Here’s an interesting excerpt from the book Radio, Morality, and Culture:
An article in 1923 reported that “in New York complaints have been received by authorities of the Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches that the churches in surrounding small towns and cities are being ruined financially by the radio broadcasting of sermons and music”; and in 1928, the same publication quoted the statistician Roger W. Babson, who predicted that radio will tend to eliminate the small-church preacher, as a preacher, because it will enable country people to hear the best preaching.
An Episcopal Bishop at the time said “Why go to your parish church when you can sit at ease in your parlor and hear the heavenly music of a capable choir and be charmed by the fervid eloquence of a magnetic preacher?”
Tell us what you really think, Bishop:
“There seems to have entered into our crowded and throbbing life another ally of those forces which make difficult the assembling of the faithful for praise and prayer. The habit of church-going has a hard time in the face of Sunday excursions, movies, sacred concerts, automobiling, and broadcasting.”
So there you have it.
One of the biggest obstacles the church faced in 1923: the RADIO.
A lot has happened since then.
Don’t even get me started about KLove. :)
But seriously… what are we believing today that will look totally silly in 2050?
Todd
Questions? I’d love to start a conversation with you. Just email me at Todd.Rhoades@ChemistryStaffing.com.
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