N EDITORIAL in the Christmas double-issue of the London weekly, The Tablet, observes that, between Great Britain and the European continent, there is a notable link to be found in sacred architecture.
First, a disclaimer: neither Corpus Christi Watershed nor I have a position on “Brexit,” the matter of whether (or in what fashion) Great Britain should remain a part of the European Union or withdraw therefrom.
That being said, the point made in the editorial is intriguing and worthy of consideration by anyone interested in church architecture or in culture, more generally.
The relevant section is quoted here:
If Sir Simon Jenkins is right and England’s medieval cathedrals remain supreme creations of the national genius, it is worth noting that they were a Catholic—that is to say Roman Catholic—accomplishment, and very much the fruit of European creativity. The Gothic architectural style links Britain’s ancient cathedrals to some of the greatest buildings in Europe. But that is only one of dozens of ways Britain has benefited from and contributed to European civilization. 1
What strikes me about this observation is that it uses an uncommon criterion for establishing cultural association. More common criteria include currency, cuisine, customs, spoken and written languages, etc. To speak of architecture—and, more narrowly, of sacred architecture—as a means of connecting cultures is fascinating.
NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:
1 The Tablet: The International Catholic Weekly, 22/29 December 2018, p. 2.
