Religious meetings are a small, fascinating subset of the meeting industry. I learned about them when I presented at The Religious Conference Management Association annual conference in 2014, and I’ve written about what meeting designers can learn from religious services. However there isn’t much academic research into event management, so I was happy to discover Ruth Dowson and Daniel H. Olsen‘s paper Events, Faith Communities, and the Public Square.
The article explores the evolving role of Christian faith communities in the public sphere, particularly in the context of increasing secularization in Western societies. The authors analyze how religious communities, specifically in the United Kingdom, engage in the public square through various events and activities, contributing to the Eventization of Faith.
Key Points
Secularization and Religion’s Role
The article begins by discussing how secularization, particularly in Europe and North America, has led to a diminished public presence of religion. Despite this, global trends and events have intensified the visibility of religion in the public square, especially through the actions of religious communities that engage in public dissent and events.
The Eventization of Faith
The concept of Eventization of Faith is central to the paper. It refers to the process of turning religious activities into events that create a public presence. Such events, sometimes contestational, are seen as a means for faith communities to assert their identity and influence in a secular public space.
“Even in places where religion is believed to be best served as a muted witness in the private realm, Jews, Christians, and Muslims share a long tradition and heritage of political dissent, such as gathering on street corners to express their faith and their views. This political dissent is often guised in the form of events as a method of creating a public presence…”
“…Contributing towards the development of the concept of the Eventization of Faith, this study interprets ‘events’ broadly, through a critical events perspective, acknowledging the contestation of secular spaces for sacred or faith-related purposes, as well as the potential for contestation of sacred spaces used for non-faith events.”
—From the abstract of Events, Christian Faith Communities, and the Public Square, Dowson, Ruth (Rev.) and Olsen, Daniel H. (2023), International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage: Vol. 11: Iss. 4, Article 13.
The Venuefication of Sacred and Non-Sacred Space
Venuefication refers to the transformation of both sacred (e.g., churches, and temples) and non-sacred spaces into venues for events that may or may not align with their original purpose The article provides examples of using secular venues for sacred events, and taking over outdoor public spaces and an entire city for religious events. It highlights potential tensions regarding the appropriate use of these spaces, especially when the events held there contrast with the original religious or cultural significance of the site.
Public Space and Contestation
The article also discusses the broader theoretical framework of public space and contestation, highlighting how different communities, including religious ones, vie for influence and representation in public spaces. The authors emphasize that events organized by religious communities are often not just about religious expression but are also a form of political and social contestation.
Conclusion and Future Perspectives
Overall, the article argues that despite the challenges posed by secularization, faith communities continue to find innovative ways to maintain and even expand their presence in the public square through the strategic use of events. This engagement reflects a broader trend where religious groups use public events as a platform for political and social expression.