CHRISTIAN CENTRE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 114, 9 February 1944, Page 5

CHRISTIAN CENTRE

Plans For Rebuilding Of Coventry Cathedral (Received February 8, 7.5 pm.) LONDON, February 7.

A courageous reversal to ancient practice is proposed in plans announced for the rebuilding of the bomb-destroyed Coventry Cathedral. It is proposed to build as an essential part of the scheme a Christian centre of service for the whole community in full partnership with the Free Church, the centre 10 be connected with the cathedral by a special Chapel of Unity, belonging to the Anglicans and the Free Churches together. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, a Roman Catholic, who planned the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, designed Coventry’s new cathedral round a central altar which is approachable by the congregation from all sides. Central altars have not been used in the Church of England for 300 years. The altars of early Christian churches were placed like those of the Hebrews so that the congregation could surround them but in the Middle Ages they were placed against the east wall. The Coventry Cathedral Council and also the Free Church Federal Council have approved the scheme.

The Bishop of Coventry, Dr. Neville Gorton, in a statement said: "Eighty per cent, of the citizens of Coventry were not members of a church or chapel. We just cannot tackle this 80 per cent, outside the Christian Churches in isolation. This is our response to the challenge to Christians to form a united front. The cathedral services will be conducted according to the ritual of the Church of England, but special services will be held to which Free Church members will be invited. The Free Churches will each send two members to a committee directing the Christian centre which will participate actively in all phases of Coventry life, including health, learning, and recreation as well as religion.”

Dr- Gorton, referring to the central altar, said: “This is not a crank idea. The altar does not belong only to the clergy but also to the people. Therefore set it. in the middle of the church. Let the people gather round-” The "Daily Mail” in a leading article says: “This may be the germ of one of the biggest religious movements for 300 years. Religion is only half alive in Britain. People who twice in a generation have shared a great common peril are in no mood to erect fences round their churches. They prefer not to go.”