Customer Reviews (1)

A Reverent Tribute to Long-Ago Missionaries
With our modern sensibilities about freedom of religion, we sometimes wince at the efforts of missionaries to convert "pagans" to Western beliefs. No such doubts existed in 17th- and 18th-century Mexico, where crusading Jesuit missionaries trekked into the the most remote reaches of Sierra Madre mountains of northwestern Mexico to convert the stubbornly independent Tarahumara (who call themselves Raramuri). These doughty fathers built adobe and stone mission churches in the high fertile valleys farmed by the Tarahumara. Many of those churches, large and small, remain today, some even preserving the carved stone doorways, oil paintings and sacred vessels the Jesuits had sent from Spain.
In the 1960s and 1970s Paul Roca braved the back roads and trails of those same mountains to find, photograph and record the fates of these churches 250 to 300 years later. A few are merely piles of melted adobe, but a strikingly large number have, not only survived, but have been lovingly cared for in their isolated valleys. (And, if one searches for them on Google Earth, one will find that many have been revived and restored in the years since Roca's journeys.)
Roca does not comment on the contradictions of missionary efforts, but he is not blind to the occasional abuses. Clearly he admires the determined Jesuits and wrote this highly researched and annotated volume in an effort to preserve the memory of their sacrifices. He also details the work of modern priests, not just to preserve the churches, but also to provide critical services to the Tarahumara.
Whatever your view of Christian missionaries in traditional cultures, this book provides a deeply felt portrait, not just of churches and missionaries, but also of a unique, enchanted land and people high in the remote Sierra.
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Product Description
It is only out of sacred reality that sacred buildings can grow … that sacred substance out of which churches can be built must be alive and real to us. Rudolf Schwarz This book traces developments in church building through the momentous changes in architecture and theology of the twentieth century. It illustrates the broad spectrum of modern ecclesiastical architecture which has emerged as the synthesis of the pluralism of the turn of the century and the purity and clarity of the Modern Movement. The opening essay by Edwin Heathcote charts the defining years of architectural development—the fundamental upheavals in theological conceptions of the nature of worship and the space for ritual — providing an outline of the concrete manifestations of these changes across the strongholds of Christianity in Europe and the USA. There is a brief analysis of work from the background of historicism through to the Arts and Crafts, the Secession and the emergent philosophy of Functionalism leading to the foundations of the modern church building. Among the many architects featured in this section are Auguste Perret, Rudolf-Schwarz, Otto Bartning, Dominikus Böhm, Antoni Gaud 7;, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier. This is followed by a fully illustrated account by Iona Spens of some of the most interesting church builders of our time. The selection of churches and projects dates from the late 1950s to the present day and includes the work of Tadao Ando, Siren Architects, Fay Jones, Philip Johnson, Mario Botta, Imre Makovecz and Juha Leiviskä revealing the fantastic pluralism which defines the architecture of the Christian Church as it prepares for its third millennium. The motive of Church Builders, the fourth title in the Builders series, is to convey the critical changes that have affected our spiritual fabric. Other titles in this series published by Academy Editions include: Museum Builders Theatre Builders Library Builders Future titles include: Airport Builders ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A superb book; the finest in modern church architecture
Academy Editions has done a fabulous job in creating a fine documentation of architectural innovations pertaining to modern places of worship.Whether you're an architect or not, you'll find this fascinating.

Throughout the first third of the book, Edwin Heathcote exhibits a broadly based and well-researched background in covering the advancement in concepts which influenced church design and construction through the 1900's.Citing numerous architectural trend setters, Mr. Heathcote describes in an eruditious manner the relationship between theology, liturgical reform, and modernism, and how they contributed to the "expression of piety" seen in today's church building throughout the world.

The remainder of the book is entitled "Movements of the Spirit," in which Iona Spens compiles a series of "portfolios" from noted architects/firms, and supplements her text with excellent photos, plans and elevations.The color photography, both of interiors and exteriors, is downright breathtaking in many cases, and does great justice to the defining, creative aspects of each church.

This is the second "Builders" book I've bought (the other being "Airport Builders"), and I like this one the best simply because the photography is more easily able to capture the essence of the architectural creation.As with the other, this edition is of the highest quality: bound well, and printed on the best paper.Highest recommendation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Holy City's holy sites...
I believe that in the United States, the most elegant, beautiful, gracious and historic city is Charleston, South Carolina.Religion has always played a prominent role throughout Charleston's history, and The Preservation Society of Charleston has compiled a beautiful coffee-table book entitled The Churches of Charleston and the Low Country.

I have heard that there are more Episcopal Churches per square mile in Charleston than in any other U.S. city.While I'm not sure that this is true, it is evident that Charleston has a very large number of churches in various denominations.In fact, because of her abundance of churches and the many steeples that grace her skyline, Charleston has been nicknamed The Holy City.

Charleston has a fascinating religious history.Although an English Colony with the Anglican Church being the official church, The Lord Proprietors enacted laws allowing for religious tolerance and the freedom to establish churches in other denominations.Charleston's early tolerance was a model for the rest of the colonies, and many groups including French Huguenots, Quakers, Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Roman Catholics and even Jews settled here.Beth Elohim happens to be the oldest continuously operating synagogue in the nation.The Churches of Charleston gives a thumbnail sketch of the history of 63 churches and synagogues established prior to 1900. It also includes beautiful photographs of church interiors and exteriors.While many of the churches are in downtown Charleston, some are in the outlying low country including Edisto, Wadmalaw, Mt. Pleasant, Summerville, John's Island, Sullivan's Island, Rockville, and McClellanville. Some of the more prominent churches get several pages, while lesser-known buildings may get a page or less.

For a prospective tourist or someone looking for a parish home in the Charleston area, this book is an excellent source for photographs and history.It is also a lovely book to own if you are interested in Charleston, or like reading about historic churches.If you want a real in-depth look at the history of religion in Charleston or the specifics of a historic church (such as St. Michael's or St. Philip's), there are better sources to be found.
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Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
In recent decades semiotics has succeeded in establishing itself as a discipline with international recognition. As a discipline specifically devoted to the study of signs and sign systems, it is relevant to the discipline of theology, working as it does with verbal and non-verbal signs. Since 1976 Semanet, a Dutch study group, has applied Greimassian semiotics to linguistic theological statements. More recently, Gerard Lukken undertook the analysis of church buildings. It was at that stage that Mark Searle joint Semanet during a sabbatical leave. He applied the analytical method to a particular church: SS. Peter and Paul in Tilburg, which is of interest both as a representative modern church and as a particularly intruiging object for semiotic analysis. The book shows how Greimassian semiotic theory as it relates to architecture was developed into a usable method for analysing particular church buildings and then demonstrates how such an analysis might be conducted. The book contains numerous full color reproductions. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Sir I. Pitman in 1914 in 257 pages; Subjects: England; Christian art and symbolism; Animals in art; Church architecture; Church decoration and ornament; Church decoration and ormanemt; Symbolism in architecture; Animal sculpture; Architecture / General; Architecture / Religious Buildings; Art / Subjects & Themes / Religious; Art / Subjects & Themes / Plants & Animals; History / General; ... Read more

Product Description
The Church of the Holy Cross at Aght'amar is one of the outstanding monuments of medieval Armenian architecture. The church, due to its protected position on an island in Lake Van, has survived the ten centuries since its construction in a remarkable state of preservation. The original sculptural decoration on the exterior walls, together with the surviving murals of this period in the interior, gives a unique insight into the art of the tenth-century Armenian kingdom of Vaspurakan, the creation of King Gagik, the founder of the church of Aght'amar.Professor Davies has attempted the first detailed iconographic interpretation of the sculptural programme on the exterior of the church, and the surviving interior frescoes of the same date. The sources available in the tenth century for the creation of the sculptural and mural programmes are dealt with, and the surviving works examined in this light. The Biblical basis of the imagery is typical of Armenian and Byzantine art of this period; but the use of selected scenes from the conventional repertoire was capable of carrying a number of messages to those who visited the church. The contemporary relevance of this imagery, Professor Davies argues, should be our guide in determining the choice of subjects in this programme. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 2; Original Publisher: London, New York, [etc] : H. Milford; Publication date: 1913; Subjects: Church architecture; Cathedrals; Architecture / Religious Buildings; ... Read more

Product Description
Dorchester-on-Thames and its abbey have been subjects of antiquarian interest for more than 450 years, and during that time much has been written about them. They are, however, still far from being comprehensively studied and recorded. Indeed, the most substantial architectural description of the medieval church was written as long ago as 1845, and a thoroughgoing reappraisal has long been overdue. In this major new study on the origins, history and architecture of Dorchester Abbey, Warwick Rodwell assembles a huge amount of material from observations during repair and conservation and information derived from archaeological excavation, as well as the unexpected discovery of previously unstudied and unpublished topographical and architectural material, housed in several archives. The volume is divided into two parts: the first contains an account of the archaeology of the site and the architectural development of the abbey, while the second comprises a series of detailed notes and observations on the present structure, its fittings and furnishings. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more