Krieger, Herman. Churches ad hoc: A Divine Comedy by Herman Krieger. Signed.

PhotoZone, 1998.  With a Foreword by Kern R. Trembath.  Stiff illustrated wraps, not issued hardcover. Signed by Krieger on preliminary title page, uncommon thus.  Like new. A gently humorous series of photographs, accompanied by funny captions, of Christian churches in Oregon, where Krieger settled in Eugene after a 30-year career in Europe as a computer programmer and then earned a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Oregon. Summary:

Churches ad hoc: A Divine Comedy (2002) is a witty and observant photographic essay by Herman Krieger that documents the unconventional ways people repurpose ordinary buildings for worship. Spanning over 25 years of travel across the United States, Krieger focuses on "storefront" churches—religious institutions housed in structures originally designed for secular commerce.

Core Narrative and Theme

The book is a study of the vernacular architecture of faith. Krieger bypasses grand cathedrals to find the divine in the mundane, documenting houses of worship located in:

• Repurposed Spaces: Former gas stations, theaters, banks, laundromats, and grocery stores.

• Humorous Juxtapositions: Signs that inadvertently create irony, such as a "Spirit of Truth" church located in a former liquor store or a "Bread of Life" ministry in an old bakery.

• The "Ad Hoc" Spirit: The book celebrates the ingenuity and resourcefulness of small congregations who use paint, handmade signs, and simple icons to transform a commercial facade into a sacred space.

Photographic Style

Krieger’s approach is defined by deadpan irony and a respectful, yet humorous, "street photography" sensibility.

• Compositional Clarity: The black-and-white photographs are typically framed frontally, emphasizing the architecture and the signage.

• Social Document: While the images are often funny, they serve as a serious sociological record of American religious diversity and the economic realities of urban and rural ministry.

• The "Divine Comedy": True to the subtitle, the book is organized into sections—Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise—categorizing the churches based on their aesthetic "ascent" or the perceived irony of their locations.

Key Information

• Published: 2002 by PhotoGraphics Publishing.

• Format: A slim volume featuring high-contrast monochrome plates with brief, insightful captions.

• Significance: The work is frequently compared to the "typologies" of Bernd and Hilla Becher, but with a uniquely American, humanistic, and humorous twist.

Summary: Churches ad hoc is a charming and insightful look at the "accidental" architecture of American religion. It suggests that faith is not found in the grandeur of the building, but in the creative spirit used to claim a space for the soul.