Church Architecture, Scripturally Considered - Softcover

Francis Close

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0461410168 ISBN 13: 9780461410167

Publisher: HardPress, 2021

Synopsis

Church Architecture, Scripturally Considered by Francis Close examines how ecclesiastical buildings and their adornments influence religious perception. Tracing a lineage from Paradise to the tabernacle, Solomon’s temple, and the second temple, the work argues that true Christian worship does not require fixed sacred spaces or elaborate rites. Close contends that every temple, altar, and ceremonial has reflected mankind’s fallen state, and that in the New Testament the church itself becomes the living temple—the believers formed together as a spiritual dwelling for God. Accordingly, church design should harmonize with the gospel’s spiritual aims: preaching, baptism, and the communion of believers, rather than symbolizing or fostering superstition. The book critiques medieval and post-Reformation decoration as later intrusions, often financed by superstition rather than faith, and it champions simplicity, modesty, and functional worship spaces. It also examines how the layout of churches, the role of clergy, and the practice of worship should reflect scriptural principles rather than a desire for architectural display. The author invites readers to reconsider church architecture in light of biblical truth and Protestant conscience.

Edition details

• Publisher: HardPress
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0461410168
• ISBN 13: 9780461410167
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128