@@redeemedzoomer6053maybe we should stop planting a new flavor of nondenominational church when there’s already 5 within walking distance of every neighborhood in America. And instead try to revitalize the dying historic churches.
As long as they preach in an acceptable biblical translation the its fine. But If you see things like "man does not live on bread sticks alone" or "you shall not touch the forebidden pizza of the knowledge of good and evil" then RUN.
Medieval churches were meant to express the grandeur of God, not the Church. The statues of saints were meant to remind people of the saints’ example and intercession.
i.e. the grandeur of God the Church as opposed to through the Bible: a Cathedral's height reflects the beauty of natural theology, not necessarily Scripture.
Exactly. And the statues/paintings/ stained glass windows of the saints also remind us that our goal is to become part of the communion of saints in heaven; also how the Mass is transcendent of time and space. So the Mass we celebrate today is the SAME Mass that the saints prayed, and the Eucharist we partake in is the SAME as that which they received AND the same Last Supper that Jesus partook in with His Apostles.
As a Catholic, the way I see it, churches should always be beautiful because the salvation in Jesus is beautiful-and this is what I feel for almost every church of Catholicism that I find
The church is not the building but the people. Is the temple of the Lord a physical building? Not anymore. The temple of the Lord is in the hearts of the church people.
well sure i guess but it doesn't matter at the end of the day. God doesn't care where or how your church looks like, if you have a heart that is with him then your good
Unfortunately the entire structure of the Society of Friends means that you don't know what you're getting until you visit. If it's full of people who have a foundation in Nicean Christianity, then it can be good. If it's full of universalists...
I'm just glad we're still considered, but "where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them", we don't need all the other stuff, we have the big one!
I'm not even sure we can properly call Friends Christians, they generally reject baptism. If a Quaker is validly baptized it's more coincidental than anything.
@@janeditchfield3976that verse is literally being spoken to the apostles and it’s making reference of ecumenical councils and apostolic succession read any historically Christian interpretation of that verse
Exactly, romanesque art looks quite byzantine to me. The romanesque crucifix in which St Francis had his vision to rebuild the Church was very byzantine-y
In my opinion, a lot of non-denom churches skip straight over “not stuck in the past” and land firmly in “emulating a watered-down form of popular culture” territory. No disrespect to them, but going into a non-denom church sometimes evokes feelings of trying to fit in with the popular kids in high school.
I agree and I go to these churches. I like most of the theology but some of it makes it really bad. The "gifts" in these churches make no sense. Why would only they have gifts and no one else out side of non denom
I mean all the gives told about in the new testament can and are done by people who love Jesus and have him as Lord. I've seen these things happen is many types of churches other than non denom@@pjfunnybunny2597
Better to change their aesthetics try and fit in with modern culture, than the mainline churches that change their theology to fit in with modern culture
@@DrakonPhD taking a more charitable interpretation of mainline denominations, I’m actually the other way around. I’d much prefer to hold onto some culture and traditions while continuing to evolve in how the church relates to the world and modern society.
I believe that's partly because the focus is on evangalizing and getting people to the church. Which can be their downfall because it's vulnerable to watering down the faith.
It’s because the emphasis is on the relationship between the believer and God , not the believer in their relationship with an institution or building.
I sincerely love that moment of feeling awestruck when I enter church. I love being bombarded with beauty & especially iconography. It’s not distracting, it inspires quiet reflection on the individual lives of early founders of our faith who were once real people with unique legacies just like us. I don’t feel “small”, I feel at peace & humble :)
@@fresholiveoil6490why would you lose salvation just based off switching denominations? Your salvation is based on your faith and belief in Jesus Christ and his resurrection and forgiveness of your sins through His death and resurrection, nothing else
An important thing to mention is that not all Pentecostal churches look like that it’s a large spectrum considering how much diversity is involved in the denomination
The older Pentecostal churches don’t look like that, mainly those in small towns. However most big city Pentecostal churches almost all look like that.
Nice video. As a Catholic I must say Saints have nothing to do with authority. They are examples, they are helpers, they are venerated. We pray for them and they pray for us. But they are not authoritative, they are family.
He's projecting his own preoccupations when thinking of Catholicism onto the art of the church and then confusing it with the objective reality of Catholics' preoccupations when building/making art. We literally keep Christ inside the Church at all times and keep our doors open so that everyone has access to him all the time. The idea that saints are about authority is absurd. Catholicism is very folk. They think everything is about the Magisteriu just because it's THEIR biggest gripe with us and that's what THEY see (project) when they look at the church. This video is absurd.
@abrahamdozer6273 Glad you asked. There is distinction between Latria (to God), Dulia (to angels and saints) and Hyperdulia (to Mary). Only Latria is worship. The others are veneration, respectful forms of prayer. You must also understand that prayer is not the same as worship: Because worship requires a sacrifice, and no one is sacrificing anything for Mary or the Saints. Worship means service (to our God through a sacrifice). Christ in the cross was the sufficient sacrifice which we accept when we become Christians. He is the only one who was sacrificed therefore the only one who is being worshipped. A protestant would ask, why venerate? Even if it's not equal to worship, isn't Christ enough? Yes, Christ is enough! Catholicism does not say Mary or the Saints are necessary for salvation! However Mary and the Saints DO help immensely, because they keep us in Jesus' path. A protestant usually says: Aren't they acting as mediators? The Bible says "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus". And this is correct! Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. Jeus IS the only way to the Father. Catholics however recognize Mary and the Saints are ways from the people TO JESUS. We all get to know Jesus in many ways with the help of many people. From prophets guiding the masses, missionaries helping to spread the Lords's word, preachers and monks and priests, and even common people simply praying for us. It's a big family and they ALL help us stay in the path that is Jesus. They are NOT replacing Jesus' role nor offering salvation. This is why you should not lift false testimony about what any of them pretend to do. It's a family of followers, and we are asked to be as one, without division or hate. To better understand Mary's role, know that it is one of simple piety and growing from love. And that she always acts through asking Jesus. This can be seen in John 2:1-11 (at the Wedding at Cana): Mary tells Jesus "They have no wine," and Jesus replied, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." His mother then said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you". And He helped them. Here Mary interceded for the earthly misfortunes of regular people, and Jesus listens to her even when it was not part of God's divine plan. She in return asks people to do what Jesus says. It is simple Christian piety, Mary takes pity on the misfortunate and asks Jesus for help, and He is willing to listen and offer grace even beyond his plan. Because of the love of our mother. If you want, I can further explain more about Mary.
I'm so happy to be a Catholic. We have so many different architectural styles. Gothic, Baroque, Byzantine, Romanesque, along with the more humble Churches and Monasteries.
I (Protestant) was recently invited to partake in the Holy Thursday Mass with my Catholic friends. The church it was held at was given a dispensation to have the altar in the center of the room, with two rows of pews facing the center. They also had a special crucifix with an image of Christ on both sides. It was beautiful, and I would gladly return in the future.
You know it's actually sad that the trademark byzantine arquitecture of churches which is based on the Hagia Sophia is actually associated with mosques
@@lightmohamed5700 I'm not so sure about that tho. Usually when people think of a mosque they think of an ottoman style mosque, which is a direct copy of byzantine arquitecture. It's for a reason that this 🕌 is even the emoji for a mosque
To be fair. The Hagia Sophia was a Byzantine church first. The Ottomans took Constantinople, renamed it Istanbul, and turned the biggest and most beautiful of the Christian churches, the Hagia Sophia, into a mosque. Partly out of architectural envy, and partly as a brazen display of dominance. So if mosques look like old Byzantine churches, it's because they're based on the biggest Ottoman mosque, that used to be the biggest Byzantine church.
@@jameshobbsiv4040 if muslims claim that the hagia sophia is a mosque then they have no right to complain about Palestine getting it's land "stolen" by Israel
I just got home from mass in a church built around 1100. The church is like a mix between catholic and Lutheran, with it being largely simple but still has pictures and icons. Love how I was just admiring the architecture and now come home to see this video
My mother is from Slovakia and I had the pleasure to visit Slovakia last fall for the first time. I stopped by a Greek Catholic Church when in Spišská Nová Ves. It was very beautiful and I loved the mosaic and icons they had. I feel truly blessed to be a part of the Catholic Church.
@@user-mb9pi4ph4z "Greek Catholic Church" is the eastern Catholic rite in Slovakia, it's in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and believe the Pope has authority over the Church just like Roman Catholics, and in general believe in all the things Roman Catholics do and even practice praying the Rosary, but they have Orthodox aesthetics and liturgy.
@@evandeering5966 Nice, I'm from the city you mentioned, we also have a beautiful Roman Catholic Church here, not far from the Greek Catholic one (which is breathtaking)
@@NinaJ7 Áno. I saw this one too. I wanted to go in, but unfortunately it was locked. I only got pictures of the outside, but the building was very pretty and in a very good spot in the city.
I wouldn't say Pentecostalism is "all about" or centered around experience, feelings or atmosphere. I have been to many Pentecostal churches and this haven't been true for any one of them. Sure, there are some examples of "emotionalism" in quite many churches, but this does not represent the movement as a whole. Pentecostalism is all about letting the Spirit work freely and not rejecting God's continuing work through Himself and through us through the Spirit, it is a movement centered around mission, not emotions. Many Pentecostal churches sings hymns and are not at all concerned with lights or upbeat music. If you would have said it is "generally" like this, then I would have let it slide, but you put it forth as a fact.
I have heard them in Pentecostal churches screaming, convulsing, falling to the ground, trembling, speaking unintelligible words in a state of agitation and chaos, and saying that the Holy Spirit has descended upon them. Do all of them do this or a small percentage of them?
@@user-ue7ju6fm6e I have actually never witnessed any of this, only a few times people have fallen to the ground while people was praying for them, but that was not in a meeting, it was rather an independent gathering inside the church walls. However, in the Pentecostal movement there is a problem in many churches regarding emotionalism, but this shouldn't define it as a whole. Although it generally is more lively and more shouts of "Amen!" and "Hallelujah!" in Pentecostal churches, most are not centered on feelings and emotions. The Spirit gets to work freely, and the gifts of tongues and prophecy, etc is not looked down upon. The center of Pentecostalism is relationship with God and mission, I'm not very good at most other denominations, but I think Pentecostalism is most closely a blend of Baptism, Methodism and Spirit led charismatics. Many confuse Pentecostalism with Neopentecostalism, and while there are some blend in some congregations, they are two different things, although both can absolutely include true, born again Christians.
Didn’t the pope once said all religions lead to God? (How is that based?) But Jesus said ‘I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me’?
@@benz8681 Jesus is humanity’s only hope to salvation, why is this difficult for the Pope to articulate? He makes it so vague, open to interpretation, and fuzzy. He seems to do this a lot. I don’t know where this doctrine of God’s submissive will is in scripture, but I know Jesus says that He is the way the truth and the life. Does God really have a ‘permissive will’? Is God sending Jesus to save the world while somehow having a ‘submissive will’ based? God doesn’t have a submissive will, there are liars, those who believe in lies, and there those who believe the Truth.
@@MagnusGugilusVugilus Closest thing I think he said somewhat officially on this was the document on Human Fraternity: This Document upholds the following: • Freedom is a right of every person: each individual enjoys the freedom of belief, thought, expression and action. The pluralism and the diversity of religions, colour, sex, race and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. This divine wisdom is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derives. Therefore, the fact that people are forced to adhere to a certain religion or culture must be rejected, as too the imposition of a cultural way of life that others do not accept; You can see in context he is talking about freedom, but it did raise eyebrows when he lumped in religion with things which are innate: color, sex, race, seeming to suggest that what religion you have is an innate characteristic, and thus impossible to change (and imprudent/immoral to seek to have changed in another). In later comments, he clarified he was talking about permissive will (voluntas permissiva): Because there are many religions, and why are there many religions? Along with the Muslims, we are the descendants of the same Father, Abraham: why does God allow many religions? God wanted to allow this: Scholastic theologians used to refer to God’s voluntas permissiva. He wanted to allow this reality: there are many religions. Some are born from culture, but they always look to heaven; they look to God. But what God wants is fraternity among us and in a special way, this was the reason for the trip, with our brothers, Abraham’s children like us, the Muslims. We must not fear differences. God allowed this. Still, the inclusion of permissive will here doesn't completely make his own view clear; though it does helpfully leave the door open to a belief that religious diversity is bad, and God permits it still for good ends (which would be the orthodox reading).
@@MagnusGugilusVugilus he has repeatedly. Speaking at morning Mass at the Santa Marta residence in 2016, Pope Francis on Monday urged the faithful not to seek salvation through anyone but Jesus alone, because he is the only way into heaven. "The Lord thus clearly says: you cannot enter eternal life by any entryway that is not the door - that is not Jesus," the Pope said during his April 18 homily, according to Vatican Radio's translation. "He is the door of our life - and not only of eternal life, but also of our daily lives." If we do not make decisions "in the name of Jesus" - who is the door - we attempt to do so through a "smuggler's hatch," he said.
For anyone wondering why people don't build beautiful churches anymore, it's mostly because most of society today is completely irreligious, forcing dedicated Christians to build their own independent houses of worship which of course aren't going to receive any funds except what the congregation can save up together.
Kind of hard to invest hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars into a church building that could take many, many years to finish, rather than repurposing an existing building and using the saved money to fund the various charities and outreach ministries a church may have. That's assuming the church can even afford said fancy structure to begin with
It’s not just churches, people don’t build barely any beautiful buildings anymore period. It’s called capitalism, that’s why they build houses out of wood instead of brick in America. And maybe if Christians stopped leaving the religion, and also focusing on tradition, they would build beautiful churches again. But instead you sit and complain and blame
To be fair most catholic Churches here start just with a simple palm roof in a donated plot from a neighborhood and a few wooden stools piled up in the corner with hope nobody steal them. And after that it becomes a decades long process to make a temple suitable enough to be considered a parish and not just a chapel. And in most cases is the community itself the one who helps to build it by donations and hand work. A few months ago my local church finally got a proper door and it was an absolute milestone for the community. And just like that another church in another neighborhood had not even roof and spent years doing services in the middle of a construction site until the temple became the proper aesthetic of a catholic church.
Want to note something, there are Pentecostal churches, at least in europe, that look way more like the baptist churches and have a traditional form of worship, not all pentecostal churches are like the ones presented in the video
I can confirm that most of the ones I've seen in the US are _also_ basically just baptist churches. Very simplistic. I'd imagine only the ultra big mega churches have the super stimulating fancy machines and smoke and such.
As a Catholic, I’d like to add that our churches generally have a lot of symbolism and statues to remind us also of our history. We often see saints similar to how many patriotic or nationalistic people see important historical figures of their nation: a sense of awe, respect, and honor. Of course, unlike them, we believe in a communion of saints (as do the Orthodox of course) and believe that we can ask for their intercession since Christ unites Heaven and Earth. These are our ancestors and heroes in the faith. They came before us and have won the race. Now they’re our role models and intercessors so of course I am emboldened to follow them to Heaven.
Exactly. So many of the denominations spend all their efforts trying to tear each other apart over relatively minor disagreements that they're missing the entire point of the Church. To spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and fellowship together in His name. I just know there's going to be someone responding to this comment with some extremely aggressive/insulting comment about how one denomination or another is full of evil heretics.
I'm non denominational because i believe that i can go to church like Catholic's, listen to the gospel like Lutheran, be a tradition Christian like Orthodox, study the bible like presbyterian, i have experience with God like Pentecostal, pray to God like Anglican, and have a personal relationship with God like a Baptist
I agree. I'm also non-denominational because I believe that denominations as a concept detract from the actual purpose of Christ's church: A group of believers unified in their faith working to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world to the lost.
@@El-HartoHave you talked to a lot of trad Catholics? Because while I’m not trad myself, most of my Catholic friends are and your description of them here is way off base.
@@Jupiter__001_ Yes, but the emphasis of statues is more of a reminder of the saints' lives and holiness than their authority. After all, for someone to be canonized, they already have to have died.
Something a lot of people don't seem to appreciate or understand today is that a plain, simple building can still be beautiful if it's done right. Lots of old country churches around the country are very plain and simple, yet they're still very beautiful.
Great job explaining the motive behind the different aesthetics of the denominations without putting anyone down. As a Lutheran, your explanation on our churches was very spot on.
Everyone saying “Pizza Hut churches” let’s not forget how Wesley and Whitfield weren’t allowed into those pretty buildings and were made to preach in the streets. Or how the UMC punishes and replaces conservative pastors. Or how the early Christians used to and the persecuted Christians in China currently gather into houses. John Knox’s stunning cathedral in Edinburgh allows lesbians to preach and they’ve turned his grave into a parking spot. Pretty buildings are nice and we should defend what institutions we have. But at the end of the day I’d rather worship God truthfully in a cave than give Him empty ceremony or listen to a transvestite blaspheme my faith from the altar.
Thanks for this video RZ! As a Catholic I would also say that our Church is not just Authority but also to show beauty of our salvation of our Lord and making Heaven as it is on earth ❤ God bless
My current church is renovated from an older church whose congregation dwindled to basically nothing so they donated it to our church (which at the time was meeting in school auditoriums) and my gosh... it was just a bunch of random square structures that were stuck together, and it was NOT up to fire code. Luckily we were able to update it and clean it up, and it's a very welcoming environment nowadays. It's still sort of a weird layout with some ugly structures, but at least now it looks nice and inviting. I think you're spot-on with your interpretation of non-denominational churches, non-denominationalism theologically is a marriage between Pentecostals and Baptists (for the most part, some churches lean more Pentecostal and others more Baptist) they inherit the idea of having a more personal relationship with God from the Baptists, while also inheriting the need to be spiritually active and alive from the Pentecostals. Most non-denominational churches want guests to be welcome and foster a sense of community, so there are lots of large windows and sitting areas. Personally, to me what a church looks like visually is icing on the cake. I like traditional, ornate architecture but I know not every church can be some big historic church, and not every church has that kind of money. I mostly care about the teachings of the church. I don't dislike the more contemporary style (I do think the corporate department store-esque style should be avoided by churches if at all possible, though) but it can be improved on, such as adding more interior arches, more stained glass, and more architectural details that make it clear that this is a church and not a fancy convention center. The college I'm going to has this really cool chapel that they hold weekly services in, and I do like the architectural style, it's elegant yet reserved, and modern yet traditional.
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In my opinion, Catholic, and I assume Orthodox, design has more to do with the fact that their buildings are temples where actual sacrifices are offered. The space, then, should befit the sacrifice.
The core concept is that in the Divine Litergy, the Church Militant participates with the Church Triumphant in Heaven. That is one of the the reasons we have Icons of Angels and Saints on the walls and iconostasis. It is modeling what is seen in passages like Revelation and Isaiah. And you are right about it being designed because it is a temple. The idea is that the Tabernacle was modeled after Heavenly worship. The first and second Temples followed the same pattern. The is the pattern Orthodox churches follow. If you are interested, I would suggest Jonathan Pageau's video on Sacred Architecture. Edit, I don't want to be unchartiable, but I don't think he really understands the reasons behind Roman Catholic and Orthodox designes of Sacred Architecture. Correct me if I am wrong, but I assume the the reason for tall Cathedrals is to draw your eyes up to Heaven. I assume there are also deeper theological design choices as there are in the Orthodox.Where the design has symbolism from how the building is supposed to be in the shape of the cross down to pointing to the East.
@@mamaliamalak7825here in the Catholic sphere we have our "experts" who teach us that the banisters between sancturay and hall must be torn down to "1!mEet tHe peopl3!". I hope you Easterners at least keep yourselves immune to this rubbish
I would put it in a slightly more simple way. Icons in the church remind us that the saints and angels are present right here among us and co-participate with us in the divine liturgy. Because Orthodox believe that the earthly church is mystically uniting with the heavenly church during our worship. Although, I totally agree with your reference to apocalypse symbolism. And the first commentator is right that the church reflects our theology. For us, it is, indeed, a holy space where mysteries are served/celebrated.
I'm a Lutheran. You hit the nail on the head when you summed Lutheran theology up with "the gospel". we read the book, we try to live by it. we try to make jesus' word real in our works. we are critical, obstinate, and we will never give up the good fight.
0:04: I like that you used a church called Higher Vision. If you’re gonna open a non-denominational church, you must give it a name that could cause someone to confuse it for a marijuana dispensary
My Pentacost does not look like that 😐. The Pentacost that I go to has a traditional look, like the Lutheran church. And we sing older hymns. Also we have no Icons or images of God.
Baptists (SBC especially) also spend a ton of our budget on overseas missions. I love the pretty buildings of the lutherans and anglicans, but when it comes down to stained glass or one more missionary to the lost, the windows can wait. But seriously though my brother baptists, colorful paint doesn't cost more than beige.
I really appreciated how you explained the values and styles of different denominations without making fun of any of them. So many Christians can’t help but make jabs when taking about traditions other than theirs, but you were very respectful in your portrayal of them without resorting to mockery and strawmen.
I figured that when we got to Pentecostal churches, they'd be the massive screen, strobe lights, smoke machine, etc stuff. Most small Pentecostal churches are basically just like Baptist churches. they're very simplistic and basically just like a big house. Heck, even a lot of larger Pentecostal churches don't have too many stimulating effects, from what I've seen. It really depends on the type of Pentecostal, as well as the target audience, I guess.
My Church’s building was reconstructed in the early 1900s from the original building. We have a quite beautiful church even though it is quite simple. (Southern Baptist)
In my Pentecostal Church (Assemblies of God in particular) is actually a mix between Baptist and Pentecostal with the stage mostly being the only Pentecostal visual attribute associated with the church.
There was a church in the holy land that had the altar in the center of the church and it was the basis for the design of in the round churches. A church in Rome has that design.
Props to RZ for not bashing contemporary style but actually speaking of it in a way that conveys it still has value. Of course I think there’s a balance to be struck contemporary in moderation is ok but tradition should still be upheld.
An Anglican priest explained to me the significance of the stained glass in traditional English churches and it's incredibly powerful. The entire story of the Bible presented in artwork is truly captivating, and the rood screen with John the Baptist and Mary connecting the Old and New Testament is powerful.
I'm a baptist so I do prefer a building that reflects humility and simplicity. however I very much like to visit other denominational churches. beautiful in their own way.
My Presbyterian church is very simplistic in nature. Plain walls like you said. Two paintings of Jesus. And it’s a very large sanctuary. Story goes when the first built the larger church (a smaller one had existed prior) it was more ornate and extravagant to an extent. But the night before they were gonna hold their first Sunday service it burned to the ground in a fire. The congregation took that as a sign from God they were being too flashy, so when they rebuilt the place they toned it back on the décor.
the penticostal church i belong to is actually beautiful, its not over the top but its also not a warehouse with foldable chairs like most penacostal churches
I would say for ortodoxy it isn't just tradition, but closes to god. They are supposed to feel welcoming, holy, frendly and beautiful. I love your videos, but you seem to get ortodoxy wrong and repeat some misunderstanding or you don't show full picture. I love your channel but I just tought you need to pay a bit more attention to this.
This! He's doing the same for us Catholics, taking his own impressions of what he finds distinctive about the various traditions from his apologetics and then crudely projecting them onto areas they have nothing to do with. A better take is that the churches reflect the different emphases about what's taking place in there. Catholic and Orthodox emphases on the Eucharist as a true, ATEMPORAL sacrifice that participates in the heavenly worship, is reflected in different ways. In the West, the taller churches tended to emphasize the attention being drawn up to heaven, and feels somewhat more masculine. In the East, it tended to be the opposite (heaven brought down to earth, in a way) and feels somewhat warmer/more maternal. But both are essentially trying to depict this belief that heaven and earth are meeting in the Church's worship, or to inspire or invite the believers to participate in this "drama." Even the liturgies are the same, with the Gregorian feeling more "drawing mind UP to heaven" and the Eastern feeling like "drawing heaven DOWN to earth". He then reduces them to "authority" and "tradition" because that's what HE thinks about when he thinks "Catholic" and "Orthodox." Even claiming that SAINTS are about authority? Or just to emphasise Tradition? Absurd. I know it's not deliberate but it's honestly very annoying.
I drive by often and found myself being able to pick out the branch by the style of the building. You can even do subdivisions for Southern Baptist vs Independent. Although in general, like with all architecture in America, the styles are becoming more modern.
To add on how Lutheran church design is shaped by our focus on the Gospel (as seen on the overview slide): in some regions in Germany, including mine, the pulpit is combined with the altar, located directly above it. That serves to represent how the Sacraments (performed at the altar) are connected to the Gospel (interpreted from the pulpit).
This is going to sound harsh, and you’re probably going to hate me for this. But as a Catholic that’s a disappointing and dishonest explanation of Catholic architecture. We don’t prioritize authority over personal relationship with Christ. We don’t have statues to remind us of the authority of the saints. The church is a family. The Church is the family of the New Covenant in His blood (the Eucharist). But we each have a very deep personal relationship with God. We have statues to remind us of our fathers and mothers in faith who have gone before us who are truly present with us during mass. We have ornate structures and paintings to draw us into closer relationship with God, to help us contemplate Him. There was a study comparing different events in a persons lives. What converted more people than anything else? When they visit a beautiful church. More than being preached to. More than being invited to a Bible study. More than praise and worship music or community. It’s an encounter with God through beauty. Catholic architecture communicates God’s beauty, majesty and transcendence. It is truly available to us at all times, but especially in the Mass and in the Church
And Church of Christ is Baptist without instruments, because God, being perfect, gave us naturally all the tools we need to worship him with; our voice and our hands.
The church I go to as an aesthetic somewhere in between Baptist and non-denominational. I grew up in an Assembly of God Church that for most of its existence had an aesthetic that looked more like a Baptist one, and now looks a little bit more like the way you described Pentecostal churches, though no smoke machines yet.
You're wrong about Anglicans valuing unity over doctrinal purity. It's more that we view the only pure doctrine to be the faith of the early church as professed via the creeds. To require a christian to believe anything beyond that, especially if the scriptural support for it is reasonably disputed (be it a faith-alone view of salvation, a calvinist view of predestination, or the total authority of the pope), is what we view as heretical.
this is a good video but I don't think that your treatment of Catholics is as monolithic in reality- there is a great difference between the size, statues, and architecture of cathedrals (which you address) and parish churches and chapels, which are much smaller and more intimate- there's also a scale of grandeur in the mass, between a solemn high mass and a low mass as well.
I grew up in a small Baptist Church (18 years), married a Pentacostal and attended his family church (approx 13 years), and we have been attending a Non-Denominational Church with a Pentacostal background for almost 20 years. Our current church has taught us more about having a personal relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ than our previous churches.
I unfollowed a while back because I dislike your divisive rhetoric but this video does a great job at promoting unity within our differences and not arguing correct or incorrect doctrine. Great vid, man.
As a Hindu, my interest is in the Christian religion. I believe in Lord Jesus Christ and his teachings. I also believe in the Holy Bible. Glory be to Lord Jesus Christ🛐✝️☦️
I'm fond of Baptist and Qauker church's because I prefer the idea of spirituality and religion being more of a personal journey that you mostly take on your own. If God is real, then he's everywhere so I don't really see the point in making a place of worship too grand. But thats just me. Orthodox churches look amazing though. I'd like to visit one someday.
But it's not an individual journey. To be a Christian is to become a member in the body of Christ. It's absurd for a finger to say to the heart "I don't need you, just me and the head is enough."
I have a question. What's your advice for Young christian man That are Waiting for marriage. I am twenty two years old and i've never had a girlfriend or been In a relationship. With a girl( I'm Autistic so it has hindered my life for a very long time And it hindered me from going places to meet girls) And I have always hated being a Virgin for a long time.And this has been going back-and-forth in my mind.For many year since I became a christian when I Was 15 years old. It Has drove me crazy over the years I get so sick of being alone. So sick of not being in a relationship. Even last night I just felt so empty. Inside and just wanted. To be in a relationship. I really want God to help me out of this position in my life. There are so many things I want fixed
Don’t rush it brother. I have had a few partners and it makes you feel even more empty and depressed. It’s not worth giving into your fleshly desires. She will come along when the time is right. God will place her in your path when you least expect it.
My advice to you is force yourself out of your comfort zone and force yourself to socialize. It’ll be hard and scary at first but the more you do it the more you’ll get used to it
Pick someone who is 5'7 and has strong facial features so you can have tall, handsome children. Swedes, Latvians and Dutch women are the way to do it. They are amongst the tallest women in the world and with them you'd be guaranteed to have six feet tall sons.
Are your explanations more caricature, generalizations than reality? In growing up Seventh Day Baptist, I would say that we don't think churches can't be ornate at all. But in order to be ornate you probably need a ton of money which most Seventh Day Baptist Churches just don't have funds like that. Either way I appreciate your videos and I would invite you be in a "personal relationship" with me. 😉 Just doing what Baptist do. 🤣
I like catholic, orthodox and presbyterian. Methodist with the TV screens broke my heart. What people don’t see, when attacking us catholics for putting up statues: we accept our weakness as humans - and the fact we need visual aid to be able to visualize things. It’s not idolatry. It’s accepting the human weakness. Taking all of that out and saying you don’t need it, could be seen as priding yourself to be a better christian than others. Hope you appreciate a fresh angle on the topic.
As a pentecostal there is a large spectrum of churches like my current church is literally an old Wesleyan church so it very traditional. Brown wood seats pulpit you have to walk up too🤣🤣.
I like the video and you summarised very well many intentions behind churches architecture. I would say, though, that it is hard to put "Catholic architecture" in one basket, as it has been around for millennia and has changed styles quite a bit: your remarks might work well for gothic and baroque style, for example, but not so much for Romanesque style, with low ceilings, thick walls, very bare inside.. very "monastery like".
Yah, he did something similar to the Orthodox groups. Just some bad assumptions without taking the time to actually look up the reasons for Catholic and Orthodox design choices.
Hello. Beforehand, thank you to anyone who can help me with my inquiry. I'm interested on the worship service of the Presbyterians. Could someone suggest me any resorce in which it is explained and shown? God bless
On the octagon thing. My presby church has an octagonal dome over the sanctuary. My pastor says that it represents our living in the "eighth day" of creation ever since the resurrection.
