What Providence kept out of World Youth Day

[TimothyH]

I think one of the problems here is that one of the hallmarks of modern style art, architecture and design is that it is self-referential. For instance, a person looking at a modern style painting is usually intended to have their attention drawn to the fact that they are looking at a painting, as oppossed to having their attention drawn into the subject of the painting. Its the same with modern architecture and design, the viewer is usually intended to have their attention drawn to the fact that are looking at architecture, rather than to the artistic idea (the “subject”) that the architecture conveys.

This is a problem when the art or architecture in question is religious in nature, because the purpose of religious art/architecture should be to draw our attention past itself and to its “subject”, which is God or the transcendent. With a modern design like this stage, our attention is drawn to architectural ideas, like lines vs curves, architectual space, etc, not necessarily to the subject of God.

I think this is why a number of us are reacting negatively to this stage; since it is modern in style it tends towards architecture for the sake of architecture, not architechture for the sake of God.

Your point about self-referential art is well taken. The news media is like this, writing stories about the news media as if they themselves were the news. Rock bands do the same thing, self-referential music is a clear sign of shallow writing.

But the golden arches instantly reminded me of the cherubim over the Ark of the Covenant. As a student of Scripture, this was very natural to me, and I said, “Oh, look at the angel’s wings.”

I don’t see what is so self-referential about that. It is a clear reference so the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant and the Holy of Holies that is the Sanctuary and Altar. I personally can’t see anything self-referential about it. I got it right away, and it instantly made me think of God and his glory in the Temple.

-Tim-

 

[TimothyH]

Ive been praying and pondering about this and I believe that if one looks at this stage and can not see how it draws past itself to Jesus I honestly beleive they themselves are the ones who are not looking past the architecture. It is they who are looking at the architecture and making it the subject. If they weren’t they would be able to look past it and see how it does point to God and His Mysteries.

You know, I caught something the other day on TV, I believe it was CarholicTV out of Boston, it was some kind of program and in it they were talking about Merton, I believe his name is Thomas Merton. I have never read his works and do not know much about him except for reading his name referenced in a post now and then. But anyway. they were talking about him and how every one he saw he saw beauty in them and he genuinely loved them for who they were. In that moment where they are in thier journey to God. Well I believe that was what they were saying about him. The other thing they said he said is that ones idea of God tells more about the person than about God. In the first part I beleve this is what he is saying. He found beauty in every one. In the last part I believe what he is saying is that if we see God as a condemning God then we are going to go around seeing things in people that we condemn them for thinking it is God who is condemning them for the perceived sins. If we go around seeing the good in others and not condemning them for their perceived sins we are showing them mercy thinking it is God is showing them Mercy. Maybe a better way of saying it is if we know God as having un-condemning love and mercy then we are going to see everyone with un-condemning love and mercy. If we know God as condemning us for every mistake or wrong move we make or might make we see we are going to see every one and what everyone does the same way.

Understanding this is making me wonder if this is what is happening with this architecture and the architects who make them. We are either going to condemn it for everything that is perceived wrong with it or we are going to see what all was good about it and for give any imperfections in it.

Please read “The Seven Storey Mountain” and if you ever get a chance, visit a Cistercian/Trappist monastery for a retreat.

-Tim-

 

[CarolNoel]

Any one doubts that the hand of God protects His Church?

Peace

Yes. I thought at first that was a picture from a cartoon.