Crystal Cathedral
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crystal Cathedral | |
 |
|
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Reformed Church in America |
| Website | crystalcathedral.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder(s) | Robert H. Schuller |
| Dedicated | 1980 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Philip Johnson |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Sheila Schuller Coleman (interim) |
The Crystal Cathedral is a Protestant Christian megachurch in the city of Garden Grove, in Orange County, California, United States. The prominent architect Philip Johnson designed the main sanctuary building, which was constructed using over 10,000 rectangular panes of glass and can hold 2,900 worshippers. The rectangular panes of glass are not bolted to the structure; instead they are glued to it using a silicone-based glue. This and other measures are intended to allow the building to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8.0. [1]
The name "Crystal Cathedral" is merely alliterative and does not mean it is a cathedral in the sense of being a church where one finds a bishop's official seat, or cathedra (the traditionally correct English language use of the term): the Reformed Church in America is governed by elders. The church is a Southern California architectural landmark.
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[edit] Founding and construction
Affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, the church then known as Garden Grove Community Church was founded in 1955 by the Reverend Robert H. Schuller and his wife, Arvella.[2] It is considered[by whom?] the world's first "seeker sensitive" church. The first church services were held in space rented from the Orange Drive-In Theatre. In 1961, the congregation moved to a new sanctuary designed by architect Richard Neutra.[2] In 1968, The Tower of Hope was completed, providing office and classroom space.[2] Continued growth led to the need for a new facility.[2] Schuller envisioned a unique facility with walls made of glass.[2] Noted architect Philip Johnson was commissioned by Schuller to put his dream into reality.[2]
Construction on the Crystal Cathedral began in 1977 and ended in 1980.[2] The initial estimated cost of the church was $6 million, but the final cost was over $17 million (about $55 million in 2007 dollars).[citation needed] One way Schuller found to help finance the construction of the Crystal Cathedral was to invite donors to give $500 for each of the 10,000 rectangular panes of glass, which raised over $5 million by its completion.[citation needed] Upon moving from the old Neutra sanctuary to the new Johnson sanctuary, the congregation changed its name to the Crystal Cathedral. In 1990 the Prayer Spire was completed.[citation needed]
The Family Life Center was also added in 1990 and in 2003, the church campus was completed with the opening of the Richard Meier-designed Welcoming Center.[citation needed] The campus is noted as a Southern California landmark.[citation needed]
[edit] Ministers
On Sunday, January 22, 2006, the church's founder, Robert H. Schuller, retired as the senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. His son, Robert Anthony Schuller, was installed as the second senior pastor of the church and head of the Hour of Power TV program. On October 25, 2008, Robert H. Schuller announced the removal of his son Robert Anthony from the Hour of Power broadcast, citing "a lack of shared vision".[3] In a prepared statement, founder Robert H. Schuller stated that "different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry" with his son "made it necessary ... to part ways in the Hour of Power television ministry."[4] It was subsequently announced on November 29, 2008, that Robert Anthony Schuller had resigned from his position as Senior Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. Juan Carlos Ortiz was named as interim senior pastor while a search for a permanent replacement is conducted.[5] Schuller also cites that "All the services will continue to be broadcast from the world-renowned Crystal Cathedral with our great tradition of the most beautiful church music in the world." [6]
[edit] Music program
The Crystal Cathedral is well known for the high quality of its music program and the eclectic variety of its musical guests. As of 2005, Dr. Marc Riley (orchestral composer and conductor), Sean Groombridge (organist) and Donald Neuen (choral conductor) lead the music department at the Crystal Cathedral. The live orchestra and choir appear weekly on the church's "The Hour of Power" broadcast and have made some CD and DVD recordings.
Early on December 16, 2004, 57-year old Johnnie Carl, the cathedral's orchestra conductor, fired several bullets in his office at the cathedral, shortly before the annual The Glory of Christmas program was about to begin. The shots were fired in the vacant concourse area and no one was injured. Carl, who suffered from bipolar disorder, ended up committing suicide. In his 29 years as Orchestra Director at the cathedral, Carl wrote more than 3,500 arrangements in his service to the Crystal Cathedral.
[edit] Organ
The church's 273 rank, five manual pipe organ is one of the largest in the world.[7] Constructed by Fratelli Ruffatti and based on specifications by Virgil Fox and expanded by Frederick Swann, the instrument incorporates the large Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ built in 1962 for New York's Avery Fisher Hall, and the Ruffatti organ which had been installed in the church's previous sanctuary. Swann was organist at the Crystal Cathedral between 1982–1998.
[edit] "Hour of Power" broadcast
The Crystal Cathedral broadcasts its church services around the world on a television show called The Hour of Power, said to be the most-watched Christian program worldwide, with an estimated average of 20 million viewers tuning in each week. The church provides facilities for those of a similar faith to congregate and offers campus services including support groups, Sunday school classes and daily Christian gatherings.
The Cathedral is renowned for featuring on a regular basis the testimonies of famous celebrities and ordinary people living extraordinary lives during the Hour of Power services. Notable guests have included former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former Vice President Al Gore, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, noted Catholic broadcaster Fulton J. Sheen, musician John Tesh, Christian singer Jaci Velasquez, pianist Roger Williams, internationally acclaimed flautist Sir James Galway, Christian singer Joy Williams, Backstreet Boys member and Christian singer Brian Littrell, Christian singer Natalie Grant, Christian rock band Sonicflood, American tenor Daniel Rodriguez, musical group The Oak Ridge Boys, Christian singer Sara Groves, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan; former tennis star Michael Chang, actors Kirk Douglas, Roy Rogers, Noah Gray-Cabey, and Denzel Washington, radio talk-show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and MLB baseball player, Kirk Gibson.
[edit] In popular culture
- The Crystal Cathedral is parodied in Natural Born Kissers, the final episode in the ninth season of The Simpsons. Homer is dragged nude across the roof of a similar glass cathedral while the congregation sit aghast below, inside the sanctuary. The pastor (reminiscent of the Crystal Cathedral's former senior pastor Robert H. Schuller) exhorts his congregation to keep their eyes focused on "God's floor" during the ordeal.[8][9]
- The Crystal Cathedral was featured on the History Channel program titled, Building in the Name of God, which profiled the world's great cathedrals. It was also shown in the Life After People: The Series episode, "Wrath of God", which showed the fate of the church 75 years without maintenance.
- The Cathedral was featured on the MTV television series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County during Season 1. The Reverend Robert A. Schuller is the father of a former cast member on the show, Christina. She sang a duet with her sister during the church service on the show.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.crystalcathedral.org/about/architecture.php
- ^ a b c d e f g "History – 1955 to Today". Crystal Cathedral Ministries. 2009. http://www.crystalcathedral.org/about/history.php. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ "'Hour of Power' Preacher Removed by Father". FOXNews.com. 2008-10-26. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444085,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- ^ Robert H. Schuller (2008-10-26). "America’s Television Church ― The Church of Tomorrow (news release)". Crystal Cathedral. http://www.crystalcathedral.org/events_news/media/press_releases/press_102608.php. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ^ "Robert Anthony Schuller Steps Down as Senior Pastor of Crystal Cathedral Congregation (press release)". Crystal Cathedral. November 29, 2008. http://www.crystalcathedral.org/events_news/media/press_releases/press_112908b.php. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
- ^ "Robert Anthony Schuller Steps Down as Senior Pastor of Crystal Cathedral Congregation (press release)". Crystal Cathedral. November 29, 2008. http://www.crystalcathedral.org/events_news/media/press_releases/press_112908b.php. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
- ^ "The World's Largest Pipe Organs". Atlas Communications. http://www.atlascom.us/bigpipes.htm. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ^ The Simpsons: Natural Born Kissers - TV.com
- ^ [1]
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Crystal Cathedral |
Coordinates: 33°47′15″N 117°53′56″W / 33.787396°N 117.898933°W
