Medieval Churches

Medieval Architecture in Western Europe covers the entire period of European Medieval architecture from c. 300 to c.1500. It offers a basic introduction with appropriate plans, sections, and photographs, all in one single volume. Concerned about the perceived gap in current art history books in regards to medieval architecture, the author is careful to examine selected major monuments, incorporating just the right amount of detail to provide the basic information needed to learn about each type of building, and to impart a sense of continuity and development of structure, form, and function across Europe and through the different periods of the Middle Ages. The author explores the contextual role of the buildings in their settings and the symbolic impact of both exterior and interior forms, paying particular attention to their experiential qualities. The book is heavily illustrated with photographs, plans, sections, and diagrams. Remarkably thorough in its coverage, Medieval Architecture in Western Europe will not only appeal to the general reader who has little or no prior knowledge of medieval architecture, but will also keep the interest of those who are more knowledgeable about the subject.

Thinking about church architecture has come to an impasse. Reformers and traditionalists are talking past each other. Statements from both sides are often strident and dogmatic. In Theology in Stone, Richard Kieckhefer seeks to help both sides move beyond the standoff toward a fruitful conversation about houses of worship. Drawing on a wide range of historical examples with an eye to their contemporary relevance, he offers refreshing new ideas about the meanings and uses of church architecture. Kieckhefer begins with four chapters on the basic elements of church architecture-the overall arrangement of space, the use of an altar or pulpit as a centering focus, the aesthetics of church design, and the functions of sacred symbols. He goes on to offer three extended historical studies, dealing with churches of medieval England, revival-style churches of America, and modern churches of twentieth-century Germany. Drawing on these case studies, he concludes with a vision of a new theology of church architecture--historically grounded, yet framed for our own time. Examining church architecture from the third century to the twenty-first, Theology in Stone is a thoughtful, fresh, and informative work that addresses questions vital to the present while shedding a great deal of light on the past. The conception of church architecture that emerges is one that moves beyond the polemics of the "worship wars" to embrace the best of both the traditional and the modern.