"An accurate guide to Virginia's forty-eight surviving pre-1776 churches."--Foreword.

Each year a billion dollars is spent on church buildings in the United States. Yet there is no authoritative book available to guide building committees, ministers, and others responsible for new churches in the theological implications of their work. Dr. White explores the theological and historical considerations relevant to building for Protestant worship. Surprisingly, these are often ignored by building committees, usually with disastrous results. His approach is highly original, especially in his theological treatment of worship; yet his book is also a operative in the largest sense, in that it relates theology to practice. Professor White begins with a critical analysis of contemporary concepts of Protestant worship and then defines the liturgical factors in church design. Following this, there are four chapters giving an historical account of various experiments from the third century to the present. This section indicates the tremendous variety of possibilities open to the church builder, many of which have been ignored too long. A final chapter deals with emotive factors - all vitally relevant to the architect: choir, liturgical art, and style. The opportunity to design a new church building occurs only once or twice in each generation of church members. It is all the more important that it be done carefully since the building will continue to affect the life of the congregation for many years. Until fundamental questions as to what the Church is and what the Church does in worship are raised, a congregation is not prepared to build. This book will help churches find the answers. The 155-item bibliography should be of value to many since a recent extensive bibliography on Protestant church architecture does not exist. This book also contains 60 diagrams of experiments in plan garnered from nearly 2000 years of history.

The Colonial church was easy-going as regards doctrines and life, and yet it left its impress on the generations it served. There were churches built in good taste and served by parsons who were scholars if they were not religious enthusiasts. That they were over-fond of fox-hunting and sometimes took a bit too much wine is true, but as they were also the schoolmasters they were perhaps entitled to a little relaxation. A man who preached on Sunday and buried and married, as well as taught six days in the week, was pretty busy. The parsons were farmers besides. -- Introduction.

Houses of God is the first broad survey of American religious architecture, a cultural cross-country expedition that will benefit travelers as much as scholars. Beautifully illustrated with over 100 photographs — some by well-known photographers such as Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange — this handsome book provides a highly accessible look at how Americans shape their places of worship into multifaceted reflections of their culture, beliefs, and times.

Comprehensive survey of domestic and public architecture ranges from primitive cabins to Greek Revival mansions of the early 1800s. Nearly 500 illustrations. "Entertaining, vigorous, and clearly written." ? The New York Times.