| This thesis examines Roman Catholic churches built between 1948 and 1976 in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. During this period, more than 250 new churches were constructed in an effort to accommodate a 253% increase in membership.;Although the architecture of these churches spans an aesthetic spectrum ranging from historical revivalism to expressionism, analysis reveals that each can be placed into one of seven stylistic groupings. These groupings are identified and described, using over forty representative examples.;This thesis argues that the key to understanding the physical form of these churches lies in an appreciation of three dynamic phenomena driving the architectural program underlying their design and construction: the swift growth of the local Catholic population in the region's rapidly developing suburbs; the desire of church leadership to create parishes that would attract the next generation of Catholics; and a new theological and pastoral emphasis on congregational participation in worship. |
