Horned Churches?

[Carla O'Harris]

I think you'll find these images fascinating!

Here's Canongate Church in Edinburgh :

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_B/0_buildings_-_canongate_church_1xw14a_cross_and_antlers.jpg

Here's Gargunnock Parish Church in Scotland :

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/gargunnock/gargunnock/images/horns.jpg

[Paracelsus]

I wouldn't get too worked up about the Canongate one - the mantling underneath the Deer's Head gives it away as an heraldic feature called a crest (surmounting the helmet, at the top of the arms), and thus it is going to be comparatively recent (organised heraldry does not predate the 12th century), and probably unconnected to the history of the church per se - probably from the arms of some worthy who paid for restoration.
While you're at it though, google Kilpeck Church in the Welsh Marches - that is what you're looking for, I suspect!

[David19]

Also, like it says in one of the threads below this one called 'Horned god', Yahweh was also depicted with horns, and since Christians worship Yahweh (except for Gnostic's), it might make sense.

[omar]

The Celtic god Cernunnos or Kernunnos has "deer antlers". The god demonized by the Christian church was, Bophomet, who has two goat like horns.the Greek god Pan also has goat horns. In the book Gods & Godesses by Eric Chaline ,the three are all mixed up & wrong. He should have looked it up on MW, WE have a lot better info than he has in his screwed up book. I'm throwing it away, junk.

[raven grimassi]

I have always found the architecture of old churches very interesting. There often appears to be Pagan elements added here and there. Most scholars claim that such things cannot be Pagan elements because the finances to build the churches came from Christians, and because such things as gargoyles on the rooftops were intentionally commissioned. This strikes me as an odd position. And - why would Christian benefactors intentionally place gargoyles, green men, and other creatures within the interior and exterior of the church?

One story, rejected by scholars for the above reasons, is that the workers were Pagans and they intentionally and secretly worked the old gods into the building. Another story states that the Pagan images on churches were added with Christian images to depict the struggle against good and evil. One simple tale states that it was just the popular art of the times and held no meaning.

[Ben Gruagach]

Another reason for Pagan images appearing in Christian churches and teachings is that making Christian things familiar to the Pagans makes it easier to convert them.

There's an interesting article with further references on the topic here at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization).

[omar]

A lot of old churches in Europe have nudes inside or outside because the early Christians believed Satan would not go any place where there was nudity. That is one reason to peform rituals skyclad.