Locus Iste » Events

Churches in the Modern World + Robert Proctor of the Glasgow School of Art concludes an important and expansive research project examining the under-appreciated British Catholic churches of 1955-1975.

by _jjph 15 August 2012 In Events, Feature Articles

Looking at the collective research agenda for historians of church architecture, the church buildings of the second half of the twentieth century need to be a top priority. We are just now reaching a point of sufficient critical distance to enable their reconsideration, and little objective research has so far been done. Furthermore, many of these buildings are threatened due to continuing changes in liturgy, theology, and architectural preferences as well as the often poor quality of the post-war years and suburban expansion.

In 2011 Robert Proctor, Lecturer in History of Architecture at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow School of Art, undertook what is, to my knowledge, the most significant project to address these issues in the English-speaking world. Funded by a grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the UK, the project aimed to document and explore examples of Roman Catholic Church Architecture in Britain, 1955-1975. The churches of this time period reflect significant cultural developments including the post-war reconstruction, with its less optimistic version of modernism, and the implementation of liturgical reform.

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Churches in the Modern World

On Christ & Architecture + A brief examination of buildings and building imagery in the gospels as an investigation into Christ's views on architecture (if any).

by _jjph 24 February 2012 In Events, Feature Articles

This week brought a number of notices about a symposium entitled “On Christ & Architecture” to be held 15-16 March 2012 at the Judson University Department of Architecture. The symposium aims to “provide space for focused discussion of the intersection of living Christian faith and the discipline of architecture.” A definite highlight of the event is that Nicholas Wolterstorff will give the keynote address and moderate the discussions. I consider Dr Wolterstorff the foremost living voice in aesthetics—particularly theological aesthetics—even from my rather limited comprehension of his great Works and Worlds of Art.

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On Christ & Architecture

SARCC Intersections

by _jjph 29 September 2011 In Blog Post, Events

For anyone who is in New York (or can easily make it there in November), I highly recommend checking out this conversation sponsored by The Society for the Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture. The now 50 year old Society combines an emphasis on religion and the arts without selling either short, a rare feat indeed. And their list of fellows reads like an impressive who’s who in these overlapping realms in the 20th century.

A description of the event follows.

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To observe its 50th year, The Society for the Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture is sponsoring a significant conversation on INTERSECTIONS of religion and the arts on November 11-12, 2011. The location is St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Lexington at 54th St. in NYC, a place noted for its architecture and its artistic elements and early location of the Society’s activities.

Some highlights of the event include:

a concert by the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra from Boston on Friday evening And on Saturday
performances by Emily Wells and Akim Funk Buddha
a provocative keynote by the Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, a dynamic pastor of a congregation in the East Village centered in the arts
perspectives of the past, present and future of the intersections of the arts and religion by a distinguished panel
a look at St. Peter’s unique contribution to the arts
a conversation by directors, Dr. Ena Heller and Fr. Terrence Dempsey, S.J., of museums devoted to the exhibition of works of aesthetic quality and religious significance
a painter-sculptor, Tobi Kahn, and a writer, Nessa Rapoport, evoking the numinous in the creation of sacred space
a celebratory dinner honoring the Fellows of the Society and featuring a popular choir from Middle Collegiate Church in NYC The Society is initiating annual awards to young artists and theologians to mark this significant milestone.

Register now at www.sarcc.org for discounted fee.
For inquiries, nlvos@enter.net.