Wow, what a fascinating "tail" (!) 😂 Thank you so, so much (!) for this, Emma! 🤗
So, I am always very eager to learn life lessons from good stories. And this article is no different. 🤗 In want of such lessons, I would like to read this article in recognition of the distinction people often make between the methodology of most different case study and the most similar case study, choosing the former. This exercise would be much, much less ambitious and grand than that attempted by a famous historian, Helen Castor, in her 2010 book, "She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled Before Elizabeth I" (the aim of which, as far as I can tell, is to show that, although those women lived in very different times, the outcome of them becoming queen and the prominent presence of patriarchy were the same), and this choice is without much solid justifications either, I admit, but I just want to assume that every difference other than the struggles of the church against ever changing society (e.g. how to convert pagan England to what to do with increasing secularism) in which it is deeply situated and the presence of dogs (which must surely be false but I have limited info so... :D) here for drawing out the said life lessons.
In this connection, I am thinking it might be okay (?) to make a distinction between the past or pre-increasing secularisation of the church including the medieval period and the present, quickly increasing secularisation of the church (of course it would probably have been a gradual process this - maybe linked to the increasing modernisation of Western society? - not sure...). Emma's tale however made it clear that the presence of dogs and sometimes even other animals have been a constant presence in the church regardless of this distinction yet, in the present, the number and frequency of dogs in churches are historically speaking markedly reduced, and the dog's presence in churches is also today too often limited to those very quiet and/or well-behaved. And, if indeed the increasing secularisation is the main difference between the past and the present context for accounting the behaviour and presence (or lack thereof) of dogs in churches, then I would like to venture to say that secularisation refers to what happens to humans, not animals, so that it is the predominant concerns of the church (e.g., increasing secularisation) that determine what (have had) happens(-ed) to dogs in churches, not the presence or the behaviour of dogs (or some categories of already marginalised humans for that matter - see next sentence) per se. And if I further venture to say that both dogs and humans are God's creation, then I think Emma's article tells us this very important historical insight that the church has always been quite capable of marginalising God's creation (whatever forms it takes) depending only on its, not anyone else's, concerns (e.g., think how gays or female bishops are considered and treated by various churches around the world - as well as, and more relevant to this article, how to bring in more human, not dog/animal, church worshippers in an era of increasing secularisation (I am guessing - or maybe more committed religious people - humans, anyway... :p)).
As the current church searches deep into its people and its soul to battle against (?) increasing secularisation of the church (as well as other social issues, named a couple above) today, then, this Emma's brilliant tale about dogs should be read widely by all church-goers and -crawlers alike as a forever relevant and important warning for the church as it tries to navigate itself through this obviously too earthly a world forward.
Not being a dog person I can't think of many who have attended my services. In St Edmundsbury Cathedral we had a chap with a guide dog. The choir and clergy got used to processing up the Nave and swerving round the dog. Selwyn the Vicarage Cat joins the Zoom service quite regularly.
I was interested to see that at certain times, Christmas and Easter in particular, some modern CofE cathedrals and perhaps some churches include large animals in a kind of literal walk-on role that are symbolic of bible stories connected to these feasts - Donkeys, camels, cows, etc. Somewhat different to the general take your pet to church theme; however, it brings a symbolic live experience to affairs. The church roses benefit from their 'offerings' too!
Dogs or animals in churches : no, no , no , no yes ! 😊
Wow, what a fascinating "tail" (!) 😂 Thank you so, so much (!) for this, Emma! 🤗
So, I am always very eager to learn life lessons from good stories. And this article is no different. 🤗 In want of such lessons, I would like to read this article in recognition of the distinction people often make between the methodology of most different case study and the most similar case study, choosing the former. This exercise would be much, much less ambitious and grand than that attempted by a famous historian, Helen Castor, in her 2010 book, "She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled Before Elizabeth I" (the aim of which, as far as I can tell, is to show that, although those women lived in very different times, the outcome of them becoming queen and the prominent presence of patriarchy were the same), and this choice is without much solid justifications either, I admit, but I just want to assume that every difference other than the struggles of the church against ever changing society (e.g. how to convert pagan England to what to do with increasing secularism) in which it is deeply situated and the presence of dogs (which must surely be false but I have limited info so... :D) here for drawing out the said life lessons.
In this connection, I am thinking it might be okay (?) to make a distinction between the past or pre-increasing secularisation of the church including the medieval period and the present, quickly increasing secularisation of the church (of course it would probably have been a gradual process this - maybe linked to the increasing modernisation of Western society? - not sure...). Emma's tale however made it clear that the presence of dogs and sometimes even other animals have been a constant presence in the church regardless of this distinction yet, in the present, the number and frequency of dogs in churches are historically speaking markedly reduced, and the dog's presence in churches is also today too often limited to those very quiet and/or well-behaved. And, if indeed the increasing secularisation is the main difference between the past and the present context for accounting the behaviour and presence (or lack thereof) of dogs in churches, then I would like to venture to say that secularisation refers to what happens to humans, not animals, so that it is the predominant concerns of the church (e.g., increasing secularisation) that determine what (have had) happens(-ed) to dogs in churches, not the presence or the behaviour of dogs (or some categories of already marginalised humans for that matter - see next sentence) per se. And if I further venture to say that both dogs and humans are God's creation, then I think Emma's article tells us this very important historical insight that the church has always been quite capable of marginalising God's creation (whatever forms it takes) depending only on its, not anyone else's, concerns (e.g., think how gays or female bishops are considered and treated by various churches around the world - as well as, and more relevant to this article, how to bring in more human, not dog/animal, church worshippers in an era of increasing secularisation (I am guessing - or maybe more committed religious people - humans, anyway... :p)).
As the current church searches deep into its people and its soul to battle against (?) increasing secularisation of the church (as well as other social issues, named a couple above) today, then, this Emma's brilliant tale about dogs should be read widely by all church-goers and -crawlers alike as a forever relevant and important warning for the church as it tries to navigate itself through this obviously too earthly a world forward.
Amen! :D
Not being a dog person I can't think of many who have attended my services. In St Edmundsbury Cathedral we had a chap with a guide dog. The choir and clergy got used to processing up the Nave and swerving round the dog. Selwyn the Vicarage Cat joins the Zoom service quite regularly.
I was interested to see that at certain times, Christmas and Easter in particular, some modern CofE cathedrals and perhaps some churches include large animals in a kind of literal walk-on role that are symbolic of bible stories connected to these feasts - Donkeys, camels, cows, etc. Somewhat different to the general take your pet to church theme; however, it brings a symbolic live experience to affairs. The church roses benefit from their 'offerings' too!
Indeed, very common. Animals were particularly welcomed and of course needed for nativity festivals above all.