Pictured above is the Great Coxwell Barn, a large 14th century tithe barn in England. It is not a church, and never has been one. Its architectural similarity to a Gothic church lies in the construction technology available to build a large, open space.
Today, if you build a church that looks like a warehouse, you might get criticzed by traditionalists. I guess it’s all a matter of which worship model you subscribe to:
Gothic Cathedral Model
God: Worship Leader
Clergy & Choir: Worship Performers
Congregation: Worship Audience
Big Box Model
God: Worship Audience
Clergy & Choir: Worship Leaders
Congregation: Worship Performers
It’s fascinating to notice that the only major difference between a Gothic Tithe Barn and a Gothic Church in England is that the church has a steeple and movable chairs. “Plain Big Box” worship has a long history in Christendom.
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