Public lecture: The Church in a Changing Society: From Cultural Privilege to Faithful Presence

This lecture, jointly sponsored by Theology in Scotland and the Chalmers Institute, will take a fresh look at a familiar topic by engaging African Reformed theology and the experiences of African diaspora churches in dialogue with Scotland’s evolving religious landscape.

When: Friday 20^th November at 7:30pm (doors open 7pm, refreshments available)

Where: All Saints' Church Hall, St Andrews, KY16 9BG

Topic: The rapid decline of institutional Christianity in Scotland has often been interpreted as evidence of secularisation and the failure of historic churches. At the same time, reports of renewed interest in Christianity, particularly among younger adults, suggest that the relationship between Christian faith and institutional religion is more complex than simple narratives of decline imply. This lecture argues that the current moment should not be understood primarily as the collapse of Christianity but as the end of a form of Christianity that relied heavily on cultural privilege and social expectation. Rather than asking how the church might recover its former influence, the lecture poses a more fundamental theological question: What kind of Church is God calling the Scottish Church to become after Christendom?

Speaker: Originally from Zimbabwe, Rev. Ronald Matandakufa is a minister of the Church of Scotland with a particular interest in the evolving nature of the church and its relationship with contemporary society. He is pursuing a part-time PhD at the University of Aberdeen, researching the decline in membership of the Church of Scotland through an oral history project that explores the lived experiences of local worshipping communities during this period of significant change. His research integrates theology, church history and lived experience, with a special focus on what faithful Christian presence might look like in a changing society.