God is in the Details
Contrary to the complex and ornate European cathedrals of the 10th through the 15th centuries, the minimalist Thorncrown Chapel sits on a quiet roadside hill in the Ozarks of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
It is no less magnificent than the cathedrals adorned with flying buttresses and stained-glass rose windows. It is a sanctuary, a sacred space designed by Arkansas’s native son, E. Fay Jones, a highly decorated architect.
A winding road leads one with anticipation to the hill top architectural gem. It is with bated breath that one approaches the 48 foot tall cathedral. The details of the carefully crafted building pay homage to Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous craftsman style. The materials are native from the surrounding hills and include flagstaff stone, wood, glazing and more. Its wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass showcasing the beautiful surrounding nature and framing each season through its transparent building envelope.
Thorncrown’s Purpose
The complimentary brochure that is provided upon entry points out “Today Thorncrown’s Purpose is not to point to what a great man did for God. Its story is about what a great God did for a man he loved. This is the plot and potential of everybody’s story. As you sit quietly in the chapel, we pray that you would encounter not just a beautiful building but the God who longs to fill your life with the beauty of his presence.”
In his book THE THORNCROWN CHAPEL DIVINE LIGHT, Randall Connaughton, author says “Thorncrown Chapel is like the utterance of a Proverb. It reveals, in a whisper that silence can speak to us. Stillness can enliven us, and being present to the eternal lessons of the earth and its creator can give cause and direction to better our lives.”
Like every good story, the road to designing and building the sanctuary was paved with difficulties that would need to be overcome. Jim Reed and his wife, the owners of the property, originally intended to build their family home on the site. Long before the Thorncrown Chapel was a concept, numerous onlookers would pull off the nearby highway 62 just to take in the view. It was in part for this reason that the Reeds decided the property had a greater purpose. Reed contacted Fay Jones, Architect to design a private chapel.
E. Fay Jones, Award-Winning Architect
The fact that Jones had the time and interest to design a church was in itself one of the first miracles. Jones was an award-winning architect with a full roster of clients, and it is rumored more than 5 years backlog of design work. He could have declined to accept the commission legitimately due to his workload. But something sparked Jones’ interest. God is in the details.
The next challenge that required a miracle was money, or the shortage thereof. Approximately halfway through the building process Reed ran out of money. While he desperately chased after potential donors, the funds were not coming in.
Humility Got Me on My Knees
In the Thorncrown Chapel historical brochure it says, “Finally, Jim took a walk to his half-finished chapel. He expected to take one last look at it and never return. Describing his experience Jim said, ‘I’m not proud of the fact that for the first time I ever got down on my knees it was on the chapel floor. I prayed more seriously than ever before. All the trials and tribulations gave me the humility to get on my knees.’ “
A few days later another miraculous event occurred when a generous woman from Illinois provided a loan to finish the chapel. On July 10, 1980 the Thorncrown Chapel opened. Since that time more than 7 million people have visited.
Thorncrown Chapel is more than a destination, and more than an award-winning piece of architecture. It is a symbol of God’s masterful design, his loving kindness, and his desire for an intimate relationship with all people.
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
