Foreword

Orme, Nicholas

doi:10.2307/j.ctv1t1kfhr.4

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…The empty, historic parish church is emblematic of the uncertainty facing rural populations today, yet might form the kernel of a robust response to social challenges such as loneliness and social disconnection. Today, the historic role of the parish church at the centre of community life (encompassing, for example, social service, poor relief, education, creative and commercial activities in addition to its central purpose in Christian teaching [5,16,17]) may go largely unappreciated. Superficially, attitudes towards churches as prescriptive religious places (places of dedicated Christian worship) can be a stumbling block to wider conversations around church futures in their communities.…”

Section: Rural Uncertainty and Empty Churchesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Circularity-Time, Life, Nature, Economies Historically, real-life experience would be an important marker of time, shaped by annual cyclical patterns of worship, festivities, and the seasons (planting and harvesting) [16,50]. The festival of St Nicholas (6th December), marking the end of autumn and the threshold to winter, was celebrated by young people roaming about in search of food or money [16], both embracing and defying the lengthening nights: "By the time of his feast day, Advent Sunday had brought once more the promise of salvation and victory over the powers of darkness, as well as the prospect of the great midwinter feasting-period. And so one cycle ended and the next began" [52].…”

Section: Rethinking St Nicholasmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Medievals and Moderns in Conversation: Co-Designing Creative Futures for Underused Historic Churches in Rural Communities

Senior¹,

Metcalfe

McClean

et al. 2022

MTI

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For many living in rural areas, the loss of traditional community assets and increased social fragmentation are a common feature of everyday life. The empty village church is a poignant symbol of these challenges; yet, these are sites that hold considerable potential for new placemaking solutions that respond to the needs of communities today. This means looking beyond “the traditional village church” to recognise a longer history of church adaptation and resilience within the lives of communities. In this paper we ask: how can co-design, projected through a Wicked problems and Clumsy solutions lens, help imagine new futures for communities and their historic churches today? Clumsy solutions consider a plurality of different perspectives on the nature of problems and their resolution to deliver more effective solutions with broad appeal. In the search for clumsiness, we turn to ‘long history’ and ‘slow technology’ for inspiration, uncovering deeper resonance with historical communities of place and anchoring that continuity within church sites themselves. Our paper demonstrates how Wicked/Clumsy thinking can account for the challenges faced by rural communities today, bootstrap co-design activities in the development of clumsy solutions, and uncover clumsiness in long history and slow technology dimensions—together laying the foundation for new placemaking strategies.

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Section: Rural Uncertainty and Empty Churchesmentioning

confidence: 99%