The Worship Environment
The space of worship ultimately shapes the beliefs, sensibilities, and understandings of those who worship in its confines. The congregation shaped in the open air of the forest will be different from congregations shaped by basilicas, homes, storefronts, and public halls. Only in recent decades have the effects of space on congregational life been considered seriously. Space dictates the ways in which people interact with each other and with other objects in their environment. Over the centuries Christian traditions have developed styles of architectural design that have expressed their particular liturgical beliefs or assumptions. Presently, nearly all traditions are reevaluating their assumptions in light of historical studies and Vatican II reforms. Congregations are renovating old buildings or erecting new ones to encourage greater movement and interaction by the congregation in worship. The spatial relationship between the primary symbols of faith-the pulpit, Table, and font/bapt…
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Chapters & Articles in The Worship Environment (16)
Since the arts in worship serve as vehicles of communication, the architectural space in which worship takes place …
Every liturgical space reflects the theological commitments of its designers. Every time a liturgical space is used…
Church buildings should be designed with consideration of how the general public will relate to the space they defi…
The church building is the home for God's people, providing identity and a place in the world. The article illustra…
The following comments discuss the relationship of the design of the worship space to the actions that take place t…
This article argues for an environment of worship that encourages the full participation of the people and compleme…
The following article examines every aspect of the worship space, reflecting the unique perspectives of the Reforme…
In addition to concerns raised in earlier articles, Baptist churches are designed in order to facilitate communicat…
Noting that the New Testament does not advocate retaining the elaborate rites and liturgical spaces of Old Testamen…
The praise-and-worship tradition involves a variety of worship leaders who usually lead services from a center plat…
Many existing church structures present problems for current efforts at worship renewal. In particular, these struc…
The assembled body of Christ is a primary visual symbol. The way people are seated affects the ways they relate to …
One of the most important aspects of the worship space is its acoustical properties. This is so because of the impo…
Congregational singing can be effectively stymied or greatly encouraged by the acoustical properties of the worship…
This article asks the kinds of questions that force congregations to think about the power of their worship space t…
The article illustrates the importance of identifying a process for making decisions in building and renovation pro…