Christ the King Catholic Church in Milwaukie, long known for its low-slung modern profile that many locals associate with architect Pietro Belluschi, has suddenly become ground zero for a very 21st-century church fight. Parish leaders are moving ahead with an interior makeover after a six-month capital campaign that closed June 21, 2026, raising money to renovate the sanctuary and expand the parish school. Critics say the planned redesign would steamroll the building's signature wood-and-glass modernism. Opponents have circulated renderings that show arches, pillars and fresh paint in a style they say clashes with Belluschi's original vision. Hundreds of neighbors and former parishioners have signed petitions and pressed parish leadership for changes as fundraising shifts into construction mode.
What’s Planned
Parish leaders describe the project as a practical update: repairing worn flooring, refreshing aging finishes and dealing with functional limits in the narthex and sacristies. Opponents focus on the visuals in the renderings. They point to a Romanesque-style scheme with decorative arches and pillars, wood walls painted white, an octagonal ceiling turned blue and the removal of the colored-glass "cross of light" by Gyorgy Kepes in favor of a crucifix and other sacred art, according to the Committee to Preserve Christ the King Church. The preservation group has posted the renderings and an FAQ that spell out why its members are sounding the alarm.
How It’s Being Paid For
The parish's "Rooted in Truth" capital campaign is footing the bill. The parish website reports that 229 families have pledged $6,052,108 in gifts and pledges. Parish communications explain that the campaign was designed to cover both the church renovation and an expansion of Christ the King Parish School to include grades 9–12. The fundraising push wrapped up in late June, with parish messaging tying the effort to both liturgical upgrades and long-term educational goals for the campus.
Money Math And Approvals
Documents reviewed by reporters show the campaign ultimately brought in nearly $6.4 million and that about 75% of those funds have been allocated to the church renovation, with 25% going to the school expansion. The renovation budget is pegged at roughly $4.8 million, and the parish projects that construction will wrap by summer 2027. Parish leaders say the proposed design has already been reviewed by the Archdiocesan Building Commission and the Archdiocesan Office of Divine Worship. Those details surfaced after journalists examined church documents and renderings in a story by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Who’s Pushing Back
On the other side of the aisle, more than 535 people have signed an online petition organized by Preserve CTK that objects to stripping out Belluschi's interior details and removing Kepes' "cross of light," according to the group's website. Preserve CTK cites opposition from architecture advocates, preservation organizations and some parish families, naming individuals and groups that have gone public with their concerns. Petitioners are urging the parish to hit pause, study alternatives or at least keep more of the existing interior features that tie the church to its midcentury roots.
Why Preservationists Care
Pietro Belluschi is widely regarded as a leading Northwest modernist whose postwar churches and civic buildings helped define the region's architectural identity, and Christ the King is one of his later sacred commissions. Architectural histories and archival material on Belluschi emphasize his careful use of wood, natural light and simple volumes in church design, qualities that preservationists argue would be obscured by the proposed makeover, per the Oregon Historical Society's profile of his work. That pedigree helps explain why preservation groups and some parishioners mobilized so quickly once the renderings started circulating.
What Happens Next
For now, the parish says the campaign is finished, the archdiocesan reviews are in hand and the plan is moving forward. Opponents say they will keep pressing for changes and looking for options that protect the building's modernist character. With contractor bids, permitting and scheduling still ahead, the fight is unlikely to stay confined to parish bulletins. Expect the dispute to surface at public meetings and in more local coverage over the next year. The parish has posted its own renderings and FAQ material on its website for parishioners as the debate over Christ the King's future continues.
