Between Early-Christian Architectural Form and Postminimalism

Abstract

We are currently observing a growing interest in the early Christian writings of hermits, the great eulogists of Christ. In modern religious architecture the manifestation of this interest is a return to the simple forms of early Christian temples. The problem, however, is the quality of this architecture and how it is received by the public. New temples, minimalist in form, so eagerly promoted in architectural professional journals, which are mainly to the liking of critics and architects, are rejected by the faithful. Could the reason for this be the fact that emptiness is excessively exhibited in their interiors? Emptiness is a certain type of synonym for nothingness, and nothingness remains in contradiction with the main message of Christianity. Contrary to the almost unchanged canon of the orthodox temple, the architecture of Catholic churches sees strong protestant influence. In extreme cases this leads to a sort of elimination of decorative forms which have traditionally been present in Catholic churches. The postminimalism that appears in religious architecture refrains from completely contesting interior decoration. We are currently seeing a return to decorative forms, techniques like the fresco or the mosaic, which are treated architecturally, analogously to how they were treated in the beginnings of Christianity. Simplicity, however, should not be mistaken for simplemindedness, which is why the demand for good Christian architecture and religious art is ceaselessly rising. The art of religious architecture, however, is based on the appropriateness of the architectural form in relation to the content that it expresses. The form of a church that is mistaken with the form of a discotheque should raise an eyebrow, especially that of its author, even when said author is a star of architecture.