[ebooks] Sons And Daughters Of Los: Culture And Community In L.A. (Wide Angle Books) by David E. James in Arts-Photography

Description

After World War II; America’s religious denominations spent billions on church architecture as they spread into the suburbs. In this richly illustrated history of midcentury modern churches in the Midwest; Gretchen Buggeln shows how architects and suburban congregations joined forces to work out a vision of how modernist churches might help reinvigorate Protestant worship and community. The result is a fascinating new perspective on postwar architecture; religion; and society.Drawing on the architectural record; church archives; and oral histories; The Suburban Church focuses on collaborations between architects Edward D. Dart; Edward A. Sövik; Charles E. Stade; and seventy-five congregations. By telling the stories behind their modernist churches; the book describes how the buildings both reflected and shaped developments in postwar religion—its ecumenism; optimism; and liturgical innovation; as well as its fears about staying relevant during a time of vast cultural; social; and demographic change.While many scholars have characterized these congregations as “country club” churches; The Suburban Church argues that most were earnest; well-intentioned religious communities caught between the desire to serve God and the demands of a suburban milieu in which serving middle-class families required most of their material and spiritual resources.