the symbolic nature of this form of spirituality

•symbolism of the architecture may encourage people to think about some aspect of their life

•it’s intended to convey aspects of the religion’s teaching

•may serve as a reminder of the importance of individuals and events to the religion 

          •orthodox churches have a dome that represents Heaven, reminding people to accept salvation through Christ 

          •it is circular to represent the eternity of God and the cross-shape shows Jesus’ crucifixion

what does religious architecture tell us – about God, about belief, about the architect

•about God

          •spires point to Heaven reminding God is above 

          •size to show power and wealth 

          •a dome to show God is over everything 

          •large places of worship emphasise the vastness of God 

          •stained glass windows tell the story of the Bible

          •a small building may show God can come closer to the world, encouraging an individual to speak directly 

•about belief

          •shows the difference between religious beliefs, dictating what is important to the religion 

          •difference in the styles of Quaker, Anglican and Baptist 

                    •Quaker: all sit in a circle in a square room where anyone can speak

                    •Anglican: all sit in pews facing the altar for readings or sacrifice

                    •Baptist: they sit in pews facing a pulpit for readings

•about the architect

          •could be told or inspired of what to do

          •he could be motivated by the religion or by the community and congregation 

what impact does it have on those looking on believers and non-believers

•impacts on believers

          •Christ the Redeemer gives you a sense of awe towards God through it’s own size and how it’s looking down at everyone, giving you wonder and respect

          •it can remind believers of the teaching of the religion, strengthening beliefs 

          •it may enable them to make a spiritual response and aid devotion due to intricate details e.g the Chapel

          •it provides an atmosphere right for prayer and meditation, seeking answers to life

          •attending a beautiful place may feel closer to God through it’s size and colour e.g The Great East Window

•impacts on non-believers 

          •may lead to respect 

          •invoke a spiritual response, a religious response or a sense of numinous 

          •may cause hatred and anger leading to damage and graffiti from the anti-religious

how is religious architecture used in worship (public and / or private)

•use in public worship

          •it provides a place for the community to come together such as a chapel etc. 

•use in private worship

          •example singled orthodox shrines with icons and private chapels

          •icons are used to help prayer, especially in people’s houses 

          •since houses have private altars, they are private in worship 

          •more thoughtful and quiet since it’s private

how and why religions use architecture

•religions use architecture to express a religious and spiritual message

          •religious praise, honour or devotion takes place 

          •the design needs to include peace, calm and simplicity or rooms with specific purposes 

•religions use architecture to create a spiritual power on the viewer to e.g:

         •make people think about God or reflect on spiritual ideas

         •remind people there is an afterlife

         •express a religious belief about achieving reward in afterlife

         •help people understand spiritual truths 

         •aid worship 

         •produce a feeling of awe

different types and examples of each of the following: places of worship, graveyard architecture, edifices, monuments, statues

•place of worship / edifice: St. Paul’s Cathedral, London 

•what is it: a cathedral due to it’s cathedra (Bishop’s throne) but 

 also a monument as it commemorates himself  

•religious symbols:

          

          •inspired by Catholic ideas

          •CofE building in RC style due to being reminiscent of St. Peters Basilica in Rome

          •elaborately decorated - a devoted outpour of creativity 

          •Wren’s monument - has story of Jesus’ paintings (revelation)

          •cruciform - cross-shaped mimics cross, identifying as Christian

          •dome - symbolic of the Heaven’s 

          •bell tower’s - calling people to church

          •altar - bread and wine is blessed; altar makes it a church with people; the lines of perspective draws your eyes in

          •trinity - three steps, three candles, represents the Holy Trinity

          •organ - used in churches; heavy musical history 

          •pews - sets facing one another; choir chants to one another (Psalm is antiphonal); mimics Benedict’s monastery 

          

•graveyard architecture: St. Eredoc’s, Cornwall 

•what is it: John Betjeman’s Grave / The Weeping Angel 

•religious symbols:

          •shows they contain importance of individuality after they die 

          •non-religious may view graves as important; religious sees graveyard as the community for the dead where they will go to Heaven in the afterlife  

          •place of importance as it commemorates life

          •revelation and inspiration of the Christian beliefs about the afterlife 

          •spirituality highlights questions about the afterlife? Is there something? 

          •gravestones - shows that death is not a final end; something happens (purgatory); many believe in physical resurrection (Judgement Day)

          •Star of David represents Jewish graves; Jews near Mount of Olives Cemetery to be close to the start of the resurrection 

          •weeping Angel is sad and mournful, protecting the person 

          •flowers - sign of love, respect and new life; memory is living; life after death; a historic tradition; different for other religions 

          •name and date - memory and time of history and the relationships; the importance of relatives for others contuse after death

          •crosses - a sign of protection 

•monument: Cenotaph, London

•what is it: war memorial for WW1 - “our glorious dead” 

•religious symbols: 

          •Queen etc. - site for remembrance Sunday

          •devotion - religious worship here on remembrance Sunday

          •praying - shows that that the souls are worth praying for 

          •attitudes and revelation: very Christian to what happens after you die

          •devotional act - praying for the dead; spending time and care

          •attitudes - shows Christian beliefs about the afterlife

          •inspiration - tells a story, inspired by death

          •stance - stands tall, showing pride of war (“our glorious dead”); pride due to winning

          •wreath - shows victory; fighting to bring light into darkness

          •flags - highlights togetherness and unity of the Allies and enemies in retrospect 

•statue: Our Lady of Walsingham 

•what is it: it is a statue of Mary, honouring her

•St. Mary: Queen of the Christians, mother of the King

•sacrament: a ritual religious people do to represent God’s blessing in their lives

•religious symbols:

          •devotion - no motorways; tiny village; single-track roads as it’s a pilgrimage site where Mary

          •revelation - little churches; sighting of Mary; reveals a story

          •inspiration - sighting of Mary; reminds us of the story

          •shows creator wants to remind you of Mary and the story as it’s important 

          •religious people see it as devotion to mov their minds through the story

          •non-religious may view it as tacky and over glorified 

          •religious community has built it in memory of the story

          •shows spirituality through provoking interesting questions about Heaven

          •crown - a sign showing that Jesus is the Messiah 

          •halo - Egyptian, shows Saint (special) important 

          •lily - symbol of Mary, herself

          •3 rings - shows Holy Trinity 

          •7 rings - there are 7 sacraments 

how is religious architecture produced – inspiration, revelation or devotion?

•inspiration: •inspires people into visiting the sacred place

                    •designed to make them think of God

                    •religious beliefs inspire people build it as a expression of faith

                             •e.g St. Paul’s Cathedral reminiscent of St. Peters Basilica

•revelation: •a person believes that they have been told a building should be erected 

                   •design intended to reveal something about the religion 

                   •try to convert people through the feeling of awe and wonder 

                             •e.g St Bernadette’s vision of the Virgin Mary for a church at Lourdes 

•devotion: •actual construction is regarded as a act of devotion

                 •time, care and money spent can show the importance of beliefs to those involved 

what is religious architecture

•where buildings and structures in some way try to express both a religious and spiritual message

          •it includes places where specific acts of religious praise, honour or devotion take place 

key terminology for architecture

•monument: a large statue set up in commemoration of a person or event 

•statue: a 3D carved or cast person or animal 

•edifice: a large imposing building dedicated to a person or event 

•grave: a place that contains human remains 

•numinous: a tremendous sense of something spiritual 

•ineffable: too great to be expressed in words

•transcendent: God is beyond the universe - a greater than normal experience

•aesthetic: concerned with beauty / or the visual impact of something

•symbol: representing something through an image

•tomb: a place for burying the dead