According to the post-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church documents, the church building consists of various rooms (chapels) where various liturgies--baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, penance, marriage, ordination, and Eucharist--take place. Vatican II required a new way of thinking about the church building. The purpose of this book is to provide catechesis and serve as an adult education tool for both clergy and laity about what the post-Vatican II church said about the various chapels under the roof of a church building complex. The call for active participation by everyone in the liturgy is the norm that is applied throughout this work. This fourth edition of the book originally titled The Liturgical Environment: What the Documents Say is designed to serve as an educational tool, especially for those building a new church or renovating an older one; also, it serves as a handy reference for sacristans, designers, decorators, renovators, all liturgical ministers--including bishops, priests, and deacons--and can be employed easily in study and discussion groups within a parish. The fifteen chapters are each divided into four sections: (1) the documents; (2) the theology found in the documents; (3) the practice; and (4) questions for reflection and discussion.
