Holy Things and Profane: Anglican Parish Churches in Colonial Virginia

Rating:
Summary: An Architecture explored
Review: Dell Upton's book does for the eighteenth century Virginia parish Church what Addleshaw's 'The Architectural Setting of Anglican Worship' did for its English and Irish counterpart half a century ago by high lighting and exploring a unique church architecture and the society that produced it.Upton explores the architectural, historical, and sociological aspects of Anglicanism in Colonial Virginia as expressed in the church buildings. However it isn't just an architectural study. Upton's awareness of the social context of Virginia Anglicanism as an Established Church enables him to look at the buildings as an expression of the society that produced them. He raises awareness of the unique nature of the parishes, and the need to accomodate the scattered population and hierarchical social order of the colony. He also compares the church architecture of the Old Dominion to other formal structures such as courthouses and mansions, and vernacular homes illustrating the construction techniques and conventions common to all buildings in Georgian Virginia. If I have one minor criticism it is that Upton does not seem to have any great familiarity with the history of 17th & 18th century Anglicanism. For example, he states that the Rev. Devereux Jarrett (1732-1801) was a Methodist when in fact he was an Evangelical Anglican sharply critical of the separatists. Upton also seems to have only limited familiarity with the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and its demands on the worshipping space. However these are very minor blemishes in what is primarily a study of an architecture in its context. This is a very interesting and valuble book for anyone interested in colonial church architecture, the history of Anglicanism or Virginia history.