Sacred Space and Revolving Christmas Trees
Recently Scot McKnight over at Jesus Creed posted some thoughts that touched on the physical aspects of churches and how that affects our worship. While that conversation focused on whether the church’s sacred space hinders the diversity of the church, I had to reflect on just how important space really is for worship.
I understand that the space one enters into in a church can set the tone for worship. Very different messages are sent with a room full of stained glass and pews all oriented to a pulpit as compared to a room full of couches arranged in a circle. The latter focuses one on receiving blessing, instruction, and edification from those privileged to occupy the pulpit. There are benefits to such an arrangement as it can serve to draw one’s attention to grander things outside of oneself. The former arrangement of couches invites community and promotes equity in the worship experience which is welcomed by some but avoided as uncomfortable by others. But regardless of how the worship is approached, it remains worship in both settings.
So while worship might be different depending on the setting of where you worship, I am uncomfortable with the idea that any particular setting could create better or worse worship. Is God more present or more glorified in a cathedral in Rome of hand-hewn stone and stained glass to lift one’s eyes to the heavens or in a tin roofed cement block structure in Haiti where all the hymns are sung in French (not Creole) because all they could get are cast off hymnals from France? How about in a mega-church stadium that seats 10,000 with the only symbol present being an American flag or in a rented bar with neon signs and pin-up girl calenders on the wall? Sure the theologies may differ and each church might be far from the path of actually serving God, but if individuals in each church are seeking to worship God in their particular setting, I can’t see how a value judgement could be made as to whose worship is better.
These sort of discussions remind me a bit too much of the questions the woman at the well asked Jesus regarding whether one should worship on the mountain or in Jerusalem. Jesus of course replied, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23) So while aesthetics and setting and the message our worship space sends are all valid considerations, if discussions of such get in the way of our worshiping the Lord in spirit and in truth, then we’ve run amok somewhere. And for that I am grateful because our worship space today was filled with tacky 1980’s Christmas decorations and revolving Christmas trees.
As a small church plant we rent space that is during the week a community center for mentally handicapped adults. It is a very functional space that retains a living room feel (couches and all that), but it is, um, a bit tacky. It has bright orange carpet and the decor generally consists of artwork done by the clients (generally of the crayon and gluestick variety). But then there are the holiday decorations. In mid-September we walked in one Sunday to discover Halloween gone wild. An entire pumpkin patch had planted itself in the foyer, plastic ghosts, skeletons, witches, and black cats graced the walls, and fake spider webs hung from every available space possible (complete with glow-in-the-dark spiders). We laughed about how we must be the first (pseudo)evangelical church ever to have a sanctuary decorated with witches and ghosts and just dealt with it. Well today the Christmas decor appeared – animatronic caroling dolls, fake snow, glitz and glitter, and revolving Christmas trees. The place looked like a department store circa 1985. But it’s still our worship space. And no matter how tacky the orange carpet, or plastic skeletons, or revolving trees may be, I can’t see how any of those things would make our worship any less pleasing to God. Sure there may be issues of whether such things prevent others from wanting to worship with us (which is an interesting discussion), but if our worship is done in spirit and truth no amount of plastic kitsch can diminish it’s validity or power.
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Julie,
I’m with you on this completely. I like the aesthetics and I like a big cross and an altar and the like … but none of it is necessary. The early churches of Rome at times worshiped in the catacombs and the early Jewish Christians perhaps alongside other Jews in the synagogue. The “sacred space” theory can get too much play at times.
Having said that, though, I value space.
It seems to me that the value of discussing sacred spaces has more to do with what “obstructs” worship rather than what makes “better” worship. And I think that tends to be different for different people – some of the things you’ve listed there (cough – american flag) would hinder my ability to come into a place of worship. Which suggests that there’s something wrong with my theology because I’m also pretty sure I’d be able to block out plastic witches and skeletons
Worshipping in spirit and truth… very cool. I am currently reading “Today at the Mission” (one of my four alloted books for the year) and I’ve been thinking about an insight the author shares… that the cross, the holiest of all places, is not found in the Temple, or in the Holy City, but outside the walls.
Makes you think… maybe its not what occurs on Sunday morning that makes it a better worship service… but what that service inspires you to do the other six days a week.
Scot – Yes, there is the place for it. It is finding what exactly that place is that proves difficult. At what point does the space become a distraction? Or at what point does the space become a substitute for God (one has to have the space in order to worship)?
Geoff – good point on the obstructing worship thing. Although I can see how personal preference and church consumerism can drown out one’s ability to worship if people are in the habit of trying to remove anything that might obstruct their worship.
Ed – you raise a good point about what worship really is. I think there is a need for corporate worship with symbols and rituals, but that is just one type of worship. Service must always be emphasized as well.
I don’t see it as being the case that anything in the worship space makes worship more or less ‘worthy’ than any another space.
But I do think that that the worship can help to facilitate or stifle worship. We are blessed with a functional building where literally nothing is bolted to the floor ,and we quite often put out chairs and furniture in different configurations – circles, rows, cafe style, informal clusters etc. It definitely sets a tone. And how we have the space, along with the variety of how we have the space, can certainly enhance the worship experience.
I don’t think God is bothered about the aesthetics of the building – but he is pleased if the aesthetics help people to give themselves in worship!
I agree with most of the comments here. The comment from Paul really resonates with me. We too have a flexible space – nothing bolted down. But I don’t remember the last time that the arrangement was changed to any significant degree (apart from removing all of the chairs for a ceilidh!). The point is do we come expecting to meet and engage with God or to come to familiar, comfortable surroundings and not be disturbed?
I too have run up against this paradox. On the one hand, I like that space matters, and as a person who appreciates beauty and depth, yes.
On the other hand, I would shudder to think what the Church has become if we can’t appreciate the worship of simple people in simple places. It’s oddly contextual. In the right context and with the right spirit, it all works for good. Even tackiness.
I have worshipped in similar spaces and what a blessing to sometimes interact with just the ordinary stuff of life. In your case, to be surrounded by those things created by members of the mentally handicapped community. I think that in itself could be a very pleasing thing to God. Why could that not be incorporated into your worship experience. At this point in my life I’m so convinced that God is thrilled when we turn ourselves toward him — no matter that place, the surroundings, the time or whatever. Yes, unfortunately I think those can be limiting factors for others but not for God.