God and Mammon

Churches have come full circle, not least in York. In the Middle Ages, they were busy and bustling places, attracting traders, gossips,debaters and ideologues, before a culture change brought an almost monastic quiet to proceedings. Now, thanks to the recession, they are bursting back to commercial life.

This is no bad thing. Like every other organisation, the Church of England has had to battle Britain's worst economic slump since the war as well as longer-term shifts that have hit the sizes of congregations. The Minster, meanwhile, faces a tough financial position this year. Business consultants might say this is because of "competition"

from other activities or an "ageing customer base" but whatever you call it, reform is inevitable.

That's why York Minster is right to start hiring out its 13th century Chapter House for corporate hospitality and fine dining events. As well as being places of worship, churches should be somewhere in which people come to think, debate and enjoy themselves.

Even Peter, the saint to which the Minster is dedicated, was a

fisherman and therefore a businessman, while archaeological records show his home was used as a public meeting place. His life reflects two basic realities – Christians need an income and money isn't always the root of all evil.