DOC When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeanne Halgren Kilde in Arts-Photography

Description

For nearly eighteen centuries; two fundamental spatial plans dominated Christian architecture: the basilica and the central plan. In the 1880s; however; profound socio-economic and technological changes in the United States contributed to the rejection of these traditions and the development of a radically new worship building; the auditorium church. When Church Became Theatre focuses on this radical shift in evangelical Protestant architecture and links it to changes in worship style and religious mission.The auditorium style; featuring a prominent stage from which rows of pews radiated up a sloping floor; was derived directly from the theatre; an unusual source for religious architecture but one with a similar goal-to gather large groups within range of a speakers voice. Theatrical elements were prominent; many featured proscenium arches; marquee lighting; theatre seats; and even opera boxes. Examining these churches and the discussions surrounding their development; Jeanne Halgren Kilde focuses on how these buildings helped congregations negotiate supernatural; social; and personal power. These worship spaces underscored performative and entertainment aspects of the service and in so doing transformed relationships between clergy and audiences. In auditorium churches; the congregants personal and social power derived as much from consumerism as from piety; and clerical power lay in dramatic expertise rather than connections to social institutions. By erecting these buildings; argues Kilde; middle class religious audiences demonstrated the move toward a consumer-oriented model of religious participation that gave them unprecedented influence over the worship experience and church mission.