The Catholic Culture Podcast: 143 – The Sacrament of Church Architecture

Sep 19, 2022

“Architecture is the built form of ideas, and church
architecture is the built form of theology.”

Denis McNamara joins the show to give a crash course in the
underlying principles of Catholic church architecture, and make the
case for classical architecture as the method that should be used
by today’s sacred architects.

McNamara is an Associate Professor and Executive Director of the
Center for Beauty and Culture at Benedictine College, architectural
consultant, and author of multiple books on architecture.

Topics include:

• The Biblical vision of church architecture
• The church building as part of the liturgical rite
• The church building as a “sacrament” of the glorified, mystical
  Body of Christ and vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem
• The importance of the Temple
• How liturgical art conveys glorified realities
• How classical architecture makes visible nature’s invisible
  forces
• The difference between liturgical and devotional images

Links

Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the
Liturgy
https://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Church-Architecture-Spirit-Liturgy/dp/1595250271

How to Read Churches
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Churches-ecclesiastical-architecture/dp/1408128365

The Liturgy Guys https://www.liturgyguys.com

Benedictine College’s Center for Beauty and Culture
https://www.benedictine.edu/academics/centers/beauty-culture/index

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