The First Christian Church (originally known as the Tabernacle Church of Christ) in Columbus, Indiana, was built in 1942. It was the first contemporary building in Columbus and one of the first churches in the United States to be built in a contemporary architectural style. The building, designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, consists of a glass-fronted main hall, with a tower and bridge section. Interior details such as light fixtures, screen and furniture were designed by Saarinen's son Eero Saarinen (who would later design the North Christian Church in Columbus) and Charles Eames. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service in 2001. Plans for a new church A larger church was needed to accommodate the growing needs of the congregation between World War I and World War II. Linnie I. Sweeney, the wife of Reverend Z. T. Sweeney, and her brother W. G. Irwin first discussed plans for a Gothic or Early American church, but her son and his nephew J. Irwin Miller, who had been following an architectural appreciation course at Yale University, proposed the idea for a Modern church instead. Designing and building the church became a two-generation family affair. The family was introduced to Eliel Saarinen through the Reverend's daughter Nettie Sweeney Miller, who became chairwoman of the building committee. Saarinen had only built one church before, in Lithuania, and was apprehensive about the project until he heard the proposal for the building: Saarinen, the son of a Lutheran pastor, was thrilled by the idea and agreed to design the building. He disliked overly indulgent and theatrical churches and believed Gothic and Georgian style churches were overdone and no longer relevant. Design Rather than imitating an historic style with no personal relevance to Columbus, Saarinen chose to reflect the fundamentals of Christian faith in the church design, in an effort to unite the different denominations in the town. He believed Modern architecture was particularly appropriate for this form of Christianity – the church would be based on the fundamentals of religion and architecture and freed from traditional theology and style. Layout The church is divided into four major features: the East Wing, containing the church proper, the chapel, and the auditorium; the West Wing, containing part of the Bible school; the connecting bridge between the East and West Wings, containing the rest of the Bible school; and the tower. The