Reformed Churches have long posted a rooster-shaped weather vane atop their church buildings as a silent warning to their members not to deny Christ (Matt 26:34). The Church By the Sea in St Petersburg, FL is a congregational church founded in 1944. Apparently their architect decided to take it a step further. Billy Hallowell posts this picture and an accompanying story today. It’s a warning to watch architects very closely when it comes to designing churches. This goes to Calvin’s maxim that the human heart is an idol factory. A architect friend confided some years ago that perfectly reasonable architects sometimes go a little wacky when designing religious buildings. Instead of drawing attractive, simple, functional, buildings in which congregations can meet for public worship, Christian instruction, and fellowship they are tempted to turn them into offerings to God. Just because one is a good architect doesn’t mean that one is a good theologian or that one understands the second commandment. Consistories and sessions beware.
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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I promise that I did not laugh until I saw your comment.
“Chickenery”?
This is an obvious form of QIRC: Quest for Illegitimate Religious Chickanery.
Ugh
Such a fowl subject!
1) Looks more like a Chocobo.
2) Please be considerate in when you post items such as this. I nearly choked on my turkey sandwich when I saw the picture.
Talk about swallowing the Holy Spirit, feathers and all.
A lot of fun to had with that photo. It could be said that for this St. Pete’s church, her “chickens have come home to roost…”