{"title":"Reading Other People’s Prayers: A Pilot Study around a Prayer Tree at a Church Christmas Tree Festival","authors":"J. Muskett","doi":"10.1080/14704994.2021.1968639","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This pilot study explores the extent to which adults attending a Christmas tree festival in a parish church read prayers hung by others on the festival prayer tree. In the growing body of empirical research on prayer content in public prayer spaces, the practice of reading others’ prayers has tended to be inferred from copying patterns evident in prayer books, rather than evidenced from on-site observation. To discover whether on-site observation is feasible, four 30-minute observations were conducted over two days around the festival prayer tree. Use of hand tally counters during these sessions revealed that on average 40% of festivalgoers who entered the chapel where the prayer tree was located read at least one prayer written by someone else. Possible motivations are discussed. On the basis of this limited pilot study, it is recommended that more sophisticated ethnographic work be carried out in prayer facilities of public spaces.","PeriodicalId":41896,"journal":{"name":"Rural Theology-International Ecumencial and Interdisciplinary Perspectives","volume":"19 1","pages":"100 - 109"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0000,"publicationDate":"2021-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Rural Theology-International Ecumencial and Interdisciplinary Perspectives","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14704994.2021.1968639","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"0","JCRName":"RELIGION","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
ABSTRACT This pilot study explores the extent to which adults attending a Christmas tree festival in a parish church read prayers hung by others on the festival prayer tree. In the growing body of empirical research on prayer content in public prayer spaces, the practice of reading others’ prayers has tended to be inferred from copying patterns evident in prayer books, rather than evidenced from on-site observation. To discover whether on-site observation is feasible, four 30-minute observations were conducted over two days around the festival prayer tree. Use of hand tally counters during these sessions revealed that on average 40% of festivalgoers who entered the chapel where the prayer tree was located read at least one prayer written by someone else. Possible motivations are discussed. On the basis of this limited pilot study, it is recommended that more sophisticated ethnographic work be carried out in prayer facilities of public spaces.
期刊介绍：
Rural Theology: International, Ecumenical and Interdisciplinary Perspectives is the journal of The Rural Theology Association. To join or find out about activities or future meetings of The Rural Theology Association, please visit their website. The members’ Newsletter, published twice a year, also has this information. The principal aims of the journal are to promote theological reflection on matters of rural concern, to enhance the ministry and mission of rural churches, and to bring rural issues to the forefront of church and government agenda. The journal is committed to embracing a wide range of theological perspectives, to encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue, and to stimulating ecumenical and international exchange on matters of relevance to religious, political, social and economic aspects of rurality.
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