The Church of Scotland is a spiritual desert

[searchingsearching]

NC for this.

I started attending my local CoS after going through a bit of a difficult time. I enjoyed being able to disconnect from the business of my life, and taking time to pray felt and still feels important but, almost two years down the line, I don’t feel any closer to God or even have an inkling as to why I should want to.

The sermons are long winded and go off in all sorts of tangents without ever getting to the point. Not helped by the minister who seems to try to cram in as many jokes and silly songs as is possible. Maybe it’s just this particular church but there’s just such a lack of depth and substance. Everything is so surface level and childish but the rest of the congregation seem quite happy with it. To me, church should feel sacred and be meaningful.

We’ve been encouraged to attend something called the alpha course so I had a look online and watched the first three installments on YouTube and can safely say I have no interest in it. It was a very sleek but cringy production that felt very Americanised with again, very little substance.

Does anyone else feel like this? Or is it just me? Perhaps a different denomination would suit me better or maybe it’s not Christianity I’m looking for at all.

Completely right. The CofS has been in what appears to be terminal decline for some years now with no sign of the rate of collapse slowing down anytime soon.

A simple look at the lack of calibre of many ministers is enough to make one weep. Whether more liberal like George Macleod or William Barclay, or evangelicals like Eric Alexander or church giants such as Hugh Wylie, the CofS is as you say a spiritual desert. What does it stand for other than being the progressive political wing at prayer is anyone's guess. Regular youth and child attendance is almost unmeasurably low.

There appears to be no confidence in talking about Jesus, how wonderful He is and what it means to be a Christian and how important that is. Liberals such as Macleod were passionate about social justice being an outpouring of the love of Christ. The balance seems to have swung way more the other way with the Gospel being an almost embarrassing extra add-on to the good works being done.

With all this, no wonder you've found it difficult to find what you're looking for. Evangelicalism (which I appreciate you aren't interested in) is almost dead in the CofS, but so is much of the serious Presbyterian orthodoxy and indeed Gospel minded Liberalism that drove the CofS to such prominence. Not just in Scotland but across the world.

You’ve hit the nail on the head @Treacy900 - there’s no real conviction.

A group of us were discussing the decline of church attendance generally and one woman was convinced that we had a bigger congregation than most other Protestant churches in the area because we’ve moved with the times and are so laid back! I mean the shallowness of it. And our attendance is only slightly higher because of local closures. There’s not one teenager or even 20 something in the congregation. Not one.

I think the CoS in general, and my church specifically, underestimate younger generations’ appetite for meaning, for something they can’t get from the outside world that the church seems so eager to align itself with. If all anyone was looking for was a watered down version of Christianity where you can turn up on a Sunday wearing crocs then the place would be full to bursting, but it’s not.

@searchingsearching How have you got on with finding another Church? I think you were considering Eastern Orthodox

Well I’m in trouble now the next time I go to church wearing crocs… 😬

😂 I don't wear Crocs - too expensive. However, I have been known to wear $5 lookee likees in the privacy of my own home. 🤓

Footwear doesn't make you more or less religious

Guys I’m not making a value judgement on crocs in church . The point was that some members of my church seem to think the key to survival is a laid back environment and a relaxed dress code, whereas I feel that there are much bigger issues at hand and a liberal stance on footwear is besides the point.

They took a while to get back to me @RedRosesPinkLilies but they were lovely and advised me to attend one of their less busy weekday services. Unfortunately, I’m working crazy hours atm and unable to take annual leave due to a very busy period at work, but that’s my plan eventually. Until then, I’m continuing to attend my regular church every Sunday and really trying to focus on prayer. Coming to the realisation that I’m always surrounded by His love no matter how far I fall short, and even in moments when I feel alone and helpless, is not only hugely comforting and humbling but incredibly inspiring.

Wishing you all a blessed Holy Week.

I know what you meant 😆👍 @searchingsearching

hope you have a blessed time during this season. God bless xx

@searchingsearching Wishing you all a blessed Holy Week.

Thank you. You too. ✝️

"How can sacraments like the Eucharist/Communion be sacred and hold reverence if the church itself deviates from Christian doctrine where it sees fit? Even the CoS I attend, for example, has Communion every so often but doesn’t have confession, or any real focus on repentance for that matter. It’s the cherry picking I’m trying to work through and decide whether I think there’s a point to it all."

I think if this is how you feel then you are more aligned with orthodox Christianity or more traditional RC churches. (RC churches do vary a lot). You might be interested in an RC church offering the traditional Latin Mass (search for Mass in the extraordinary form in your local area). There are not many but there might be some near you.
My late father began attending these Masses in his later years and found the peace and spirituality which had been missing because he'd been attending more "modern" RC churches.
I have also attended these Masses a few times and to my surprise they were full of young people who are sadly lacking in a lot of RC and CofE and CofS churches.

I don't think it is fair of you to say the CofS is a spiritual desert though based on your experience of the particular church you attend or because you've visited a couple of others.
There will be people who like that type of service and are benefitting from it.

This is a positive thing about Christianity - there are lots of different denominations and churches and styles. There's something for everyone, you just have to find the one that suits you.

I don't think it is fair of you to say the CofS is a spiritual desert though based on your experience of the particular church you attend or because you've visited a couple of others.
There will be people who like that type of service and are benefitting from it.

I hope people are benefitting from it but I haven’t changed my opinion that the CoS is largely a spiritual desert. Given that it seems to be in rapid decline, especially against the backdrop of a bit of a Catholic revival, I don’t think I’m too far wrong. Maybe I am though and there will be a similar resurgence in the CoS.

Was at a great c of s service this Easter, full church, a nice welcome and an inspiring message

Sounds wonderful @Crocmush! Mine was fuller than usual (to be expected at Easter) but the sermon was definitely not inspiring, sadly.

The C of S is almost at tipping point. Voluntary and compulsory redundancies and reserves which will only cover the next five months.

What will happen if the church collapses? Or will they just continue with closures until only the very small number of churches which are viable are left?

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Spot in @searchingsearching . They can try to spin as much as they can, but the whole thing is a ticking timebomb. It's beyond sad, but I task you or anyone to try to find a CofS service online which has any significant youth or children's attendance.

They brought it all on themselves too.

It’s a very sad state of affairs @Treacy900. They know they need to make drastic changes but I don’t think, currently, the Church has the courage to take the necessary steps. Perhaps fewer but more vibrant congregations will be the start of something.