When Church Became Theatre - The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America (Hardcover)

In late 19th century America, profound socio-economic and technological changes contributed to the rejection of traditional church architecture and the development of a radically new worship building, the neo-medieval auditorium church. These Protestant churches contained extraordinary new auxiliary spaces, including kitchens, dining rooms, and lounges. Their real showpieces, however, were always the sanctuaries, radial-plan auditoria best described as 'theatres', with their elaborate pulpit stages, sloping floors, and curving pews. Many contained proscenium arches, marquee lighting, and theatre seats. Jeanne Halgren Kilde focuses on how the buildings helped to negotiate supernatural, social, and personal power. Their extraordinary interiors, she says, profoundly altered religious power relations. Borrowed directly from the architecture of the theatre, these worship spaces underscored performative and entertainment aspects of the worship service. By erecting these buildings, argues Kilde, middle class religious audiences demonstrated the move toward a consumer-oriented model of a religious participation that gave them unprecedented influence over the worship experience and church mission.

General

Imprint:	Oxford UniversityPress
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	July 2002
First published:	July 2002
Authors:	Jeanne Halgren Kilde (Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies)
Dimensions:	242 x 165 x 23mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	324
ISBN-13:	978-0-19-514341-6
Categories:	Books > Arts & Architecture > Architecture > Religious buildings Books > Humanities > History > World history > 1750 to 1900 Books > Humanities > History > American history > General Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > General > History of religion Books > History > American history > General Books > History > World history > 1750 to 1900 Books > Religion & Spirituality > General > History of religion
LSN:	0-19-514341-8
Barcode:	9780195143416

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