Kunstlaan 52: the House of the Lord

In 2021, we were told that a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple would be located in Brussels. The exact location was announced this week. An existing building located at Kunstlaan 52 will be completely renovated and will serve as a building in a few years House of the Lord.

Church buildings and temples

The difference between a temple and a meetinghouse within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is quite significant, and it is important to understand that these two buildings have different purposes and meanings.

Church buildings are the places where members of the Church gather every Sunday for their weekly worship services. These services consist of sacrament meetings (similar to communion in other Christian traditions), Sunday school classes, and gatherings of different age groups and organizations within the church. Church buildings are open to all, members and non-members, and all are welcome to attend services and participate in activities. During the week the church buildings are also used for many other activities. Some local leaders sometimes make the buildings available to neighborhood associations.

Temples in contrast, they have a much deeper and more sacred meaning for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Temples are considered houses of the Lord, places where the most sacred and important ceremonies and covenants are performed. Unlike church buildings, temples are not open to the general public. Only members of the Church who are considered worthy can enter a temple. This worthiness is established through personal interviews with Church leaders in which members answer questions about their faith, keeping the commandments, and commitment to the teachings of the Church.

Currently, the church has 350 temples in various phases, including 195 dedicated temples (188 of which are in operation and 7 previously dedicated but closed for renovation), 50 under construction and 105 other temples announced (not yet under construction).

Happy news

Since the announcement, Belgian church members have been eagerly anticipating where the temple would be located. After all, this is an important step in the entire process. The fact that this temple is located in the heart of Brussels has surprised many members. A temple is often placed close to a large city, but not immediately in the city itself. For example, the The Hague temple is not actually in The Hague itself, but in Zoetermeer.

I personally think it is a shame that when the announcement was made there were immediately critical voices about the location. OK, in terms of accessibility - at least by car - it will not always be easy depending on the time. After all, the building is actually located on the corner of Kunstlaan and the Brussels inner ring. During rush hour, additional time loss associated with the traffic of a major city will have to be taken into account.

On the other hand, this location is easily accessible by public transport. The metro stops almost in front of the door, so you can easily get to the temple by train and metro from anywhere in the country. On condition that we can count on our public transport, some might say. And yes, we also have members with disabilities who cannot easily travel by public transport. I certainly don't want to say that everything will work out fine. What I thought about myself was that it is a point that is quite often closed during demonstrations in the European capital.

The law of devotion

As always, our primary focus should be on the blessings that come from serving in the House of the Lord. That also means that we sometimes have to make sacrifices, especially when it comes to our time. I find it a bit strange to complain about extra time when we bow our heads in the temple and humbly say yes when asked to agree to the law of consecration. Maybe we should consider the extra effort as part of that yes we're saying there.

This also includes helping each other, especially members who need help. Which doesn't mean we have to just play taxi whenever someone asks. As I just said: we can also expect a sign of commitment. I often think of the admirable stories of members who live in places around the world where they have to save part of their income for 15 years and then finally serve in a temple during a dangerous fifteen-day trip. Apparently it was easier Years ago, you would have to drive for hours in a van to Frankfurt or Bern, but now you have to spend an extra hour in traffic jams.

I also try to point out the beautiful location. A place where tens of thousands of people pass by every day from all over the world, some of whom will wonder what this beautiful building means. A stone's throw from the royal palace, Wetstraat, the Belgian and European parliaments. I think it's wonderful that we can build a House of the Lord there.

Sometimes we quickly fall into grumbling. We are not alone in this. Enough references of a murmuring people can be found in the Book of Mormon. Therefore, my appeal: let us rejoice and look forward to the day when we can fulfill the law of consecration and the law of tithing with more than just a transfer.

Podcast

You can also listen to the episode of 'The Closet of Mormon' on this topic: episode 76.