A sensory account of worship and liturgy: a qualitative study

The senses are the means by which people encounter, experience and know the world, including worship spaces. Whilst the embodied aspect of worship is acknowledged in the literature, a substantial account of the sensory aspect of worship and liturgy is largely missing. In this article, the authors analyse five focus groups in five different types of churches (Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican (evangelical), Anglican (Taizé-style), and Evangelical). The overarching theme of ‘Focus and distraction’ underpinned the sensory experience of worship, with five themes also identified: 1) the senses that matter, 2) contextual and subjective experiences, 3) (un)intentional (dis)use of senses, 4) balance and contrast, and 5) self-consciousness/social pressure. The analysis resulted in a fine-grained account of the senses in liturgy and how they constitute worship, thereby giving in-depth insight into the experience and importance of the senses for regular worshippers.