|
The Crystal Cathedral campus is a Christian religious center in Southern California, founded in 1980 by Rev. Robert H. Schuller and his wife. It is dedicated to the creed 'Find a need and fill it, find a hurt and heal it'. The church is known for its world-famous architecture by Philip Johnson, most prominently the main sanctuary building which was constructed using over ten-thousand rectangular panes of glass.
The Crystal Cathedral broadcasts its church services around the world on a television show called the The Hour of Power and the campus provides facilities for those of a similar faith to congregate. The campus services include support groups, Sunday school classes and daily gatherings with other Christian followers.
Early on December 16, 2004, fifty-seven-year-old Johnnie Carl, the cathedral's orchestral conductor for 29 years, fired several rounds in the cathedral, shortly before the annual Glory of Christmas program was about to begin. The shots were fired in the vacant concourse area and no one was injured. The gunman then became holed up in a bathroom alone where he later shot himself before police could intervene. Carl reportedly suffered from depression
The December 16th performances of the Glory of Christmas program was cancelled, but according to the Crystal Cathedral web site, all other performances have continued as scheduled, and tickets to the cancelled performances are being honored for most other performance dates.
The very name "Crystal Cathedral" is technically a misnomer: Schuller's denomination is more Presbyterian than anything else, and does not have bishops, while a cathedral is by definition the church where one finds a bishop's official seat. (And indeed, some denominations have bishops, but no cathedrals.)
The Crystal Cathedral is occasionally referred to by the punning and derisive nickname, "Silica Basilica."
External links
| 
