Heaven on earth
Christians walk into church through a door. All of them can come in. There’s no restricted access.
Inside, there’s a lectern with a Bible, a table with food, a pastor in white. In some churches, the aroma of incense fills the air. It’s the holy place; in fact, the most holy place, with the three gifts of the ark (word, bread, priestly staff) openly displayed.
Nothing keeps us from seeing these gifts. There is no veil, no oil-wood doors, no golden lid. There are no cherub guardians. Whatever cherubs there might have have become chubby babes, not terrifying griffins.
The Christian sanctuary is modeled on the undivided sanctuary of heaven. Every time we walk into church, we see that heaven has come to earth.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
In Medias Res
Your weekly digest for all things Theopolis.