A Theology of Sacred Space
The Necessary Response to the Call to Sacred Assembly
In this short essay, I aim to explain why having a dedicated space for worshipping God is essential. However, I am not discussing architecture specifically. Instead, I want to emphasize the Christian importance of gathering together in the name of God and the necessary consequence of a place to worship.[1] Christian communities have always considered the concept of holy space an essential part of their worship. Rudolph Otto called “holy space” a “category of interpretation and valuation.” [2] The concept of sacred assembly requires a sacred space, whether it’s a forest clearing, the shore of Galilee, a secret cavern, a borrowed room, or a building specifically constructed to anchor the community’s worship of God. We focus not on the “supra-rational” nature of “holy,” as Otto described it, but rather on the practical inevitability of sacred assembly and the need for sacred space. We might think like this: “The advance of the Gospel invariably brings attention to the necessity for sacred assembly and, thus, holy (set apart) space for worshiping the Triune God. This reality, therefore, calls for a theology of place.”
Some biblical passages ask for the divine call for “holy assembly.” One crucial passage is from Joel: “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD” (Joel 1:14, NIV).
And some scriptures direct where the people of God should assemble:
· Exodus 20:24: "An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name, I will come to you, and I will bless you (NKJV)."
· Psalm 84:1-2: "How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."
· Ephesians 2:21-22: "In whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows
into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."
· Revelation 21:22: "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple."
In considering the concept of holy space, it becomes apparent that a theology of dwelling is central to the larger Judeo-Christian tradition and, with revelatory fulfillment, to the Christian Church. As Greg Beale taught us, the Temple was a sign of God dwelling with us and a “cosmic” alert to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Yet, the reality of God dwelling with man does not negate the call, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28). For we must go up to the Temple of God. The principle of continuity and discontinuity informs us at this point. Let’s explore these concepts further.
Discontinuity
First, discontinuity is when some divine or divinely commanded expressions of redemption are fulfilled (not changed but fulfilled).
The Temple is fulfilled in Christ: “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this Temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the Temple of his body” (John 2:19-21).
The Church is the Temple of the Lord as the Holy Spirit dwells in His people: “And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols? For ye are the Temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell among them, and walk there: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18, 1599 Geneva Bible—I have used an older English version because the translation correctly provides the second person plural declension, “ye,” as opposed to “thou;” modern English no longer differentiates between you singular and plural, except with the Southern US colloquial, “ya’ll”).
A host of other Scriptures anticipate and confirm that the New Covenant in Christ has made the Temple a spiritual dwelling place: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest” (Acts 7:49, NKJV)?
Finally, the most notable Scripture, taking its position at the very last in the processional, demonstrates discontinuity with the idea of a physical temple: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, NKJV ).
And then, there is “continuity:” divine commands that continue even if in a new covenant expression (e.g., Passover and the Lord’s Supper, Circumcision and Baptism).
Continuity
While the Lord has fulfilled the meaning of “God with us” through the miracle of Incarnation (Matthew 1:23), and the Church, the company of all of those who trust in Christ, comprise “the Temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16), there is a continuity in other ways. The people follow the example of the Lord setting apart space for divine services as He did for the Tabernacle (Exodus 27:9-19). Jesus taught in the synagogue (Luke 4:15-16) and at the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13). The people gathered in open fields, hillsides, and near the sea (Matthew 14:13-21). The disciples gathered to worship and wait on the Lord in the Upper Room (Acts 1:13-14). Paul preached in synagogues (Acts 13:5) and other public gathering places (Acts 17:17). Thus, a continuity of space is set apart and used to worship the Triune God (Acts 2:46-47).
The prophet Joel declares in Joel 1:14, “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God and cry out to the LORD.” Although we do not advocate the perpetuation of the Old Testament temple, the Bible offers continuity in spiritual application, also retaining the Biblical emphasis on “sacred space.” We need not be mystical about speaking of sacred space or sacred time. We mean that physical place dedicated to God and for “sacred assembly,” i.e., Christian worship. The pagan notions of a duality of material and spirit (in which the former is evil, and the latter is good) are crushed beneath the wholistic vision and Creatorly concern for all things. Thus, we may speak of spiritual things within our Lebenswelt (German, “life-world,” i.e., our experiential world).[3] We may also speak of “holy” as both the subject of mysterium tremendum (awe-filled, ethereal, set apart, divine) and our human response to it (awe-inspiring, transformative).[4]
The theology of the Temple underscores God’s desire for a dwelling among His people. This abode of the invisible God was intended to exist within the city yet distinct from it. The architectural design of the meeting place between God and humanity reflects a proper theology: the eternal God’s self-revelation while remaining present with His people.[5] An architectural historian, Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), termed this concinnitas, where temple features are harmoniously interconnected (“pleasing on account of harmony and proportion”).[6] Borrowing from Cicero’s concern for rhetoric (and Cicero from Socrates), Alberti sought to reflect the attributes of God in Creation with architecture.[7] Thus, each part was integral to the whole, much like the liturgical components: entrance, acknowledgment of God’s presence, proclamation of His word, remembrance of the covenant mediated by Christ’s sacrifice, and the dismissal, all united by the Gospel’s golden thread. In this lies the enigmatic revelation of God amidst His concealment and humanity’s salvation through His sacrifice. Thus, both liturgy and structure are within the community yet set apart. As Roger Scruton notes in “The Soul of the World,” temple stones bear witness to the convergence of time and timelessness in sacred assembly.[8]
In the early Church, believers gathered primarily in homes from the New Testament era to the fourth century. Now more than ever, we need the elegy of sacred assembly, and even more “as we see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25, ESV). Philemon, a wealthy man mentioned in Paul’s letter, hosted such an assembly in his spacious home, possibly including a dedicated chapel for worship. Archaeological evidence supports this arrangement. However, the presence of house churches doesn’t negate the importance of a city temple, which became vital as apostles yielded to local pastors and house churches gave way to consecrated community meeting houses.
In the 21st century, the concept of holy space waned with the ascent of secularism, leading to blurred distinctions between sacred assemblies and other gatherings. Attempts to mimic secular venues eroded the unique nature of worship, and deconstructed liturgy led to the loss of holy space’s distinct purpose.
Although the full impact of secularism is yet to be explored, it’s evident that neglecting holy space hindered the Church’s mission to bridge the gap between people and God. Conversely, cathedrals and churches in Britain and Europe suffered a similar fate, failing their mission due to diluted liturgy or abandonment, severing the connection between God’s message and physical space.
Worship in the Woods
Both extremes can be reversed. The Huguenots in France worshipped in forests, carrying the pulpit from their dedicated house of worship with them, akin to Israel fleeing with the Ark of the Covenant. In doing so, these persecuted people of God revealed that sacred assembly can occur in unconventional settings through dedicated time and space based on Scripture. Sacredness resides not solely in grand cathedrals but in God’s presence and faithful proclamation of His word. This truth is evident in the architecture of Westminster Abbey or the simple design of a chapel on the plains of America. Such biblical truth continues in New Covenant fulfillment as God dwells through the power of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s body, for the body is the Temple of the Lord. Sacred space and consecrated place are grounded in a theology of God with us and God in us through Jesus Christ our Lord in time and space, in our finite seasons of life, and in the “timelessness” (Eliot) of worship throughout eternity.
As Christ continues to build His Church, renewed attention to body and soul, edifice and liturgy, will likely resurface. As Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18 (ESV), “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Whether we follow the cycle from house worship to community structures or restore cathedral ruins, a revival of pure religion concerning sacred time and space is imperative for the resurgence of sacred assembly.
A Gentle Gesture of Profound Meaning
One of the most touching demonstrations of compassion and gospel witness I observed was during my tenure as pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga. The Women in the Church formed what could be described as an “altar guild,” which not only involved coordinating and arranging flowers for pedestals next to the Communion Table but also extended to a practice that beautifully illustrated the concepts of “sacred assembly” and “holy space.”
Their mission included taking blossoms from those arrangements to members unable to attend services and extending the sacred assembly beyond the church walls. Through this act, they conveyed a poignant message: “Although you couldn’t join us in the congregation, we bring this creation of natural beauty—which stood amongst us as we worshipped—to you. It symbolizes our shared worship and reminds us that your presence was missed.”
This simple yet profound gesture resonated with the essence of holy space. It signified that the Church, as a collective body, reaches out and embraces its absent members, affirming that they are still within the sanctuary of God’s people, irrespective of the physical space. The flowers, a fragment of the Church’s collective worship, became a tangible connection, linking the homebound members to the sanctity of the communal worship experience. It was a testament to the fact that the holy space we create through worship can extend beyond the physical confines of a church and into the hearts and homes of believers.
The flowers, a fragment of the Church’s collective worship, became a tangible connection, linking the homebound members to the sanctity of the communal worship experience. It was a testament to the fact that the holy space we create through worship can extend beyond the physical confines of a church and into the hearts and homes of believers.
Now more than ever, we need such a theology of Sacred Assembly—of the invisible God made visible by His word, of a place of worship that is in the community and yet apart from it, and a retelling of the gospel story in such a way that reverence and awe, wonder and beauty inspire us to make God the center of our lives, in liturgy and edifice, in other words: in body and soul. And we need this all the more “as we see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25, ESV).
We should reorient our practice, whether in cave or cathedral, to this theological vision. For we are moving inevitably to the ultimate fulfillment of this divine promise, as Revelation 21:3 (ESV) declares,
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”
Reference
Davies, John Colin. “The Originality of Cicero’s Philosophical Works.” Latomus 30, no. Fasc. 1 (1971): 105–19.
Hamilton, Sarah, and Andrew Spicer. “Defining the Holy: The Delineation of Sacred Space.” In Defining the Holy. Routledge, 2006.
Otto, R. The Idea of the Holy. OUP USA, 1958.
Scruton, Roger. The Soul of the World. Princeton University Press, 2014.
Tavernor, Robert. On Alberti and the Art of Building. Yale University Press, 1998.
Tavernor, Robert William. “Concinnitas in the Architectural Theory and Practice of Leon Battista Alberti.,” Cambridge UniverBulletinletin, November 12, 1985. http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/239042.
[1] For more on holy space, see Sarah Hamilton and Andrew Spice's “Defining the Holy: The Delineation of Sacred Space” in Defining the Holy (Routledge, 2006).
[2] R. Otto, The Idea of the Holy (New York: Oxford University Press USA, 1958), 5.
[3] See Edmund Husserl. The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology: An Introduction to Phenomenological Philosophy. Germany: Northwestern University Press, 1970.
[4] Otto, The Idea of the Holy, v (the phrase is used twenty-eight times in Otto’s classic).
[5] See Robert Tavernor, On Alberti and the Art of Building (Yale University Press, 1998).
[6] Robert William Tavernor, “Concinnitas in the Architectural Theory and Practice of Leon Battista Alberti.,” November 12, 1985, http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/239042.
[7] John Colin Davies, “The Originality of Cicero’s Philosophical Works,” Latomus 30, no. Fasc. 1 (1971): 105–19.
[8] Roger Scruton, The Soul of the World (Princeton University Press, 2014).