Christian Science Church Edifices

Faulkner, Charles Draper. Christian Science Church Edifices. Chicago: Self-published, 1946.

This self-published book by an AIA architect contains a wealth of information for lay congregations. It includes 67 Christian Science branch churches in the United States and Canada, and the Chapel at Principia College (a college for Christian Scientists). Alphabetical indexes include the church locations, 11 architectural styles (the largest number in Colonial style), and 44 architects (including 16 churches by the author). The book is not “an engineering or architectural textbook on the subject of Christian Science church buildings” (41). Faulkner opens the book with Mary Baker Eddy’s vision for church-building: “Our proper reason for church edifices is, that in them Christians may worship God,—not that Christians may worship church edifices! (My. 162, 1913)” (1). However, beginning with location and how to choose a lot (helpful charts on how to achieve desired seating capacity for one, one and a half or two-story type plans), the book is “written in a non-technical manner in order to be better understood by those … not experienced either in building or in architectural work” (39). At the back, 27 of the churches are included in a table of important data, including type of edifice, style, kind and size of lot, seating capacity, square feet of lot per main floor seat, balcony and Sunday School (417).