Pulpit-Centered Churches

A look at religious trends.

M.E. Kern

Religious trends are often clearly re­vealed through church architecture. At the present time there is a decided trend to­ward the chancel type of church among Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Northern Baptists, declares John D. Kern in the Baptist Watchman-Examiner of Sep­tember 5, 1940. Quoting directly:

"The pulpit-centered church, which has been pre­dominant for the last three hundred years in Prot­estantism, now seems to be losing its hold. For centuries the Catholic, Episcopal, and Lutheran churches have used the chancel type of church, with the altar in the focal center of the nave. With Baptists and most of the Protestant churches, the pulpit with the open Bible has been the focal center. During the last five or ten years, many Baptist churches have changed from the pulpit-centered to the chancel type of interior architecture."

Mr. Kern then asks the question, "V\Thy has this been so?" The first and lesser reason he gives is to make the church more beautiful and worshipful. "The present style of archi­tecture of the pulpit-centered church fails grievously in this regard. Most pulpit-centered churches are architectural monstrosities with­out and within." He then gives a brief his­tory of church architecture in the United States, as follows:

"One may go into the older sections of any Ameri­can city today and find the houses which all archi­tects call 'the architectural atrocities of the 188o's.' This is the worst period of American architecture. The period 188o to t000 was a period of growth and expansion for Baptists. Many new buildings were built during this period, and they embody this type of architecture."

Next he proceeds to describe a "typical Baptist church" that all too uncomfortably presents a likeness to many of our Adventist churches. The result is anything but inviting.

"An old witticism still lives to the effect that if  you will go to any city or town and pick out the ugliest church building, it will be a Baptist church. There is too much truth in this witticism for it to die. Lest these grave charges seem unfounded, let us examine a typical Baptist church. In the focal center of the interior stands the pulpit, devoid of beauty and craftsmanship. Below it is the com­munion table, which is a cast-off library table or often an 'antique' table that shakes every time it is touched. . . . Gaudy or gilded organ pipes fill the end of the church behind the minister. . . . The chairs for the minister are cast-off overstuffed chairs, or some others devoid of beauty. The chairs for the choir are ugly and commonplace. . . .

"A baptistery that is an architectural 'eyesore' is found either under the pulpit or under the choir loft. A gaudy painting or faded curtains call atten­tion to it. Flower stands are found on the rostrum without any flowers. Extra hymnbooks are found on the sides of the pulpit, on the flower stands, on the minister's chair, and elsewhere. Ugly sign-boards with big numbers tell all about the Sunday school. We might continue the list, but this is enough to arouse even the complacent. To sum it all up, there is nothing visible to the eye which inspires reverence or worship. Baptists need to discover that there can be sermons in wood as well as in words."

In contrast, the chancel type of church is markedly inviting as to reverence and worship.

"On entering a chancel type of church, one faces the altar and the cross and kneels in prayer. The worshiper who enters the average pulpit-centered church looks around to see who is there. Nothing says to the eye, 'Come, let us worship the Lord, and let us exalt His name together.'

"Our pulpit-centered churches must be designed to speak to the eyes of the worshiper. They must be transformed from auditoriums into sanctuaries. The chancel type of church excels the pulpit-centered type at the present time in creating an atmosphere of reverence and worship. Unless we can develop and improve the architecture of the pulpit-centered church so that it satisfies the hunger for the beau­tiful and for the worshipful, it will give place to the chancel type of church."

But before the advantages make too great an impression, there are very serious matters to be considered, says Mr. Kern:

"We have a tradition, spirit, and practice which is now three hundred years old. During all these years the pulpit-centered church has been used al­most universally. . . . Baptists do not uncritically accept the Augsburg Confession. Then why should we accept Lutheran architecture uncritically ? . . 

Through the centuries, each denomination has de­veloped an architecture which harmonizes with its tradition and practice. . . . Primitive man ap­proached the altar of his God at the dawn of re­corded history. Pulpit-centered worship goes back to the Hebrew prophets, God's flaming evangelists. Our Baptist tradition is built upon the preacher and his pulpit, rather than upon the priest and his altar. Furthermore, a Baptist church is built upon great fundamentals which are a most precious heritage. Chief among these is the doctrine of 'the priesthood of believers' and 'the direct access of the soul to God.' The 'priest and altar' idea is an architec­tural denial of this great Baptist fundamental. In the chancel type of church the priest stands between the people and the altar and God. Their gifts are received by his hand and placed upon the altar. The people may approach the altar, but they must kneel outside the altar rail, which symbolizes, 'Thus far shalt thou go, but no farther.'

"Preaching has been central in the growth and practice of our Baptist faith. It has always been a large part of worship, and it must continue to be so When a Baptist church exchanges its flaming prophet and evangelist for a polished performer, the days of decay and decline are at hand, An Ameri­can will freeze to death more quickly in the Arctic Circle than an Eskimo. Baptists will not survive long in the Arctic winters of ritualism, sacramen­talism, and sacerdotalism. The chancel type of church has developed in this spiritual atmosphere, and is an architectural expression of it. . . .

"Our Baptist worship is warm, friendly, and en­thusiastic. In the chancel type of church, the wor­ship is cold and formal. Our Baptist worship is emotional and moves us to action and accomplish­ment. Cold ritual performances will not keep a Bap­tist church alive.

"Finally, the chancel type of church does not fit our Baptist practice. We need mention only one thing. What will the chancel type of church do to our evangelistic spirit? Evangelistic meetings might be held in the parish hall, of course. When the cold winter of ritualism and formalism settles down on our churches, the evangelistic fires will go out, and we will be like a hive of bees in January."

"Now," asks Mr. Kern, "what must be done to save the pulpit-centered church?" We quote his several suggestions in part:

"First, our pastors must be awakened to realize the crying need to make the pulpit-centered churches beautiful and worshipful. Recently a young graduate of one of our conservative seminaries wrote me. about the baptistery in his church: 'Every time i have a baptismal service, I publicly apologize for the terribly messy situation here—truly "a hole in the floor" baptistery. It's a disgrace.' Older min­isters have used this same messy setup for years without realizing what a travesty they were making of the ordinance of baptism. But the young min­ister was awake. . . Our pulpit-centered churches can be made beautiful and worshipful if we are willing to spend the time, thought, and money nec­essary to do it. . . .

"Our congregations must be awakened and edu­cated to see the need for beautiful and worshipful sanctuaries. A serious 'surgical' operation must be performed on our ugly churches. The 'wart on the nose' choir loft and organ pipes, the 'harelip' bap­tistery, and other 'deformities' must be removed and corrected. Only a skilled architect can do that. . . . Many of the older architects are hope­lessly lost in the old ruts or else do not think a pulpit-centered church can be beautiful and worshipful."


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M.E. Kern

June 1941

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