Book notes, A Sense of the Sacred, pt. 3 of 4

I finished Seasoltz's book, A Sense of the Sacred, yesterday morning.

I enjoyed this little exchange from the early liturgical community movement in the early 19th C.:

"Through [Nikolai] Grundtvig's efforts, the eucharist once again became the regular form of worship in the Danish [Lutheran] church, celebrated twice every Sunday and on festivals. He successfully integrated the products of the folk arts and crafts into the worship of the people by incorporating their weavings and carvings into the worship space, and...included songs and dances. He also revived the liturgical year and wrote hymns for almost everyday of the church year. ...The hymns, however, were so new that they aroused opposition. ...Kierkegaard, for example, derided Grundtvig as 'a noisemaker who will be unpleasant to me even in eternity'" (pp. 198-199).

Some of Grundtvig's "noisy" hymns that we sing are "The Bells of Christmas," "Bright and Glorious Is the Sky," and "God's Word Is Our Great Heritage."

Seasoltz goes on to describe the more recent struggle of art and architecture. There were plenty of movements (i.e. the Arts and Crafts Movement), artists and architects that were at work, but the wars, eclecticism, and expense of quality work in light of mass production created a number of problems...

"Unfortunately the churches failed to make use of the most gifted exponents of the [Arts and Crafts] movement. ...Consequently church goods were regularly bought from church furnishing shops, which carried wares that were dull, pious, and inferior in quality" (p. 194).

"The decades immediately following World War II showed an ever increasing diversity in architectural styles...resulting in scattered parts often described as visual chaos...If any general architectural order existed, it usually consisted of the unimaginative, monotonous repetition of inarticulate components. At no period in human history up to that time was the human environment more problematic, nor had people felt more insecure in their relationship to themselves, one another, and their world" (p. 245).

"[This] generation of modern architects seeks a redefinition of architecture in terms of the complexity and contradictions of modern life...They agree that modernism died in the 1970s, but they certainly have not succeeded in putting any unified style in its place. The result has been what might be called architectural eclecticism, which often goes by the name postmodernism" (p.249).

Sooo... what's the solution?

"Much of the best in contemporary architecture does not concentrate its attention on fixed types or inflexible principles, but rather seeks to understand the total character of the project. The result is an architectural method rather than a style...A building is not a mere container housing functions; it is also an expressive presence that is dynamic in the environment. ...Buildings...have their roots in the past, relate to the present, and reach out to the future" (p. 250).

Throughout the book, Seasoltz illustrates the periods and his points with specific artists, architects, art works and buildings. I'll list a few from the 20th C., and add links as I find time.

Note in the art pieces, the frequent use of the artists' own environment...connecting the story and message to this place, or these people.

Saint James Cathedral in Seattle WA, esp. the font, altar and reading areas. (Seasoltz adds: "The renovation and renewal of this cathedral are eminently satisfactory" (p. 275). That's high praise coming from him.)

Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck ND

The library of Mount Angel Abbey, Saint Benedict, OR

He illustrates the frequent theme of loneliness and isolation in postmodern art (which is a frequent ache in contemporary life) with Roderick Barrett's painting, Players.

Religious concepts:

Georges Rouault (1871-1958) and his variations of Jesus as Suffering Servant in the Miserere series.

Marc Chagall (1887-1985) a Russian-born Jew who frequently painted with Christian themes, i.e. His White Crucifixion and Yellow Crucifix, painted in the 30's and 40's. connecting the suffering of the Jesus with the suffering of Jews at the hands of the Nazis.

Frank Wesley's Christ with the Rich young Man.

John Perceval's Christ Dining in Young and Jackson's.

Margaret Preston's Australian pieces: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, The Expulsion, and Christ Turning Water into Wine.

Elizabeth Frink's Walking Madonna who strides from the church property back into the community.

That's more than enough. In the last of these four blogs on Seasoltz's book, I will mention some of the advice he offers to churches as they consider art for their congregations.