A forthcoming title recently came to my attention which looks to be of some interest. The book is by Dr. Denis McNamara, a professor at the Liturgical Institute in Mundelein, and whose architectural work will be familiar to many here. The work itself is titled, Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy.
Here is the publisher's description:
This unique book delves into the deep meanings of liturgical art and architecture, and by association, the Sacred Liturgy itself. It is meant to help pastors, architects, artists, members of building committees, seminarians, and everyone interested in liturgical art and architecture come to grips with the many competing themes which are at work in church buildings today. The object of Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy is help the reader to drink deeply from the wells of the tradition, to look with fresh eyes at things thought to be outdated or meaningless, and glean the principles which underlie the richness of the Catholic faith.
* Part one presents an emerging area of study: Architectural Theology
* Part two introduces the readers for the first time to the scriptural foundations of church architecture
* Part three focuses on the classical tradition of architecture
* Part four examines iconography as eschatological flash and
* Part five concludes with a discussion of the Twentieth Century and where we are now in the Age of the Church.
Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy is a foundational sourcebook for studying, designing, building, and renovating Catholic churches, this book is intended to find the middle of the road between differing and sometimes conflicting theories of liturgical architecture. It will give architects and building committees the theological language and tools to understand the elements of church design by examining past architecture and will help decision makers link these principles to their current building projects.
Evidently, we cannot provide any further insights at the moment, but the NLM will provide a proper review of the title once we receive it.
The title is due out in October of this year.
Product Link: Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy
