of worship. Perhaps it is that I simply feel guilty enjoying the beauty of evensong in a solely secular way, when I know, as some of you have pointed out, that one of the reasons that visitors are made welcome in Christian churches is the hope among the believers that non-believers might be moved spiritually by the services. But I do see, as many of you have said, that places like Westminster Abbey welcome visitors to come enjoy evensong even if only for the secular beauty of the music and architecture.

I think I will indeed include evensong at Westminster Abbey on our London itinerary (and, yes indeed, dress respectfully, leave my camera alone, and not partake of any Pringles -- LOL!).

pandaschu

This is an interesting discussion. It popped up on Google when I was searching for an answer on whether or not it is appropriate to attend evensong for the music and architecture. I will happily do so now.

I do miss Ben Haines.