we meet at houses, Denny’s, picnics, the internet, etc."You will know them by their fruits" --Matt 7:16.
Posted on 06/08/2010 5:02:05 PM PDT by Desdemona
I have recently struck up a very enjoyable correspondence with Prof. Peter Kwasniewski, of the excellent Wyoming Catholic College, and read with great interest an article he recently wrote for the next edition of Latin Mass Magazine on the philosophy and theology of church architecture. (More information can be found at the magazine's website here.) Particularly interesting for me is his innovative but sound idea of linking the built structure of the church to the four marks of the institutional Church--One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. This is the first time I have seen such an idea advanced and I find it elegant and eloquent. Prof. Kwasniewski has been kind enough to secure permission for us to publish his article at The New Liturgical Movement, and you can find it below. Some highlights, with my comments and expansions:
We identify her four “notes” or essential characteristics when we say that she is “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.” Almost in the same breath, we then link the Church to her life-giving Sacraments and the ultimate goal to which our membership in her carries us: “we acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” An entire understanding of church architecture is sketched out in these few words of the Creed.
[...] “One.” We are talking about one and the same Church across all the ages. [...] So the church building and its furnishings ought to convey a sense of something one, visibly and tangibly one, that is greater than all of our differences. [One is reminded of Ninian Comper's synthetic unitive eclecticism: "All generations shall call me blessed." I would also remark that the "oneness" of the church building should also be manifest in a clarity of liturgical form and focus. --MGA] We concretely express this mystery by an architecture that remains in continuity with ecclesiastical Tradition. [...]
“Apostolic.” I jump ahead to this note of the Church because it clarifies that the unity or oneness just spoken of consists in belonging to the Church founded by Christ on the Apostles, especially on Peter, the Rock. Our Lord Jesus gave to the Apostles the Deposit of Faith, what we call Apostolic Tradition. [...] The church building, for its part, passes down that same Tradition in artistic form, in a kind of silent visual preaching.
“Holy.” This characteristic is arguably the most important of all when it comes to architecture. A church should represent and reflect and remind us of the holiness of God, the holiness to which we have been called and in which we share. Hence, verticality—the upward thrust of architectural and decorative elements—is crucial in a sanctuary. When we enter a well-designed church, our mind, our feelings, are immediately drawn upwards to God, the Holy One of Israel; to the Divine, the Transcendent, the Infinite.
[I'd also remark that there are various ways of expressing this verticality, this exchange between God and man exemplified in the Incarnation--in Gothic it goes up, while in Byzantine architecture domes recall God's enclosing movement downwards to man while retaining a sense of loftiness. Baroque creates a sort of aerial, spiralling ballet that has elements of both upward and downward verticality to it. --MGA].
Anyway, have a read through the article: it is excellent work, and innovative while being firmly grounded in tradition. It is good to see, in this article, and in other works (like Dr. McNamara's new book) that we are now examining in great detail and with great theological seriousness what a church should look like, as well as what it should not look like. I hope to hear more in this vein from the good professor in the future.
What is a Church Supposed to Look Like? Peter Kwasniewski
Well then, if 3 people said it, it must be true. NOT. C’mon people, see the hypocrisy.
Somebody posted one in I think post 11?????? It’s taken from under the rear gallery overhand down the nave. Believe me, on Corpus Christi as the candles are all lit and the procession comes down the aisles, it’s something to behold.
My word exactly. There is something anti-beauty and anti-senses about them. It's almost Manichean or Gnostic.
Goodness, Truth and Beauty. They forget an important part of how we know God.
And, IMHO, the loss of the Sacrament of Eucharist is key. This more than anything else reduces a "church" to just a building.
You wrote:
“You refuse to see the hypocrisy and the irony.”
There is no hypocrisy or irony.
1) Christ dwells in our tabernacles so we adorn our churches.
2) We also feed the hungry, clothe the naked and otherwise show charity more than all Protestant sects combined.
“I’ve read of people like you before. they were called Pharisees.”
No. I honor Christ. You seek to deny Him honors. You side with Judas. Judas and you said EXACTLY THE SAME THING. In honoring Christ where have I said the same thing as any Pharisee? I have not. Your charge is not only false but ridiculous.
“Of which you seem to be chief. Fortunately, my salvation rests not with your opinion.”
You side with Judas. You presume you are saved yet you say and believe the very words of the betrayer of Christ. And yet you do not see your own hypocrisy and the irony of that?
“You need to check your master, Vlad. Satan can quote scripture too, you know.”
Christ is my master. Don’t serve the same master as Judas. Rejoice in and honor the Lord. Turn away from Judas and his master and embrace Christ.
Many Protestants hate beauty
What a crock!
Well, no, see we’re not the hypocrites. There’s a reason Mary Magdalene is greatly respected and Judas not. In that scene, Christ sided with Mary Magdalene. She was the adorer.
Ever notice how different a church feels between the Good Friday service and the Easter Vigil. No Eucharist makes a difference.
A little, but I hope you don't spend any money at Denny's that could be given to the hungry, and those houses, lots of hungry people could benefit if you sold them or maybe downsized. How about if you switched to dialup?
I'm still with the same question though: Do you disapprove of all church buildings?
There is One Who can sort this out, one day. And He will. The mighty will be brought low, and the meek will inherit the Earth. God judges each man’s heart. Never forget that. Maranatha
Sorry my words did not make it clear - I was not condeming Thomas, the point was to demonstrate what Christ Jesus said, which is that faith by not seeing is greater than faith which needs visible sights to believe or be inspired. Thomas appeared inspired only by the visible sight of Christ, that is why his faith is demonstrated in the Bible (in the Gospels) by his very words in the regarding his need to see before he believed, as is recorded in John 20:
John 20:24 “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.” John 20:25 “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
There you have it, Thomas himself declaring that he would not believe unless he has seen. I do not condone Thomas, Christ did not condone Thomas: but Christ did clearly say that there are greater faiths than Thomas: those who believe without seeing.
I am INSPIRED by Christ and His Words without seeing anything, and fully in awe in the inspired Bible. I ADORE Christ, not His creation nor anything that man formulates.
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
actually we don’t search out the hungry at Denny’s since everyone there is hungry. we search out Police Officers and military to buy their breakfasts.
ONE MORE TIME: Mary was told by Jesus to save her money toward His burial. HE IS NOT STILL BURIED. He is ressurected. THERE IS NO NEED TO SAVE FOR HIS BURIAL. Unless you are constantly killing him over and over. Read the scripture you people quote before you wet your pants over the wrong interpretation you spout.
And in all around you, the wonders and beauty and awe, you cannot see God.
Why choose such blinders to Him?
You wrote:
“What a crock!”
No, it is true. History makes that obvious: literally millions of acts of Protestant iconclasm, Puritan dourness and the Puritan confusion of plainnes with simpleness, the barrenness of most Protestant churches, the blandness of most modern Protestant music (which has unfortunately crept into the Catholic parish in the last 45 years), etc.
we meet at houses, Denny’s, picnics, the internet, etc."You will know them by their fruits" --Matt 7:16.
So are you against all church buildings?
Justification? not impressed. Powers in numbers never impressed me. sorta like the democrat party. Lots of wrong people.
I am simply saying that the Church is the Body of Christ, of which I am inside the Body of Christ. And the full Godhead is in me: read Gospel of John and Paul’s letters. Believers are God’s building: it is not a architecture or physical building. It is not made with hands: read 1 Corinthians 3:9, Ephesians 2:21-22.
1 Corinthians 3:9 “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”
Ephesians 2:21-22 “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
The perfectly inspired Word of God clearly provides proof that believers are God’s building. And since this is true, then I need no visible architecture building to grow my Christian faith: my faith is made perfect by Christ. I lack nothing: for I have all spiritual things in Christ: “who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)
I am against all church buildings where God’s Word is misinterpreted, added to, taken from, turned into a lie, wasted, used to fool ignorant people, and used to create a false sense of worship. Feeling doesn’t make it so. Searching the scriptures daily to see if those things are true does. Beauty is found in the simplicity that is in Christ.
And instead of spending your money on your "church" meeting you give it to them, right?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.