Calvin’s chapel — known for its iconic roof, round worship space and the lively Friday chapels it hosts — wasn’t a part of campus until 1989. How have the architecture and theological convictions of its time shaped the way Calvin students worship today?
A chapel was always included in the plans for Calvin’s Knollcrest campus in the 1960s; however, the building itself was a late addition. Construction began in July 1987, and the building was dedicated on Sept. 27, 1989. Waiting to build the chapel was an intentional choice. There was a sentiment held by the President, Dr. William Spoelhof, and others, that a Christian identity should be embedded in every corner of campus, not just in one dedicated space.
Professor of art history, Dr. Craig Hanson, expressed that “the idea that we’d point to a chapel building as proof that Calvin is a Christian school didn’t resonate.”
This was echoed by the architect behind Calvin’s Knollcrest Campus, William Fyfe. In an article by the Spark in June of 1990, Fyfe was quoted as saying “So many Christian colleges put the chapel right in the center,” he said. “I felt if you did a chapel, it should be positioned so that, as you move around the campus, it would be omnipresent but wouldn’t dominate…I’m not a member of [the CRC], but to me, that is a sense of what you do. Your religion seems to be part of your everyday life.”
In contrast to many Neo-Gothic style chapels at other colleges built in the 1920s, Calvin’s chapel is consciously modern and modest by contrast.
Campus Pastor Paul Ryan told Chimes that the planning committee decided the sanctuary would be built with the understanding that the whole campus would not be gathering for worship. Calvin chapels, at this point, had been voluntary for around 15 years, and there were clear records of attendance patterns, according to Ryan. “That decision shaped the atmosphere,” Ryan noted, which gave it a more intimate feeling. He added that, “the space is designed ‘in the round,’ so it’s 360 degrees. That creates a strong sense of community and belonging, and being gathered together.”
This desire for community also shaped how the center platform is placed. “It is intentionally low, which helps those leading worship feel like part of the people gathering together for worship. It is not a stage where you are a passive participant in a performance, but rather a shared space where we all come before God together,” said Ryan.
Ryan drew the sharp distinction between Calvin’s chapel and worship held in the Covenant Fine Arts Center (CFAC), where worship was held prior to the construction of the chapel. Acoustical structure in a space can also greatly affect how people experience worship; the CFAC may feel more like a performance venue, with its dark room, lit stage and difficulty hearing others singing. In contrast, the chapel was designed for congregational and choral singing. With its exposed brick and wood, the room is acoustically “live.” This allows the sound of voices and instruments to reach people everywhere in the room without being deadened.
“The acoustics absolutely encourage congregational singing. People are more likely to sing when they can hear others and themselves clearly,” Paul commented. “If you feel alone or exposed, you’re less likely to sing out. But when you hear voices around you, you feel invited to join in.”
Calvin’s Chapel space may not reach for the heavens like a Gothic cathedral, or fit thousands like an amphitheater, but its groundedness and communal feel help to create a space where students can experience worship in a way that feels human and intentional.
