Experiencing different Christian cultures?

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So, I have an interest in family genealogy and I’ve been struck just how far back in time my ancestors were here in the US. As far as I’ve found they were all also protestant. I’ve been thinking about how I did grow up in protestant culture; protestant family, protestant town (yes, the town was in a Catholic parish of course, but there was no Catholic church in town, but rather about seven miles away, and the culture wasn’t Catholic. In fact, it is a very “non-liturgical” protestant place (no Lutheran church, no Episcopalian church, etc…) It got me to wondering about being steeped in a different Christian culture, and where that is “available” today.

That’s my question; if I were traveling and wanted to experience a different Christian culture than I grew up with, where would you tell me to go? Is there anywhere where the Lutheran culture, for example, is still practiced and evident? Anglican? Where would Catholics send me? Italy? Anyone is free to answer, I’m just curious as to the pockets of culture where it is evident that the populace is still mainly of a certain “denomination” and that it is still a living culture.
 
Hi, for Roman Catholiv I would go to rural Italy, esp. southern, Spain or Poland. Then maybe Slovakia (best again rural). Or maybe Moravia, region of my homeland Czech Republic, but even there (as in all CzRep) it depends, as Czech nation is prety atheistic.
 
tjaugustine said:
Hi, for Roman Catholiv I would go to rural Italy, esp. southern, Spain or Poland. Then maybe Slovakia (best again rural). Or maybe Moravia, region of my homeland Czech Republic, but even there (as in all CzRep) it depends, as Czech nation is prety atheistic.
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Thank you!

It does seem like Christianity does tend to flourish in more rural areas, no matter the country.
 
I grew up non-liturgical protestant on the gulf coast, about 50 miles outside New Orleans. The culture was DEFINITELY Catholic! My little town had about 11,000 people, but we had THREE catholic parishes. Most of the businesses in town, as well as town and county offices, closed for certain religious events like Ash Wednesday, Easter, and Christmas. The largest Catholic parish in town had a large bell tower that chimed the quarter hours, and everything in town was set to the Church’s time. Grocery stores would have sales for certain feast days, and being in a Catholic community on the coast, the Friday seafood specials were AWESOME in the local restaurants.
 
Brassring said:
I grew up non-liturgical protestant on the gulf coast, about 50 miles outside New Orleans. The culture was DEFINITELY Catholic! My little town had about 11,000 people, but we had THREE catholic parishes. Most of the businesses in town, as well as town and county offices, closed for certain religious events like Ash Wednesday, Easter, and Christmas. The largest Catholic parish in town had a large bell tower that chimed the quarter hours, and everything in town was set to the Church’s time. Grocery stores would have sales for certain feast days, and being in a Catholic community on the coast, the Friday seafood specials were AWESOME in the local restaurants.
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The gulf coast is definitely an interesting place. My husband and I went to grad school in Hattiesburg, MS. It was definitely a culturally Christian place, but the weird and neat thing was that if you drove south, you hit Catholic country, but if you were in Hattiesburg proper you were in Baptist country. Their definitely was a cultural flavor even when there wasn’t a blatant shift.

You gave really good examples of how the culture was definitely there, with the bells, feast days, sales, etc… Interesting!
 
Kliska said:
The gulf coast is definitely an interesting place. My husband and I went to grad school in Hattiesburg, MS. It was definitely a culturally Christian place, but the weird and neat thing was that if you drove south, you hit Catholic country, but if you were in Hattiesburg proper you were in Baptist country. Their definitely was a cultural flavor even when there wasn’t a blatant shift.

You gave really good examples of how the culture was definitely there, with the bells, feast days, sales, etc… Interesting!
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Yeah, it’s like the HQ for EWTN being located in Alabama of all places lol.

What’s interesting is, when the founder(Mother Angelica) got sick and was on her death bed, they were flooded with emails and calls from Evangelicals who supported her. People really put there differences aside because of their respect for her.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
Yeah, it’s like the HQ for EWTN being located in Alabama of all places lol.

What’s interesting is, when the founder(Mother Angelica) got sick and was on her death bed, they were flooded with emails and calls from Evangelicals who supported her. People really put there differences aside because of their respect for her.
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She’s one of the main reasons I started looking into Catholicism seriously. Her life, teachings, and death should make anyone check into Catholicism seriously, IMO. Yes, the story of the Shrine there and the reason she picked there to build is amazing, as well as her heart for her Baptist neighbors.
 
Kliska said:
She’s one of the main reasons I started looking into Catholicism seriously. Her life, teachings, and death should make anyone check into Catholicism seriously, IMO. Yes, the story of the Shrine there and the reason she picked there to build is amazing, as well as her heart for her Baptist neighbors.
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Very interesting!🙂

I can say the same. Listening to her on the radio at work and her love for Jesus shining through the airwaves had me hooked to her program, even as a Protestant.

And in regards to her health/death that you mentioned, she took a turn for the worse on Good Friday. She was in agony screaming in pain that weekend and was called home on the Lord’s day, Easter Sunday.

I mean that is just incredible to me.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
Very interesting!🙂

I can say the same. Listening to her on the radio at work and her love for Jesus shining through the airwaves had me hooked to her program, even as a Protestant.

And in regards to her health/death that you mentioned, she took a turn for the worse on Good Friday. She was in agony screaming in pain that weekend and was called home on the Lord’s day, Easter Sunday.

I mean that is just incredible to me.
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Ok, I have to admit ignorance. Who is Mother Angelica, aND the founder of what? 😊
 
Wannano said:
Ok, I have to admit ignorance. Who is Mother Angelica, aND the founder of what? 😊
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She’s the founder of EWTN, and was also inspired to establish a Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama, and then also a beautiful shrine. She became known for her Bible studies open to all, and then of course founding EWTN, and teaching on air. Her life and death is an amazing story, and her Bible teachings are full of humor and love.

ewtn.com/motherangelica/
 
I just read The Benedict Option, and surprise surprise he was kind of talking about this very thing. It was a good read, I highly recommend it.

I had forgotten bout Francis Schaeffer’s evangelical community L’Abri until I read The Benedict Option. And, I’d say there is a better chance of experiencing a Catholic culture built up around a Monastery, for instance.
 
Sometimes a “Catholic Culture” doesn’t always reflect genuine Catholic devotion. I spent a year in Brasil, and they have issues.

For one of the most Catholic populated places on Earth, they have many crimes, and ugliness. Look at Carnival. It is suppose to be a Catholic festival, but is very carnal and irreverent. It has become a platform to practice drunkenness, lust, and loose living.
 
If you want to experience Anglican culture, England is your best bet. Visit an ancient cathedral and attend Evensong.
 
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