Typically when traveling I try to attend a theologically orthodox United Methodist congregation, based mostly on website clues. But this morning I couldn’t resist temptation to attend the famously, historically liberal Chicago Temple First United Methodist Church, just a few blocks from my hotel.
Alas, nothing openly radical occurred today, at least at the 8:30am service I attended, along with about 60-70 others in the rich, semi-Gothic sanctuary on the ground floor that seats 850. The music, which included traditional Christmas hymns, was quite nice, and a traditional communion was served.
The sermon, about Joseph’s various dreams that delivered divine instruction for the Holy Family, was straightforwardly fine and seasonally appropriate. The male pronoun for God was rigorously avoided, which is theologically and semantically gratuitous, but not uncommon in recent years.
Chicago Temple is a 90 year old, 25 floor skyscraper that once was Chicago’s tallest building. Its Sky Chapel, funded by the Walgreen pharmacy family, is reputedly the highest worship place structurally in the world. The altar there includes a carving of Jesus gazing down upon Chicago circa 1950. I joined a very enjoyable tour of the building after the worship, which included a visit to the pastor’s porch overlooking the city. The parsonage sits atop the Temple within the steeple. Originally a log cabin at the same location starting over 170 years ago, the church burned during the 1871 Great Chicago Fire.
An original of Warner Sallman’s iconic The Head of Christ, copies of which hang in nearly every American Protestant church and beyond, is in Chicago Temple, purportedly inspired by a talk by its eventual pastor. Nearly 90 percent of Chicago Temple is rented to non-church entities. In the 1920s famed agnostic lawyer Clarence Darrow of Scopes Monkey trial notoriety had offices here.
The Social Gospel has early roots at Chicago Temple. Today the church boasts its inclusivity of “all sexual orientations and gender identities,” without explaining how many there are. Membership at today’s church is likely a fraction of its mid 20th Century hay day. But it remains an imposing temple to the glory days of liberal Mainline Protestantism, and I’m glad I visited.
Comment by Byron Alexander on December 29, 2013 at 3:53 pm
I’m glad you had a wonderful experience there. It’ nice to know that even in the midst of liberalism, that the Holy Spirit still finds ways to proclaim the Gospel. May revival come quickly to our UMC. Imagine the ministry that could take place at a church like that if a passionate Christ centered Wesleyan pastor were at the helm?
Comment by Mark Dicken on December 30, 2013 at 11:22 am
Sounds a bit better than my experience at Glide Memorial UMC in San Francisco a few years ago. I heard Cecil Williams mention God a couple of times, but never Jesus. He also said folks could be a Buddhist and a member of Glide.
Comment by John S on January 9, 2014 at 9:37 am
If you mention God are you not mentioning Jesus?
Comment by Marco Bell on December 31, 2013 at 8:41 am
What a beautiful structure, and a fine report.
I hope there was more verve to the scene than some Methodist churches exhibit…you know, more like a black-gospel-revival style atmosphere, robust vocals and raucous celebration?
I think that is what I’ve missed most in today’s Methodist churches. Too many parishioners just sitting there passively waiting for the Spirit to ‘move’ them.
Thanks also for the great photos of this magnificent building.
Comment by Greg Paley on January 2, 2014 at 12:11 pm
I think it’s fine that secular humanists have their own houses of worship. If they were honest, they would cease to use the label “Christian,” but given that these humanist houses of worship are losing members steadily, they will all be gone in 20 years or less anyway. Like the great cathedrals in Europe – or the Washington Cathedral in DC – they will be tourist attractions, not centers of faith.
Comment by Marco Bell on January 7, 2014 at 10:20 pm
Greg, I don’t believe that Human Secularists need churches.
By the way, I attend the Church of the backyard. It has everything that God created, without the righteous indignation that comes from some old and new texts.
Namaste my brother.
Comment by Martha Barger on January 6, 2014 at 9:47 am
Beware of churches being taken over and then assets, including buildings, being sold to other religions or non-religous groups. Generations of faithful have donated to creating Protestant sites of worship and their descendants are dumping them rather that pay for their upkeep.