Posted on 02/14/2008 3:54:38 PM PST by blam
GGG Ping.
/lame joke.
Wonderful../s
Another “Church as museum” article not Church as living breathing “alive” body...
There was always a story in my maternal village in Greece that the village church, from the 11th century, was built over the ruins of a small pagan temple. The story was lent some credence by the fact that several of the columns which support the roof of the exonarthex of the church were clearly anachronistic and not at all in the style of the rest of the building. Several years ago the Ephorate of Antiquities, with an EU grant and the assistance of some French archaeologists began excavating underneath the floor of the nave. Sure enough, they found the temple just as the old story said they would.
That floor they took up is itself quite important. It has a large Byzantine eagle in the middle of it and it is at that precise spot where Constantine XI Paleologos, the last Emperor of the Roman Empire stood when the first prayers in Greece were chanted for him upon his election to the Purple.
As I recall Bede’s ‘Ecclesiastical History of the English People,’ Pope Gregory the Great directed St. Augustine of Canterbury (sent to Britain to convert the English people) to build churches on pagan holy sites.
An 1800's image of the church:
St. Michael's & All Angels' Church" for more, including several more pictures.
Excellent, thanks.
I have read enough H.P. Lovecraft to know how disturbing pagan crypts is going to turn out.
That’s really interesting. Thanks for posting it.
I’m reminded of a good book which I recently finished for anyone who finds this interesting: Ken Follet’s “The Pillars of the Earth”, which centered around the construction of cathedrals in 12th century England. I thought it was slightly marred by the numerous graphic obligatory rape scenes though.
How is this “pre-historic”? Haven’t people been recording history for millenia? Are not the Scriptures that this church likely used in their services not historical?
Never mind. I mis-read the article. Looks like there’s some old, old things going on beneath that there church.
On even numbered days, I'm glad Bowdler is dead. On odd numbered days, I could find lots for him to apply his talents on.
Maybe publishers could start putting out 'full' and PG versions.
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here be dragons.
Planted by Columba maybe, or a monk of his order?
We have lots of churches today that use vacated theaters, big box stores, and abandoned schools as buildings for worship.
For Christians, ultimately the building is just a building that is used to protect from the elements. Not to say that they didn’t do a restructuring and beautification program once they arrived, but that’s a different subject.
Any standing building no longer used has always been fair game. Even in the New Testament they met in upper rooms, people’s homes, and beside streams.
Same here.
The building is not the church. The people are the church.
In my town, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (whatever that is) meets in a spare room of a Volunteer Fire Station. On Sundays the parking lot usually has a good crowd.
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is a denomination determined to return to historic, biblical, reformed teaching.
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