Summary
A survey of the official websites of Anglican cathedrals in England has revealed that all of them have formal associations of Friends in the same way as other institutions in the heritage sector (such as libraries and museums). Drawing on questions that emerged from a literature review, in particular from Heritage and Renewal (the Report of the Archbishops’ Commission on Cathedrals in 1994) and a recent chronicle charting the formation of the earliest cathedral Friends’ societies, this chapter analyzes the associations’ present characteristics, as revealed by their own publications. Then it assesses the significance of the Friends’ associations for cathedrals today, especially in terms of their capacity to generate money, prayer, and volunteers for cathedrals; opportunities for social networking; and learning opportunities for members. It is argued that this mode of Friendship is sustained by information, which enables passive participants to share (albeit vicariously) the esoteric benefits and commitment to the cause of the community to which they belong.
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© 2015 Leslie J. Francis
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Muskett, J.A. (2015). Cathedrals Making Friends: Building Associations. In: Francis, L.J. (eds) Anglican Cathedrals in Modern Life. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137559319_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137559319_11
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