The structure of life I have described in buildings – the structure which I believe to be objective – is deeply and inextricably connected with the human person, and with the innermost nature of human feeling.
Christopher Alexander

True love is always connected to doing things another persons way. Becoming senseless and doing something absolutely crazy for the same of the better good is in my opinion a good cause of love.
I say all this to bring us to an altar of sacrifice and dedication to what we truly believe in.
I believe that when Jesus went to the cross for us he did it because he saw what hell was like and in that he did something crazy, but he also established the church here on planet earth.
Sometimes it’s good to be crazy when we build up people who one day will dwell in huge majestic beautiful churches and also build those who will be in normal buildings and then have those who will be somewhere in a third world Country in a smaller humbler building. In the end I agree in seeing all three of these types flourish, but witch one is better I’m not sure.
I love being wherever there is humility and a band that rocks your socks off first thing Sunday morning.
I also love hearing worship leaders bring trance music to the altar and do things like King DAVID DID like dancing around naked witch to me means dancing around a fire with dread lock hippies who spin the fire of God around the church, spreading everywhere the colours of true holiness and righteousness of God.
Freedom man!

Our in class discussion on beauty was a good one. I of course am a woman of equilibrium, always seeking to find balance in my daily life of worship unto God.

It was said over and over again in class that beauty should be sought in worship–but the counter; that being the idea that beauty does not matter in a physical space was also touched on. So where do we go from here? I would venture to say that both are right.

Jesus was a man that went straight to the heart when asking a question of people. You find it throughout the entirety of the gospels. So we, in turn should seek to look into our hearts as a community and ask ourselves “why do we seek beauty in things?”

People cannot deny that things which are beautiful call forth something deep within them. Just as when I look at a beautiful photo of a little girl, or a painting my mother has hung in our house… a building on the street… beauty is there. That beauty points me back to God–it makes me want to behold His beauty.

So is it important to be obsessing about ascetic in a physical structure? Is it important to be nit-picky about a certain carpet color, pews, or cross hanging in a church? No, it’s not important to obsess over those things however there is something inside of each of us that desires gazing upon beauty, and because we can allow those things to direct us to God it’s an alright thing to have a good looking building. Is it an end all? Do we need it? I would say no, no we don’t need a huge cathedral, however if the Lord speaks to us and says “build me a cathedral where people can come and know me more” then I say we do it. God can use whatever means possible to drawn people to Him. Those things can be either a shack of a building, or a church built out of stone over years and years of hard work.

Psalm 96:6 Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.

When we dwell in His house; whether that be Him abiding in us or a physical structure we then gaze on His beauty. That can be literally meditating on Him, or looking at a beautiful piece of art that points us to Him. Do we need it? No. Is there a place for beauty in a worship space? Yes.

Joe, your comment wasn’t edited or deleted. When first time comments from a source come in, they go into my moderation queue so I can confirm whether or not they are spam. About every 3 days I can actually check these, so it takes some time on occasion.

Everyone, excellent ideas. These may become fodder for later class discussions, as well. For first year university students, these guys are thinking strong thoughts. Good class, good class.

I would like to suggest that the question of beauty, as an end in itself, may not be the right one. I am going to put forward that beauty in art, in worship, in architecture is only one of a number of by-products of living a rich and full life. Possibly even one of the lesser by-products at that.

I appreciate the comment on the in-depth description of the Old Testament tabernacle. I too would point to it as a meaningful text. I would say though that its power and its poetry is not in its presentation of beauty but rather in its ability to communicate rigor of its design intent. As with much of the context of this particular scripture it is for me about measurement and dimensions. How is the developing culture of the Jewish nation to measure itself. Old Testament scripture seems to indicate the it is through its focus on worship and caring for the vulnerable. The New Testament repeats that message… ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Justice and worship.

Evaluating these things based simply on our visceral response, “do I find this beautiful?” is, I find, unsatisfying. A better measurement of our art, our worship and our architecture, might come from the question, “what larger message do these expressions communicate?”. What are the extent of the dimensions it is describing. Is it an angry cry over an injustice… then let it be loud and strong. Do we have tears of sadness over loss… then let them flow unchecked. Are we in the midst of the ecstasy of miraculous love… then rejoice with all your might.

Are we being clear in what we communicate? Are we being true to our hearts and our minds? Are we, with integrity and excellence struggling through to find a larger language that can best be heard?

Out of this, may come beauty.

I left a comment here yesterday.It got removed. Do you know why? Sorry to leave this message here. Thanks.

We as followers of Jesus are now the place where God meets the world. We, being the temple of God, are the holy place. Not the church. This also has to do with dualism.

Dualism can say that church is more sacred where other places are not. So we adorn our churches and make them lavish as to “honor God”. But to be honest, the sacred places are the places we put our feet to. I personally believe that a place is made sacred by bringing Jesus there. And that is what we do as followers of Christ. The bar you walk into. The classroom you sit in. The living room you watch tv in. Taking your kid to the zoo can be sacred. That’s all I got to say about that.

Peace.