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SACRED SPACES

After the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, his disciples (now known as the Apostles) spread the good news (the Gospel) throughout the known world. With Peter the fisherman and James the brother of Jesus focusing on training and caring for the Jewish followers based in Jerusalem, and Phillip's travels to Samaria, the Rabbi-turned Christ follower-Paul  of Tarsus took the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

The historical account of this time period can be found in The Acts of the Apostles, recorded by one of those early followers, Doctor Luke, who accompanied Paul on his missionary travels. Although ACTS does not name Luke as the author, evidence outside the Scriptures and notes from the book itself bring us to the conclusion that Luke is the author, writing to Theophilus.The Gospel of Luke is addressed to the same recipient, Theophilus.

During Paul's two periods of imprisonment at Rome,(AD 59-62) & (AD 67-68) he continued to write letters to the churches that had been established during his travels throughout the Roman world. After his trial and execution in AD 68 in Rome, and the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the followers of Christ scattered across the known world. During the spead of Christianity in the Roman Empire to AD 100, and the resulting struggle for survival under persecution by the Roman state until AD 313, Christians met secretly in homes, and even in catacombs under the city to partake of the 'Body and Blood' of Jesus.

During this initial period of formation as the Church, Christians often met in homes to worship--usually in the largest home of a believer in each city.The first century Roman style house soon became the model upon which Christian churches would be based through the next 1900 years!

FIRST CENTURY ROMAN HOUSE/CHURCH :

Roman houses featured a front COURTYARD that one entered through a gate. Then one walked straight into an open ATRIUM supported by large stone pillars. In the center of the atrium was a POOL of water. Bedrooms, storage and offices flanked each side of the atrium and opened directly into this large central space.  Walking through the atrium past the water pool, one entered the large covered DINING area. The kitchen and slave quarters set at the back of the Roman home.

ROMAN BASILICA/CHURCH:

After several centuries of state persecution, in 313 AD, Emperor Constantine reconciled his empire with Chrisitianity, and builders of the Roman basilicas simply followed the basic footprint of a Roman home to house the next generation of Christian worshippers.One entered into a large roofed area, the NARTHEX, before moving forward into a great hall area supported by a series of pillars, the NAVUS. A BAPTISTRY room, completely separate from the church lay to the lower left of the NAVUS. At the top front of the NAVUS area set the APSIS which held a podium, a large table for celebrating communion, and chairs, reminiscent of the Roman dining area.

MEDIEVAL CATHEDRAL/CHURCH:

During the Middle Ages, skilled stonemasons completed magnificent cathedrals throughout Europe and Asia, and again we see the footprint of the early Roman home!  The Medieval Catheral featured a PORCH entryway, which opened into a large open hall (NAVE) supported by  a series of pillars. A pulpit and NAVE ALTAR sat in front of a ROOD SCREEN which separated worshippers from the CHOIR. At the head of the CHOIR sat a LECTERN. Behind the LECTERN, several steps led up to the SANCTUARY , which housed a large ALTAR table and the CATHEDRA--the Bishop's Chair.

TYPICAL ANGLICAN (Church of England) and EPISCOPAL (USA) CHURCH BEFORE 1962 AD:

Throughout Great Britain, Africa and the Americas, one can find many fine examples of churches built using this now familiar footprint. First one enters a PORCH that opens into a great open hall (NAVE). The ceiling is often built with crossbeams and wooden paneling, and resembles the hull of a great ship, set upside down. This reminds worshippers that we are all in the same boat, much like Noah's Ark, separated temporarily from the outside world, and ultimately saved from earth's apocolyptic destruction at the end of time.

At the head of the NAVE sets a pulpit on the left, and a lectern on the right side. The CHOIR sits above the speaking platforms, with the SANCTUARY above the CHOIR, and housing a large ALTAR table, tradionally facing east. The Anglican or Episcopal Priest celebrates communion facing east, except in churches where the ALTAR has been moved away from the east wall to accomodate the celebration facing the NAVE where Christian worshippers await the invitation to receive 'the gifts of God for the people of God' at HOLY EUCHARIST.

ST. JOHN'S MOULTRIE, built in the 1920's, is an lovely example of a traditional NAVE, CHOIR and SANCTUARY.  Reverend Gary Wilde teaches from God's Word during the first half of the service from the pulpit area, and then moves up to the SANCTUARY area facing east during the communion time. Worshippers kneel or stand at the ALTAR railing to receive 'the Body and Blood', just as their first century brothers and sisters in Christ did while worshipping in Roman homes.

 Of course, we recognize that the one holy catholic apostolic CHURCH is made up of the entire group of Christian believers from all around the planet, and the buildings that we use for worship simply serve as a SACRED SPACE for us to gather, study God's Word, offer our prayers to God, and to remember Christ's sacrifice on our behalf for our eternal salvation. 

All around the world, Christians continue to meet to worship in buildings of every sort, and while they gather together--even in two's or three's--God is present to make each worship space SACRED.