In an article on Constantine’s church-building, Gregory Alexander repeats a commonplace about the difference between pagan and Christian places of worship: “The temple is a house for the god; the church is a gathering place for communal worship.”
Yes, but: Jesus says He’ll be there in our gathering, so the church-temple is still a house for God.
Perhaps, though, the point is more radical. Perhaps the church is a temple in the ancient sense, a house not only for God but for the refurbished images of God that constitute the body of Christ. Perhaps the church is, precisely, a house of gods.
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.
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