The Pervasive Institutionalization of Places

Governments have been in charge of prisons and schools for so long that upon the mere mention of such institutions, one should know quite well what I mean. Tyranny of cinder block and mortar, but also bathroom stalls, florescent lighting, and various regulations writ in brick. The congress that regulates the innards of your toilet probably have a truckload of paper and ink wasted just on the doorhandles in such places.

Long ago a lord would build a great hall for people to come to, but it was always and obviously his hall, and as such it was always personal. The impersonal bureaucrat hadn't yet had the time to insulate himself from our injuries resulting from his actions, nor had an architecture based, in part, on such a premise been developed.

And the church was Our Lord's; certainly humans were to gather there, but the focus was not on the humans. This is where, today, we can see the most glaring aspects of an institutional mentality. We've quietly lost that idea. It is ours, or our place to pray. Many modern churches have adopted floor plans more appropriate for a stadium or theater. There are these sad half-circle atrocities all over the place, supposedly fostering a community atmosphere- such things are said by people who confuse the political with the communal.

Even in more traditional church structures, you will inevitably find a bathroom, imitating, for the most part an invasive, metastasized cell. The modern American restroom cannot be made personal. Obviously, there are deep theological problems regarding constructing a bathroom that would convey a sense of the personal in church, but we are not permitted to even begin that discussion. Even a non-taxed, not for profit entity like your local Church simply must conform to the myriad of regulations governing today's public restrooms.

Since so many of us had to deal with schools, we generally don't notice this stuff. Does your meeting place look like a school gym? What of it? This is normal, isn't it?

My normal isn't what took place during my lifetime. I understand that this is the default for many, and I assumed as much myself for a while, but now I understand these things are abnormal, and very likely hurting us. If it looks like a public school, a prison, or a Soviet-style apartment building, it impinges upon our humanity. It has no life.