Abstract:
This thesis aims to contribute to the theme of the space and place of Christian worship, carrying out a broad research about the living and experiential space and place of the human being in the world which s/he inhabits and occupies. This research is anchored within the research area of practical theology and of liturgical science, on which the investigation of the relation of the human being with liturgy and architecture and its influence and apprehension into Christian worship will be based. For this we begin with the discussion and analysis of the evolution of the concept of space, particularly from the Middle Ages up to the present. We analyze the relation of the human being with the space and place s/he occupies in the world through the concepts of lived and experiential space. And through Martin Luther s theology and from Mircea Eliade s research about the sacred and the profane, we examine the sacred and human relation which takes place in the sacred space. Based on this we seek to understand the manner in which the human relation occurs in the experiential space strictly of the church (place of worship), checking out how the architect relates with the architectural work and the way in which s/he uses her/his autonomy to plan and construct the liturgical space. We will check out the ways in which the human being perceives and takes in the space and how the body and human corporeity relate within the church ambiance. Concerned with what has been called non-places we will investigate if the place of worship also presents characteristics of a non-place. Based on the sacramental and liturgical theme within and with the place of worship, our focus is to understand how the announcement of the Word of God and the sacraments Baptism and Eucharist are spatial definers of the place of worship, that is, of our house in time and space. Finally, we will analyze the relation between liturgy and architecture. We present and define stages which should be observed when a congregation intends to build, refurbish and/or adapt its place of worship, besides defining principles and criteria which the congregations, the ministers, and the architects should reflect upon throughout all of the construction and refurbishment.
