The Chapel of Christ the Teacher
The Chapel of Christ the Teacher at the University of Portland is one of my favorite spaces of worship. Perhaps it is because it was the space available to me during what some may call the “heavy lifting” of my spiritual journey, or maybe because of the conversations I have had with the campus minister about its design, but I have a deep love of this building and the sacred space it helps create. This chapel is a modern communal church and is very plain at first glance. However, part of its beauty is in this plainness, and what is chosen by design to stand out from the rest. Through its many symbols, its simple yet elegant aesthetics, and its use of spatial dynamics, the Chapel of Christ the Teacher creates a sacred space for the students of the University of Portland amidst a very secular city. If I were to redesign the chapel building as a theoretical architect, the only major change I would make would be to elongate the nave to allow for longer processions and to accommodate more seating for the community.
In the book Theology in Stone, Richard Kieckhefer gives a wonderful guide to analyzing church architecture. Early in his discussion of aesthetic impact, Kieckhefer speaks to the idea of a church as the house of God. Correcting the understanding of this house of God, he calls us to “recognize that the house made by the community is an apt setting for the people to assemble in the alluring presence of the divine” (97). Additionally, soon after Kieckhefer also looks at the book of Hosea and remarks that “the image of encounter with God is a starkly natural setting. The importance of the phrase ‘apt setting’ as well as ‘natural setting are recognized in the design of the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. The use of wood in the interior reminds one of the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. It is a very simple and elegant design that brings the mind to a similar natural encounter one may have with God in a forest. Additionally, the skylight that is between the altar and the front pews helps to shine light into the space, as a reminder of Jesus being the light of the world.
Typically, modern communal churches are “small and simple in their design, and the multiple foci are often clustered together rather than spread widely apart” (96). This is true for the Chapel of Christ the Teacher as well, and it helps to give reverence to Christ present fully in both the Word and in the Eucharist. However, special attention is called to the altar. Being surrounded by wooden design, the white marble altar stands out from its surroundings. It brings the eyes toward it, especially during the Eucharistic prayer when the priests gather around the altar. Attention is also called to the crucifix hanging above the altar, a reminder of Christ’s sacrificial love for us present in the Eucharistic gift.
Kieckhefer talks about the design of the modern communal church as a design more predisposed to an air of hospitality. “The quest for greater lay participation accords with an emphasis on hospitality, graciousness, and even comfort, ‘liturgy flourishes in a climate of hospitality: a situation in which people are comfortable with one another’”(124). This climate of hospitality is something that is very effective on a college campus. Students are in a very transformational time in their lives and are looking for some place to be accepted and feel comfortable. We believe in a hospitable and loving God, and the Chapel of Christ the Teacher embodies this. The argument can be made that it is too bland of a space, and for some that prefer the grandeur of more classic sacramental churches that may be true. But I would encourage the understanding that in our universal church, we have the beauty of diversity. The diversity in which we as the people of God can encounter God can vary, but ultimately has the same center. The Eucharist unites us all, and the crucifix reminds us of that Eucharistic love. Additionally, the “artistic embellishment of a church may seem to make it all the more grand, imposing, and thus uninviting. Informality and comfort are widely prized in our age, while formality is seen as artificial and sterile”(125). This is not at all to bash those who prefer that grandeur, but rather it is to call attention to the best way in which many youth on a college campus may best be called into a space to find God.
Finally, I would like to write briefly on the one change I would make. The placement of the sacristy and the entrance point of the church, as well as the location of the tabernacle to the side of the baptismal font behind stained glass encourages the use of procession throughout the liturgy. However, this is also somewhat hindered by the lack of space to process. The procession at the beginning of the mass is quite short due to the short length of the nave. My only proposed change would be a slight elongation of the nave to accommodate more seating for the community and more space for the procession. The fact that there are often 5 priests present to concelebrate the mass calls for a little more space for them to process in, and allows the beautiful music to call the congregation into a space for encounter.
I could write for much longer about the beauty of this chapel. From the beautiful front doors of the chapel, to the imagery present in the baptismal font, to the existence of the second story and how it is used in liturgy, the Chapel of Christ the Teacher was the catalyst for my love of liturgy. This space is very special to me, along with many of the students who practice their Catholic faith. It creates a space for a community of believers to gather together in worship, and calls them into an encounter with the divine.
