Cathedrals vs. Modern Churches – The Unchurched Speak Out
Well, us medievalists knew this already; nothing is cooler than Gothic spires or immaculate domes. But, Lifeway’s article on this subject questions our current trend of church building and making churches more like homes.
I’ve known people who tried to start churches that just met in homes. They thought they were “getting back to basics” or emulating the early church, or something. Either way, this was usually a counter-cultural trend (thus, it was just as dangerous as any other trend) that did not manage to work out.
Why? Because it’s almost creepy to be asked to attend a religious ceremony in someone’s home. At a church building, you can at least run away if the preacher brings out poisonous snakes or if the music minister decides to start rapping. At someone’s home, you could be in for a tough time.
The article also questions the wisdom of modern architectural trends of normal churches.
No argument, here. While visiting Italy, this summer, I lamented that the church I attend (and truly enjoy) can’t retain the older artistic flair that attested to the church’s spirituality. I don’t really know how such a legacy could be retained in a modern setting; I’ve seen people attempt it, but not successfully.
I recommend checking out the entire article, the survey that was used to gather this information includes other useful facts about successful and unsuccessful physical church models.
What do you think?
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About The Author
Adam Jones
Adam Jones is a licensed minister who also has an M.A. in medieval Studies from Southern Methodist University. His academic work has been focused on church history, monastic approaches, and pop-culture.
Adam,
Church architecture is something I have given many hours of thought to (seeing as I am an architect and love theology especially theology of aesthetics) and I too lament our current trend towards the hideously mundane building type. It is a complex problem to be sure but here are a handful of factors that play into it:
-Evangelicals as a whole place more emphasis on the beauty of words than the beauty of things.
-Architecture (history and theory) is not promoted in both the Evangelical subculture and our society as a whole
-In an move to distance themselves from the Catholic church the reformation downplayed the spiritual sacredness of place eventually turning church into a meeting hall which the second great awakening turned into a theater.
-Theaters discourage several historically and metaphysically important architectural features: namely natural light and processional/hierarchical space.
While I don’t think that there should be a million little neo gothic cathedrals springing up, I think the Evangelical church as a whole could benefit from a greater attention to the aesthetics of their buildings. Which if you have the time some afternoon there is a beautiful Cistercian monastery/church in Irving that is open to the public.
Oh Adam I couldn’t agree with you more! I think so much is lost in today’s architectural designs… and it doesn’t necessarily mean that members of the modern design style churches are sinning… I just think that if you look back to the Old Testament and look at the specifics God gave on the temple… He was specific and detailed and everything was ornate and grandiose… It was supposed to cause those who passed it to be in awe of it and more importantly in awe of the God to whom it was there for.
I understand we are not obligated to those specifics of temple building or even temple worship any longer. But just as an example…
I think some churches try to modernize their design to blend in to the community or look hip and inviting… but the purpose of the stained glass and the steeples of old and such were to draw that attention… to be a symbol of worship designed to give God glory and provide a place for His church to gather and enjoy corporate worship.
If we really wanted to get back to the Acts model of the church we’d probably change sunday school to a small group program in homes and only come together on Sunday’s for corporate worship… that seems to be more the model there…
we’d probably also be wise to note what church is for… contrary to popular misunderstanding it is NOT for the ‘seeker’… it is a place for believers to come together and worship and praise God… share life with one another… for the reading of the Word, observing of the sacraments, and edifying of the body.
@Jacob agreed… also, great points there… i don’t know a great detail about architecture at all and so what you said was very interesting to me…
Didn’t read the Lifeway article yet but I just wanted to chime in… you know me ha
j
I’ve been meaning to visit that very monastery to find books I can use for my studies; now, I have another reason.
I first read that as “if the music minister starts raping” and got very confused and a little frightened.
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I feel like I have so much to say about this because so much of this semester’s Art History class has been about church architecture, we’ve already had 3 tests on the stuff…infact today we started the Rococo period where they just started building churches in the ‘old’ gothic style because now it ‘just looked cool’ as opposed to the original reasons for building the cathedrals that way.
Having visited some amazing gothic style buildings on our short trip between Amsterdam, Paris, and London this summer, I know I certainly longed for some of the beauty, thought, and talent that went into the architecture as-art-styles. I may send this entry and article to my professor and see what he thinks. Thanks for another fun post 🙂
I’m relatively happy with our new sanctuary. I think we did a decent job at aiming for a blend of both worlds, a modern take on an old Gothic cathedral. You’ll have to see it sometime when you want to take a fun trip to Bryan/College Station.
I love gothic church buildings, but unfortunately, I believe they invoke a false sense of spirituality. When a person enters a massive, beautifully-crafted structure with colored light streaming through stained-glass windows, it’s almost impossible NOT to feel emotionally-moved by the environment. It’s a predictable psychological response. I think the danger is in equating this to a truly spiritual experience.
The modern evangelical church has taken the gothic cathedral and tried to replace it with fancy light boards and good worship teams. They have kept the separation between the clergy (on stage, at the altar, pulpit, etc) and the laity (in the audience). It has led to a largely passive Christian church where many feel OK simply entering an impressive church having what may or may not be a true spiritual feeling for an hour and then moving on with their lives. It doesn’t mean they’re bad, and it doesn’t mean that many don’t involved themselves in the church in other ways. But church, ideally, should be lived out every day in the community of believers. It is not a building.
For me, after being in church for 20-something years, that spiritual-feeling that I got every week in church started to fail, and for a time I thought I was losing my faith. Where I found my foundation was in the truth of scripture and the community of Christian people that surround me…not in vaulted ceilings and flying buttresses, nor in polished worship music and fancy light shows.
Just my two cents. My thoughts are not my own, but this book really helped me through that spiritually rough patch: Pagan Christianity – http://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Christianity-Exploring-Church-Practices/dp/141431485X/
Whiggity, whiggity, whiggity, whack. (I promise to keep the rapping to a minimum). Yo.
Jenny, you have no idea how much that means to me. (Of course, our small group is awesome because we start in a real church and only use houses for small groups.)
“For me, after being in church for 20-something years, that spiritual-feeling that I got every week in church started to fail, and for a time I thought I was losing my faith. Where I found my foundation was in the truth of scripture and the community of Christian people that surround me…not in vaulted ceilings and flying buttresses, nor in polished worship music and fancy light shows.”
a wise reminder indeed for all on both sides… thanks for that