Thinking about how spaces shapes the experience and activity of worship requires concepts to name qualities about spaces and to compare them to each other. First, it is useful to think about two very different worship spaces mentioned in the Bible: temple and meetinghouse. While they are quite different, most churches have aspects of both. Second, we need to be aware of the different furnshinings and spaces that make up the overall space. That is we need to recognize and name the space’s components. Third, it is helpful to explore how four factors that shape the experience of worship are manifested: centering focus, spatial dynamics, aesthetic impact, and symbolic resonance). Finally, we should consider the power relationships the space manifests between God, leaders, groups, and individuals.

Clicking the highlighed links will lead you to more information on each subject. Or, click here to continue in the suggested order.

If after reading this you want more, I suggest these books which have shaped my understanding of these frameworks:

• Harold Turner, From Temple to Meeting House.
• James F. White, Introduction to Christian Worship.
• Richard Kieckhefer, Theology in Stone.
• Jeanne Halgren Kilde, Sacred Power, Sacred Space.

If you like videos I cover some of this same ground more simply in this brief video produced by the Center for Worship and the Arts in 2016.

---

This post is part of “Spaces for Worship: A Birmingham-Based Introduction,” a section of Magic City Religion, written by David R. Bains, published in 2024, and funded by Samford University’s Center for Worship and the Arts.