Broadcasting Religious Services

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 33, 27 February 1931, Page 7

Broadcasting Religious Services

An Interesting Controversy THE question whether or not lstening. to broadcast religious ‘services counts as attendance ata place of worship is oné which is asked. in other countries than this. At a recent session of the: Montreal Diocesan Synod it formed the subject of a debate. "Whatever advantages can be got from listening on the radio, one cannot worship on the radio," said a reverend speaker, and added, "the person who simply-listen-ed" to. broadcast services "and thought he was doing his..duty was sadly mistaken." Another speaker-. also a clergyman-differed profoundly. He said that, while "perhaps one could not get the very highest that ‘was to be obtained from worship by participating in it through.a_ broadcast," he felt that it was an acceptable substitute for church attendance. This view was supported by a third speaker, who said that. he had been in homes where the family not only joined reverently in the service that came through the loudspeaker,, but had gone as far as to take up a collection. ° It appears, however, that the truth lies between these two extreme views. In this country, at any rate, the in- stitution of broadcast services was never for a moment intended as a substitute for corporate worship in ehurch. ‘The services were designed to meet ‘the needs of the sick,.and aged, and those who were unable, from one cause or ‘another, to attend a place of worship, particularly..men in isolated positions, such as light-house-keepers. "het