religion why do religions organize space in distinctive patterns?
TRANSCRIPT
Religion
Why do religions organize space in distinctive patterns?
Religious buildings
• No matter what religion, until recently churches, etc. were the tallest, most elaborate buildings
• Impact of religion on the landscape is profound, because many people believe life on Earth should be spent in the service of God
Religious Buildings
• May be places for people to worship or structures to house religious artifacts
• Sacred structures are “anchors” of a faith.
Christian Churches
• Word church derives from Greek meaning lord, master, and power.
• Church is more critical in Christianity than other religions, because it is an expression of religious principles, and an environment created in the image of God.
• Collective worship in a church is considered very important
Christian Churches
• Built with a variety of materials, depending on what was available locally
• Churches are extremely expensive to design, build, and maintain
• Early churches modled after bascilicas, Roman buildings for public assembly
• Typically central hall and 2 side aisles
Christian Churches
• Raised alter symbolizes hill of Calvary where Jesus was crucified
• Gothic churches’ floor plan in form of cross
• Orthodox- Basilica- most ornate
• RC- Church or Cathedral- in the middle
• Protestant- Church or megachurch- least ornate
Islamic Mosque
• Unlike a church, a Mosque is not viewed as a sanctified place but as a location for the community to worship
• Organized around a central courtyard. Pulpit faces Mecca
• Minaret- a tower from which a muzzan summons people to worship
Hindu Temples
• Sacred structures for collective worship are relatively unimportant
• Temples are built to house shrines for gods instead of community worship
• Wealthy people or groups of people maintain the temples
• Contains a small, dimly lit room containing a sacred artifact or image
Buddhist/Taoist/Shinto Pagodas
• Tall, many sided towers, arranged in a series of tiers, balconies, and slanting roofs
• Pagodas contain relics that were once part of Buddha’s body or clothing
• Not designed for congregational worship
Baha’i
• Wilmette, Illinois
• Open to adherents of all religions, services include scriptures from various religions
Sacred space- disposing of dead
• Jews, Christians, Muslims bury dead in a cemetary- often doubles as a park
• Early Christians worshipped and buried their dead in catacombs- underground passages.
• Some Christians bury dead w/ feet toward Jerusalem
• Egyptians buried dead on West side of river, lived on E. side
Sacred space- disposing of dead
• Hindus practice cremation- burning the dead- so did Europeans until Christianity
• Zoroastrians expose the dead to birds and animals- Tibetan Buddhists