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Third Church of Christ, Scientist (Washington, D.C.)
Encyclopedia
Third Church of Christ, Scientist, established in 1918, is a Christian Science
church in downtown Washington, D.C.
The church is located in a brutalist
-style building at 16th and I Street NW that was built in 1970. Since opening, the building has not been well suited for the church, which has experienced declining attendance at its services. In 2007, the church applied for a demolition permit for the building, hoping to rebuild something more suitable or relocate elsewhere, but the building had been declared a historic landmark. After a lawsuit and hearings, the District of Columbia ruled in May 2009 that the demolition could go forward.
in the 1860s, and the Church of Christ, Scientist
was formally established in the 1870s. Third Church of Christ, Scientist is a branch church of
the Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston.
Third Church was originally located in a building on Lafayette Park
near the White House
, shared with the National Woman's Party
. In summer 1918, soon after it was established, the church relocated to the Masonic Temple on New York Avenue at 13th Street. In 1927, the church moved to a former Unitarian
church building at 13th and L St that it purchased, but then in the 1950s, the church considered options for relocating closer to Lafayette Park.
The site at 16th and I Street NW, owned by the Mother Church, housed the Washington offices of the Church's Committee on Publication. In the 1960s, the Church decided to demolish that building and construct a new office building to house the Committee and The Christian Science Monitor
, with space available on the site to accommodate a building for Third Church of Christ, Scientist.
In 1970, a new building opened for the church at 16th Street
and I Street NW, designed in a brutalist architectural
style by Araldo Cossutta who while employed by I.M. Pei designed the Christian Science Plaza in Boston
. The concrete building is octagonal in shape.
An adjacent office building was also constructed as part of the original plan to house The Christian Science Monitors Washington Bureau. Church members have long disliked the building, and attendance had dropped to an average of 50 in 2007, though the sanctuary can accommodate 400. The land itself was sold in 2007 to ICG Properties
, which owns an adjacent property on K Street, and the developer has leased the land back to the church.
In 1991, historic preservationists applied to have the building listed as a historic landmark, a designation that the church opposed. The church ultimately was designated as a historic structure in December 2007, but this sparked lawsuits by the church against the city over the historic designation. Opponents of the designation argued that it violated the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act
and subsequent laws by imposing a substantial burden on the church.
The building has been very costly to maintain, and is not suited to be re-purposed for another use. Structural defects include cracking in many spots, and maintenance costs include $5,000 - 8,000 for changing lightbulbs in the sanctuary which involves erecting scaffolding. The church plans to put the space up for redevelopment, and relocate to another site.
After the city turned down a demolition permit request from the church in July 2008, the church filed a lawsuit alleging violation of the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment along with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
of 2000 (RLUIPA). On May 12, 2009, the District of Columbia approved a demolition permit for the building, citing hardships on the building's owner and the possibility of the church's demise if demolition was not approved.
. It was later used as a Christian Science Reading Room
.
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
church in downtown Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The church is located in a brutalist
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is a style of architecture which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, spawned from the modernist architectural movement.-The term "brutalism":...
-style building at 16th and I Street NW that was built in 1970. Since opening, the building has not been well suited for the church, which has experienced declining attendance at its services. In 2007, the church applied for a demolition permit for the building, hoping to rebuild something more suitable or relocate elsewhere, but the building had been declared a historic landmark. After a lawsuit and hearings, the District of Columbia ruled in May 2009 that the demolition could go forward.
Early history
The Christian Science denomination was founded by Mary Baker EddyMary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of Christian Science , a Protestant American system of religious thought and practice religion adopted by the Church of Christ, Scientist, and others...
in the 1860s, and the Church of Christ, Scientist
Church of Christ, Scientist
The Church of Christ, Scientist was founded in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, by Mary Baker Eddy. She was the author of the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Christian Science teaches that the "allness" of God denies the reality of sin, sickness, death, and the material world...
was formally established in the 1870s. Third Church of Christ, Scientist is a branch church of
the Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston.
Third Church was originally located in a building on Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park may refer to a location in the United States:*Lafayette Park, Detroit, Michigan, a park, development, and neighborhood*Lafayette Park Historic District, a historic district in Albany, New York...
near the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, shared with the National Woman's Party
National Woman's Party
The National Woman's Party , was a women's organization founded by Alice Paul in 1915 that fought for women's rights during the early 20th century in the United States, particularly for the right to vote on the same terms as men...
. In summer 1918, soon after it was established, the church relocated to the Masonic Temple on New York Avenue at 13th Street. In 1927, the church moved to a former Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
church building at 13th and L St that it purchased, but then in the 1950s, the church considered options for relocating closer to Lafayette Park.
The site at 16th and I Street NW, owned by the Mother Church, housed the Washington offices of the Church's Committee on Publication. In the 1960s, the Church decided to demolish that building and construct a new office building to house the Committee and The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
, with space available on the site to accommodate a building for Third Church of Christ, Scientist.
16th Street building
16th Street Northwest (Washington, D.C.)
16th Street Northwest is a prominent north-south thoroughfare in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C.Part of Pierre L'Enfant's design for the city, 16th Street begins just north of the White House across Lafayette Park at H Street and continues due north in a straight line passing K Street,...
and I Street NW, designed in a brutalist architectural
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is a style of architecture which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, spawned from the modernist architectural movement.-The term "brutalism":...
style by Araldo Cossutta who while employed by I.M. Pei designed the Christian Science Plaza in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The concrete building is octagonal in shape.
An adjacent office building was also constructed as part of the original plan to house The Christian Science Monitors Washington Bureau. Church members have long disliked the building, and attendance had dropped to an average of 50 in 2007, though the sanctuary can accommodate 400. The land itself was sold in 2007 to ICG Properties
ICG Properties
ICG Properties is a controversial real estate development firm founded in Washington, DC in 1995. The firm is located at 1600 K Street, Suite 650 Washington, DC 20036...
, which owns an adjacent property on K Street, and the developer has leased the land back to the church.
In 1991, historic preservationists applied to have the building listed as a historic landmark, a designation that the church opposed. The church ultimately was designated as a historic structure in December 2007, but this sparked lawsuits by the church against the city over the historic designation. Opponents of the designation argued that it violated the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Religious Freedom Restoration Act
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-141, 107 Stat. 1488 , codified at through , is a 1993 United States federal law aimed at preventing laws that substantially burden a person's free exercise of their religion. The bill was introduced by Howard McKeon of California and...
and subsequent laws by imposing a substantial burden on the church.
The building has been very costly to maintain, and is not suited to be re-purposed for another use. Structural defects include cracking in many spots, and maintenance costs include $5,000 - 8,000 for changing lightbulbs in the sanctuary which involves erecting scaffolding. The church plans to put the space up for redevelopment, and relocate to another site.
After the city turned down a demolition permit request from the church in July 2008, the church filed a lawsuit alleging violation of the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment along with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act , , codified as et seq., is a United States federal law that prohibits the imposition of burdens on the ability of prisoners to worship as they please, as well as giving churches and other religious institutions a way to avoid burdensome...
of 2000 (RLUIPA). On May 12, 2009, the District of Columbia approved a demolition permit for the building, citing hardships on the building's owner and the possibility of the church's demise if demolition was not approved.
Previous history of site
This site was the location of the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Horace GrayHorace Gray
Horace Gray was an American jurist who ultimately served on the United States Supreme Court. He was active in public service and a great philanthropist to the City of Boston.-Early life:...
. It was later used as a Christian Science Reading Room
Christian Science Reading Room
400px|left|thumb|A typical storefront Christian Science Reading Room on the main street of a suburb of Boston. The window displays a lamp, a large Bible open to the current reading, and copies of Science and Health....
.
External links
- Third Church of Christ, Scientist - Official site
- 3rd Church Freedom - Church site on the preservation debate
- Landmark Nomination - D.C. Preservation League
- Third Church Visitor Guide - D.C. Preservation League
- Cossutta Church Saved - Architect Magazine (January 2008)