I went to a church recently and the tabernacle was not placed in the center (the apse), nor to the side (the transept), nor anywhere within the nave, chancel, etc. Rather, the tabernacle was placed in a separate room east of the north transept where it could not be seen from the nave or sanctuary. I actually had to ask someone where it was located because I couldn't not find it. This seems wrong to me, so I privately confronted the celebrant after mass. He told me that he's been trying to have the tabernacle moved back to the apse but that he cannot do it without the bishop's permission. I think he was lying to me because 1) the bishop in our diocese is conservative and very supportive of Eucharistic reverence, and 2) a new priest was recently assigned to our local parish and his first day on the job he moved the tabernacle to the apse. I would like to learn what the Church's official teachings are concerning this matter. Was the priest lying to me? What does Canon Law require for tabernacle placement?

I've noticed that most Kingdom Halls--the meeting place for Jehovah's Witnesses--have no windows in the building. What is the reason for this? Is there a Biblical basis for it or does it come from a specific church teaching? If so, I would be interested in a citation of the official church position on this.

There are some denominations who arrange their pews so they are on opposite sides of the pulpit (or equivalent for their denomination), or otherwise have pews facing each other. Is there somebody familiar with different church layouts who can perhaps point out a couple major denominations? What came to mind for me was the church designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, but I heard that some denominations do this as regular practice. "Friendship House" came to mind, but we didn't come up with much of an overview when searching the internet.

Is there any significance to the red lamp that is lit inside Catholic churches? I ask because I recently saw a green lamp lit at the entrance to a Church of Scotland village church and wondered if the lighting of a lamp is common to both Catholic and (some) Protestant churches. Just curious!

The question of when Christians started attending church at a building rather than their homes led to a few answers and comments. One got me to thinking and asking this question. When did the concept of God dwelling in believers shift from that belief to the one that God dwells in buildings? It's like the thought was we need a big grand spectacular building where God is for the Christian. When did that idea begin and from whom? In contrast, the bible teaches this. >Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. > >2 Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The earliest comments apart from the bible is defining the church, the called out ones, at Smyrna or the church at Ephesus. These weren't buildings, but the whole of the congregation of believers. >Papias Taking occasion from Papias of Hierapolis, the illustrious, a disciple of the apostle who leaned on the bosom of Christ, and Clemens, and Pantænus the priest of [the Church] of the Alexandrians, and the wise Ammonius, the ancient and first expositors, who agreed with each other, who understood the work of the six days as referring to Christ and the whole Church. > >Clement of Rome The Church of God which sojourns at Rome, to the Church of God sojourning at Corinth, > >Polycarp I am greatly grieved for Valens, who was once a presbyter among you, because he so little understands the place that was given him [in the Church]. To be sure, there are some who will say this is just an easy way of talking, but from various conversations, you can tell that people truly believe God dwells in the beautiful church building, like in the Old Testament Temples, rather than your (a Christian) bringing God there. PS Examples of the developing belief that God dwells in church buildings. >Here again Constantine led the way. He not only restored (in 313) the buildings and estates, which had been confiscated in the Diocletian persecution, but granted the church also the right to receive legacies (321), and himself made liberal contributions in money and grain to the support of the clergy and the building of churches in Africa, ... The metropolitan churches of Rome and Alexandria were the most wealthy. -source- Apparently beginning with Constantine. >Chrysostom even laments that many a time the poor are forgotten in the church buildings, and suggests that it is not enough to adorn the altar, the walls, and the floor, but that we must, above all, offer the soul a living sacrifice to the Lord. -source- Continues with Chrysostom. >The house in which this sacrament is celebrated denotes the Church, ... And therefore, as a rule, it is not lawful to celebrate this sacrament [Mass] except in a consecrated house. -Aquinas- And apparently is fully developed by Aquinas. PPS. Should I turn my PS into an asnwer?

In 1 Corinthians 1:10-12 - (“10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.””) Paul begins talking about the divisions within the church at Corinth. Were these divisions each a "house church" or were they divisions within a single church that met together? • Follow up question 1 - Reading 1 Corinthians 11:17-18 (instructions on the Lord's Supper) it seems that it was one church that gathered together and not house churches. If the church of Corinth was a church that met in a single location - where did they meet? Would a home be large enough? • Follow up question 2 - If the church in Corinth is a collection of house churches, then the divisions clearly represent a fragmentation of the early church. How was this fragmentation halted? Was it to move towards a single meeting location - as evidenced by early church structures that begin to appear around 200/300 AD?(https://archive.archaeology.org/0709/abstracts/churches.html) https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2008/november/why-and-when-did-christians-start-constructing-special.html

In some churches I have seen, the peacock is used in furniture or other similar items: It can also be seen in some Iconography and decoration: I was just wondering what the symbolism of the Peacock actually is, and what churches this symbol is used in? Seems to me to that it is just a proud bird!

What purpose do steeples serve? Are they put high up on church buildings as some sort of marketing tool so it can be seen from far away or is there some other reason(s)?

In Judaism, the [template had an altar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_in_Jerusalem#Physical_layout) for sacrificing. But we believe our sacrifice is [done](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19:30&version=NIV1984) . So, what is the point of a church altar?

What is or are the mechanism(s) behind the naming conventions for a church building or organization in a denomination, say Presbyterianism? This question can be reworded as "When churches assign names to themselves in this fashion 'First Presbyterian Church; Second Presbyterian Church; Third Presbyterian Church', are they accounting for the fact that there are other Presbyterian churches in the locality (regardless of the sub-denomination or organization name, evangelical or mainline) or that there may be other churches in the **EXACT** same sub-denomination under Presbyterianism and that one Presbyterian church chooses to name itself as a way to distinguish this Presbyterian church from that Presbyterian church?"

What is the basis for catholic sacred architecture, or *sacramental architecture* as I've heard it said and what are it's main components? Is this a doctrine rooted in scripture somewhere? When was sacramental architecture adopted? From the little that I've been able to find on Google regarding it, it seems like it's just the catholic standard for its buildings--an effort to exude holiness through material things, or something like that. But I haven't been able to find more info, like when it started and why.