Space
Douglas (1991) regards home as a kind of space. It is always a localizable idea. Home is located in space, but it is not necessarily a fixed space. It needs not be a large space, but space there must be, for home starts by bringing some space under control. For my participants from non-British countries, they are always looking for a feeling of home and Hackney Church makes them feel that, which is why they want to keep going there. The warm lights, the happy and friendly young people they see in church, the free tasty snacks, similar music and services with their own countries all give them a sense of comfort, which makes them feel at home.
In fact, they see the church in the same way they see London, as they see a bigger, more modern church than back home, with more friendly young people from all over the world, which reflects London's modernity, youthfulness, tolerance, diversity and vitality. The free food provided by the church also reflects its friendliness and greater sense of service, probably because it has more financial support. The garden outside the church provides a space for public activities and the scent of flowers and grass in spring gives a pleasant feeling that attracts these young Christians to the church. In short, my participants’ sense of London is reinforced by a specific location.
Digital technology as a tool
The 'congregation is no longer confined to one gathering space; it now exists essentially everywhere' with live streaming, and the church leader must visualise the audience he or she is speaking to(Vosko 2011). For those with limited mobility and time, social media has made online worship possible. Hackney church will simulcast live on YouTube, as well as uploading pictures and videos to Instagram and Facebook to make sure participants can know about the latest news of the church. Besides, smart phones make it possible for participants to be in constant contact with each other even out of the church. They can communicate in social media apps.
In offline church activities, digital audio-visual technology is increasingly commonly used during worship services, while the degree and specialisation of technology utilisation varies. The most advanced have taken cues from theatrical performances, such as staging and lighting changes. Worship-center technology is generally seen to improve communication. Video clips, the words to hymns and Bible scriptures, and live feeds of the worship participants are all shown on projection screens. It can be seen that digital audio-visual technology makes the services more immersive and interactive.
Music
In recent years, the seriousness and entertainment of religion have become the focus of discussion. Popular music is often considered by some old-school believers to be inappropriate for religious communication, which requires contemplation, spiritual recollection, and concentration from a person. However, The use of popular music styles in liturgical chants has formed a new type of religious communication, for which it is not spiritual concentration that is important, but emancipation, which returned Christian church music to the ecstatic aspect that was lost many centuries ago(Zosim 2020). If the main Christian religious feelings from the 18th to the first half of the twentieth century were awe, contemplation, and calm joy, then from the second half of the twentieth century, a new one, which might be described as ecstatic, appears in worship.
For people from different countries, music connects them to the world, regardless of age, gender, race or class, and this can contribute to the democratisation of religion. It is the Hackney Church's music, regardless of nationality, that attracts my participants from the three different countries together. In addition, pop music is an important attraction for young people who tend to focus more on freedom and expression, who are tired of the stresses and boredom of life and don’t accept the dullness and depressing forms of religion. The form of pop music makes it possible for religion to be both entertaining and spiritual. Hackney church in London attracted my participants with its popular music. This also reflects the inclusiveness and openness of this church.
London life
With the development of globalization, more and more people choose to seek better study and job opportunities in more developed countries. But just like the word "suspension" mentioned by Xiang Biao, a professor in the Department of Social Anthropology at Oxford University, young people from foreign countries are easily in a state of spiritual drift due to the involution and highly competitive social environment. Despite living a busy and stressful life, just like London, a fast-moving cosmopolitan city, my participants are getting a kind of spiritual and emotional support by going to church. They relieve the pressure of life and study by interacting with others in the church, and reflect themselves and gain inner peace and tranquility by talking with God. The church helped them find the sense of belonging and significance in this city.
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Conclusion
In short, the music and the open and welcoming atmosphere attract young Christians from other countries to Hackney Church, and their feelings about the church reflect their feelings about London. The senses of sight, sound, smell and taste help them to perceive the modernity, inclusiveness and diversity of London. Besides, they can also feel its busyness and high pressure. Digital technology, which extends the space and time of perception, allows participants to participate in church activities without restriction and to be more immersed offline.
As a non-Christian foreigner who has been in the UK for less than a year, differences in cultural and religious understanding may have influenced my research to some extent. Mainland Chinese grow up in a nation with Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism as their cultural heritage, and are educated with atheism, materialism, and scientism in contemporary China (Wang 2022). For me, therefore, there may be a degree of subjectivity and superficiality in my perception of religion. In addition, due to my participants' busy school and work schedules, they did not attend church every week, so it was sometimes difficult for me to develop ethnographic observations. However, I have been looking for every opportunity to interact with them and observe their lives in London. Also as a foreigner in London, I am also sensing this city from their senses, and thanks to this research, I have expanded my knowledge in Church and religious culture.
Conclusion
In short, the music and the open and welcoming atmosphere attract young Christians from other countries to Hackney Church, and their feelings about the church reflect their feelings about London. The senses of sight, sound, smell and taste help them to perceive the modernity, inclusiveness and diversity of London. Besides, they can also feel its busyness and high pressure. Digital technology, which extends the space and time of perception, allows participants to participate in church activities without restriction and to be more immersed offline.
Reflection
As a non-Christian foreigner who has been in the UK for less than a year, differences in cultural and religious understanding may have influenced my research to some extent. Mainland Chinese grow up in a nation with Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism as their cultural heritage, and are educated with atheism, materialism, and scientism in contemporary China (Wang 2022). For me, therefore, there may be a degree of subjectivity and superficiality in my perception of religion. In addition, due to my participants' busy school and work schedules, they did not attend church every week, so it was sometimes difficult for me to develop ethnographic observations. However, I have been looking for every opportunity to interact with them and observe their lives in London. As a foreigner in London, I am also sensing this city from their senses, and thanks to this research, I have expanded my knowledge in church and religious culture.
References
DOUGLAS, MARY. 1991. ‘The Idea of a Home: A Kind of Space’. Social Research 58 (1): 287–307.
Vosko, Richard S. 2011. ‘Liturgical Technology, Social Media, and the Green Church’. Liturgical Ministry 20 (2): 87.
Wang, Yining. 2022. ‘“Cross Is Fix”: Christianity and Christian Community as Vehicles for Overcoming Settlement Crises of Chinese Immigrant Families’. Religions 13 (2): 119. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13020119.
Weber, Max. 1963. The Sociology of Religion.
Zosim, Olga. 2020. ‘Popular Music in Contemporary Church Chants’. Journal of History Culture and Art Research 9 (2): 227–35. https://doi.org/10.7596/taksad.v9i2.2508.