교회 건축에 대한 여성신학적 읽기

Abstract

This article suggests an alternative church structure from an ecological and feminist theological perspective in the situation that most of churches continue to pursue large new church buildings. With this regard, it reviews the current trend of gigantic and high-rise church buildings and also attempts to explicate ecofriendly and other-inclusive church structures. Indeed, the absence of the ecological and feminist perspectives within the architectural discourses has resulted in the lack of the relationships among church members of the community and the communion with the sacred. It thereby has obscured the cosmic vision of the community that is crucial and substantial to the ecclesia, a gathering of people. In this vein, it incisively reconsiders the functional and symbolic meanings of church windows, porches, middle aisles as walkways, and church dining room as the place of connection in terms of the relations between exterior and interior realms. In reality, the kitchen and dining room regarded as private spaces can be conceived as spaces of togetherness. Here, this article elaborates that church architecture should be involved in forging the integration of all living things rather than separation. Thus, reflecting theological and humanistic discourses, it argues that church spaces as the communal sites should be open spaces, embracing all others and embodying the grace of God. An eco-feminist and other-embracing church architecture this essay suggests is not so much a building but a very place of the presence of God. This feminist theological and ecological view is responsive enough to account for the sociocultural issues such as the human-induced climate change and economic polarization that are bound to come into focus when theological humanities and church architectures associate. Consequently, this article claims that church architectures are by no means the structures adjusted simply for the economic conditions or esthetic values. Rather, it envisions the church architecture as an endless and ceaseless spacing where all share a common faith, re-visioning the kin-dom of God with a deep understanding of the relatedness. I believe the constitutive relationality forged within this Christian architecture radically and soteriologically will open up hope toward the ideal invisible Church.