Aesthetic and Educational Aspects of Contact with Contemporary Religious Architecture

Abstract

This article addresses the issue of the importance of contemporary architecture—especially Christian architecture—for the aesthetic and spiritual development of an individual. It also highlights the educational aspect that may arise in the framework of the contact of a human with the works of religious architecture. Among many things, the article points out the values of truth and beauty in the space of the sacrum. The major importance in the process of human development involves personal, individual and group experiences of meetings in various areas of religious architecture that operate with the language of signs and symbols, modern artistic forms, single-space harmony, and atmosphere—an invisible order of things. In recent years, a number of studies have been carried out that attempted to define what makes the place of sacrum sufficiently meaningful, mysterious, and still necessary in order to establish a spiritual relationship with the community of believers and with God, which is relevant in one’s transition to adulthood.

Public Funds as a Source of Financing Revalorization of Sacral Historical Monuments: The Example of Poland

“…103-8). Visiting a sacral monument has an educational dimension (Kulik et al 2022), and in many cases part of it has been or is being used for such purposes (Zürcher 1989;Akın 2016).…”

Historical Sacral Objects as Places of Prayer—But Not Only: Towards Multifunctionality

“…Moreover, their main space is often used to stage lectures and concerts (classical music, choral music, organ concerts-e.g., The International Festival of Organ and Chamber Music at the Cathedral in Kamie ń Pomorski, on the occasion of Christmas-at St. Mary's Church in Krakow, etc. ); thus, in view of the above, it can be stated that contact with such a multifunctional space has an educational dimension (Kulik et al 2022). It should also be added that their construction and architectural structure meant that, especially in the past, they were used for defense purposes (e.g., the Jasna Gora Monastery complex in Czestochowa during the Swedish Deluge in late 1655), during periods of military hostility (Akin 2016), and for protection from natural cataclysms.…”

“…Taking the character of this impact into consideration, as well as the related interactions between these sites and persons who visit them and/or live in their neighborhood, the following spheres of impact and its kinds can be indicated (Figure 4). Historical sacral objects have a strong impact on the cognitive sphere, and they therefore enable the following: exploring the rudiments of religious beliefs (Kulik et al 2022), obtaining information about them, as well as the times and circumstances in which they emerged, and allowing for the shaping and building of knowledge resources by those who visit these objects (Roth 2008, p. 476).…”

“…By impacting on the social sphere, historical sacral objects build the identity of a given religious denomination (de Wildt et al 2019), integrate its believers (Halemba 2023), and facilitate the internal development of these persons (Paris 2019; Kulik et al 2022). Taking into consideration the fact that these sites can also house events of a non-religious Historical sacral objects have a strong impact on the cognitive sphere, and they therefore enable the following: exploring the rudiments of religious beliefs (Kulik et al 2022), obtaining information about them, as well as the times and circumstances in which they emerged, and allowing for the shaping and building of knowledge resources by those who visit these objects (Roth 2008, p. 476).…”

“…By impacting on the social sphere, historical sacral objects build the identity of a given religious denomination (de Wildt et al 2019), integrate its believers (Halemba 2023), and facilitate the internal development of these persons (Paris 2019; Kulik et al 2022). Taking into consideration the fact that these sites can also house events of a non-religious nature, they provide a place for socializing (Placci 2022) and entertainment (concerts and even fashion shows-see Durydiwka 2015, p. 431), which can take on a cyclical character.…”