@ablerism curious to get your thoughts (whenever you have time to respond) on church architecture and the use of liturgical space. My initial foray into this topic has uncovered some Catholic sources (here and here), but I’m curious if you have thoughts on where to start, trajectories for further reflection, and so on. Aside from an intellectual curiosity, I’m also partially motivated because I’m helping to lead a church that meets in an elementary school; I’m wanting to be creative in our use of space while also not wanting to re-invent the wheel. Whatever we do, I want to act with some awareness of how others have thought about worship space. I’d also be curious to know if you feel that ‘Christian’ or ‘theological’ reflection on architecture/liturgical space has been lacking. (A judgment that would not surprise me…)
@bbowman I’ve actually done very little reading on this! (Have only been formally teaching social aspects of architecture for three years; more of my career teaching product-scale design and its variations for engineers.) But it’s of interest for sure, and I have a bunch of books around my office. Are you in a liturgical/sacramental tradition? And are you looking for modification principles or how-tos in an inherited space with little room for overhaul? Or just ideas and aspirations?
@ablerism not part of one of those traditions, but more liturgical/sacramental than your average Protestant church, I would say (but who knows?). To your other question: Yes, I think so (re: modifications, how-tos in an inherited space)…and in particular how to make the space more conducive for worship. I’m wanting to give some thought to how layout, arrangement, and aesthetics might aid the liturgical experience, especially since the space was designed for a different purpose. I don’t know which sources might provide the best inspiration, lines of further thought, etc. Thanks!
@JohnBrady very interesting! To your first point: I’d be curious to hear the rationale behind that. Also: isn’t part of the allure of a house church that you’re free to organize as you see fit? Strange to impose strict rules on other house churches (but also not surprising). To your second point: Does that variety mean those churches aren’t following the prescriptions like they should, or that there’s still a surprising amount of latitude within said prescriptions?
@bbowman This surely doesn’t address whatever you have in mind, but I ran across it this morning. David Kline on Amish worship:
>I always look forward to church in the barn… It seems so right to worship in a farmer’s cathedral. Most of the old barns have well-worn flooring that was pounded for many years by hooves and wheels… In years past, and occasionally today, to remedy the roughness, the farmer spreads his finest hay, usually a second or third cutting of legume and grass mix, on the floor for a covering. To me, the aroma of that new hay beats any incense imaginable.
@bbowman Ok, great. I will just say that I just published a piece in Comment about architecture for humans, citing Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language. I bet you would like thumbing through that text for ideas; many friends of mine use it for house remodel inspiration, and there are ideas at the scale of civic and sacred buildings, neighborhoods. “Pattern” is kind of a meso-scale guide: not too high level and abstract, but also not too specifically prescriptive. More to come.