On the Biblical Roots and Requirements of Church Design

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 07-30-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

On the Biblical Roots and Requirements of Church Design

Msgr. Charles Pope • July 30, 2015 •

In yesterday’s readings at Mass we read about how Moses laid out the “tent of meeting” exactly according to the pattern God gave him up on the mountain. A millennium later John described a similar scene of the sanctuary in Heaven.

Few Catholics today realize that God actually did indicate a good deal about how He expects our churches to be designed. And while some degree of variation is allowed and has existed, most modern churches have significantly departed from the instructions God gave. We do well to ponder church architecture not merely as an aesthetic question, but also as a question of fidelity to what God expects.

For the Church, the Scriptures are more than just ink spots on a page. The Scriptures are manifest in proclaiming how we live, how we are organized hierarchically, our sacraments, our liturgy, and even the design of our buildings.

Long before most people could read, the Church was preaching the Gospel. And to do so, she used the very structure of her buildings to preach. Many of our older buildings are sermons in stone and stained glass.

The Scriptures come alive in our art, statues, paintings, and in the majestic stained glass windows that soar along the walls of our churches like jewels of light. Even the height and shape of our older churches preach the Word. The height draws our eyes up to Heaven as if to say, Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at God’s right hand (Col 3:1). And the shape of most of our older churches is that of a cross, as if to say, May I never glory in anything save the Cross of my Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 6:14).

My own parish church is a sermon in stone, wood, and glass. It is designed around the Book of Revelation (Chapters 4 and 5), in which John is caught up into Heaven and describes it in detail. The fundamental design of the sanctuary drawn from Revelation 4 and 5 includes the throne-like altar (Rev 4:2), seven tall candles around the throne (Rev 4:5), and the four living creatures in the clerestory windows above the altar (Rev 4:6-8). At the center of the altar is the tabernacle, wherein dwells the once-slain Lamb who lives forever, Jesus (Rev 5:6). Around the throne (altar) are seated the 24 elders (Rev. 4:4), symbolized by the 12 wooden pillars on the back sanctuary wall and the 12 stained glass windows of the Apostles in the transept. The multitude of angels surrounding the throne (Rev 5:11) are symbolized by the blue and gold diamonds on the apse wall.

I have assembled pictures of these details along with the texts from Revelation in the following PDF document: Holy Comforter Church in Washington D.C. and the Book of Revelation

In effect, the builders of my church (built in 1939) were saying, when you walk into this church, you have entered Heaven. Indeed, it is a replica of the heavenly vision of John. And when we celebrate the Liturgy it is more than just a replica, for we are taken up to Heaven in every Mass, where we join countless angels and saints around the heavenly altar. There, we worship God with them. We don’t have to wait for some rapture; we go there in every Mass.

But there is more! For what John saw in Heaven is none other than what God prescribed to Moses. God told Moses quite explicitly how to construct the ancient sanctuary, the tent of meeting in the desert. The layout, materials, and elements were all carefully described.

And, having given these details, God said, Now have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exodus 25:8-9). And God later said, See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain (Ex 25:40). And God repeated, Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain (Ex 26:40).

The Book of Hebrews explained why God insisted that the pattern be followed so exactly: They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven (Heb 8:5). In other words, the Ancient Temple was meant to be a replica, or pattern of the heavenly sanctuary.

Most older Catholic churches maintain the basic pattern of what Moses was shown. This diagram compares the layout of the sanctuary in my parish church, Holy Comforter St. Cyprian (HCSC), with the layout of the temple:

In the photo just below, you can see the remarkable similarity more visually. The pattern is even etched on the floor of my church, echoing a detail about the layout of the temple that Ezekiel described:

So there were four tables on one side of the gateway [of the sanctuary] and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered (Ez 40:41).

On the left below is a depiction of the setup of the tent of meeting as it was when the people were still in the desert. Next to it is a photo of my parish church sanctuary. You can see the remarkable similarity.

Note the way the scrollwork on the floor of my parish matches the four tables on either side in the sanctuary where the animals were slaughtered. The fiery square and horned altar in the diagram of the temple are represented by the horned square on the floor of my church. In the diagram of the ancient sanctuary, the holy place, the holy of holies towers in the back, as do the high altar and tabernacle in my parish church.

Simply put, the builders of my parish church remarkably depicted the ancient temple as well as the vision of Heaven from the Book of Revelation. This is what church buildings should do: exemplify the heavenly sanctuary, the plan for which God Himself gave. Sadly, modern architecture has departed from that plan significantly. But in recent years, there has been something of a return to that plan, a trend for which we can only be grateful.

The Catholic Church is surely a biblical Church. My very building shouts the Word! We Catholics preach the Word not only with ink and in speech, but also in stone, wood, glass, liturgy, and the arts—all to the glory of God.

Here is a video of some of the details of my parish.

[mlizzy]

They almost always have long Communion lines during their Masses.

I meant to say "Confession" lines.... but Communion lines too; lots of people attend, especially on Sundays.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“This is the inside of the church not the outside.”

I understand. I am referring to the inward salvation that comes from entrusting ourselves to Christ alone.

[tbpiper]

Amen to that.

[Biggirl]

Have you ever seen online ruins of very old churches? Just looking online at how Christian believers met to worship makes my day everyday.

[Biggirl]

What is being presented is simply scripture put into stone.

[Biggirl]

But it helps to get the seeds of both repentence and faith planted.

[Biggirl]

“Long before most people could read, the Church was preaching the Gospel. And to do so, she used the very structure of her buildings to preach. Many of our older buildings are sermons in stone and stained glass.”

AMEN.

[Salvation]

The sign of oncoming vocations — long Confession lines and 24/7 Adoration.

The vocations just come.

[NYer]

Ping!

[Iscool]

In effect, the builders of my church (built in 1939) were saying, when you walk into this church, you have entered Heaven. Indeed, it is a replica of the heavenly vision of John. And when we celebrate the Liturgy it is more than just a replica, for we are taken up to Heaven in every Mass, where we join countless angels and saints around the heavenly altar. There, we worship God with them.

Really??? You got some scripture to back that up??? No???

Actual born again Christians indwelt with the Holy Ghost are in heaven right now...24/7, every day of the year...Without ever stepping foot in a church building...

We don’t have to wait for some rapture; we go there in every Mass.

HaHa...We Christians don't have to wait for a Rapture either...But you guys have to wait for your fix at the Catholic altar and it gets you to heaven in the presence of Jesus for 15 or 20 minutes (so you claim)...

Actual Christians are indwelt with the Holy Ghost (God, Jesus) and heaven is brought down to us...Why would a person endeavor to get to heaven in the presence of God when God is in him/her...The answer is, he/she would not...

If you have the Spirit of God within you, you have no need for a Eucharist, or a trip to heaven to be in His presence...If you do not have the Spirit of God within you, you are not a Christian...

Rom_8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

[mlizzy]

Why don’t some posters believe the Scriptures that Monsignor Pope referenced? ......

The sign of oncoming vocations — long Confession lines and 24/7 Adoration. The vocations just come.

I don't know regarding the disbelief, other than to say not all Christians interpret in the same way [to begin with] as you well know; however, when we all pass, there will be no discord in heaven! [Thank God!] .. =)

Today, at adoration, I noticed a card with the "Chaplet of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ," printed on it, and for the first time, I recited same, right before my hours with Jesus were ending. What a beautiful chaplet; have you seen it [recited it]? I felt like I was riding home on my bike with angels. No kidding! I think one or two hitched a ride.... so I understand the increase in vocations when an adoration chapel is present within one's parish. So much peace, so much joy! There He is.... Jesus!!

Chaplet of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ - Heaven's Weapon for These Times: Jesus said to Little Barnabas, a Nigerian visionary, on January 19, 1997, "My son pray your Holy Rosary always as My Mother has ordered you. Pray the Holy Chaplet of My Precious Blood immediately after your Holy Rosary. You must do this because the hour of salvation is very short."

[Iscool]

There is not a single place in the scriptures where God told any Christian to build a temple that was a replica of the Temple, or any building...That's because the real church is the congregation, not the building...There is no requirement by God to build a building to worship in...

Christians are the Temple of God...That's where you will find God, not in a building...

[RobbyS]

And if one focuses on the individual, the one forgets the basic meaning of the Church, which is a gathering of the people of God to worship the Lord.

[tbpiper]

There are some in Scotland I’d like to visit.

[Rashputin]

And no where in Scripture does it say to rely on Scripture alone although it does clearly state to rely on both what is written and what is passed down by tradition.

Scripture does clearly condemn the heresy of Korah (you know, the "the priesthood of all believers is all we need" trash), does clearly say that those who throw Scripture in the garbage can are condemned, and does clearly state that we are to obey our prelates.

So, when someone wants to play, ". . . not a single place in Scripture . . ." games they without fail start by pretending that others should accept the lie of "Scripture Alone" and follow that up with deliberately ignoring what is in Scripture.

People who throw Scripture they don't want to accept in the garbage can and ignore a great deal of what they pretend to accept are nothing but tired old jokers with nothing like a real faith in Christ or Scripture. After all, they've blasphemed the Holy Spirit by insisting the Holy Spirit could not and did not protect Scripture from the inclusion of error so it's impossible for them to be led by that same Holy Spirit.

Christians reject the fundamental premise that "Scripture Alone" applies to the construction of churches or anything else. Therefore the balance of any argument based on that lie is worthless.

[Iscool]

And no where in Scripture does it say to rely on Scripture alone although it does clearly state to rely on both what is written and what is passed down by tradition.

Nothing got passed down except that which turned into scripture...What did the apostles pass down to your religion??? Nothing...

So, when someone wants to play, ". . . not a single place in Scripture . . ." games they without fail start by pretending that others should accept the lie of "Scripture Alone" and follow that up with deliberately ignoring what is in Scripture.

Really??? Ignoring what is in scripture??? Show us then the scripture where God tells his church to build fancy buildings to worship him in...

God certainly wouldn't tell his church to build a Jewish temple...And he didn't...There's no need for a Jewish temple...Just as there is no need of a priesthood...

[verga]

You might consider actual.ly reading the article before making a comment. If you are not able to do that you might consider reading the OT about the construction of both the Worship tent and the Temple.

[Joe 6-pack]

I love Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth which follows the lives and intrigues of the parties involved in building a gothic cathedral. Follett was raised in a more puritan tradition, and was accustomed to more Spartan worship atmospheres, but later in life became captivated by the richness of gothic church architecture. Whether he did it consciously or not the novel depicts God's hand at work even through some very flawed, if not outright corrupt characters, as well as some particularly pious ones with feet of clay. It's a fascinating read for those who've never picked it up.

[avenir]

“People who throw Scripture they don’t want to accept in the garbage can and ignore a great deal of what they pretend to accept are nothing but tired old jokers with nothing like a real faith in Christ or Scripture. After all, they’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit by insisting the Holy Spirit could not and did not protect Scripture from the inclusion of error so it’s impossible for them to be led by that same Holy Spirit.”

Those that don’t agree with Charles on church design have blasphemed the Holy Spirit? One can accept everything God told Moses to do, marvel and delight in it, and yet yield to God’s revelation of a superior way in Christ. Such persons are not “destroyed in Korah’s rebellion”, nor have they committed the unpardonable sin.

[SuzyQue]

I love these religious discussions, not because of the sides taken and the soapboxes pulled out, but because of the passionate defense and explanation of faith that comes from the discussions.

Jesus spoke in parables. I don’t know why, and I often wish He spoke in plain English :), but in His infinite wisdom, He chose to speak in ways that we have to interpret.