Rating: 
Summary: CHURCHES THAT LOOK LIKE ANYTHING BUT!
Review: Michael Rose must have been reading my mind when he wrote this book. Thank you Mr. Rose, for a book well written. There are countless people who share your opinion and hope that your book makes a difference. I am appalled by the look of many new Catholic Churches. One has to really question what those in charge were thinking and how they can expect worshipers to feel the sacred in such places. A few years ago I moved to a new area and soon set out to find the nearest Catholic Church in my new neighborhood. As I walked up the street I had been told it was on, I saw a beautiful stone Church with gothic style stained glass windows and a tree laden courtyard. I was about to enter when I noticed the sign "Episcopal". Where was the Catholic church? I turned and looked across the street. There it was - a super modern, super ugly, uninspired glass and stucco structure that looked more like a tourist information center (not a stained glass window in sight). Inside it was spartan, like a town meeting hall. To make matters worse there were "electric candles"! I have no idea how many parishoners worship in that place, I never went back there. In our current times we need places of worship that will give us a sense of tradition, holiness, sacredness, and permanence.
Rating: 
Summary: some interesting material
Review: Michael S. Rose has written an excellent book about church architecture. It is highly informative, but it isn't too technical. A non-architect can understand it easily.Rose begins by showing what it is that makes a church a house of prayer. He describes, in detail, how theology and architecture come together to lift the soul of the faithful to the contemplation of God. All of the ornate decorations, the high peaked ceilings, the statues, the altar rails - everything that was once an important part of a church building was there for a reason. One could rightly call such a church "a gospel in stone". Rose's enumeration and explanation of the "three natural laws" of church architecture help the reader to understand just what it was that made many old churches so inspiring. Then he goes on to show how a "modern" church building fails to accomplish the important goals of traditional church architecture. Not only that, but many "modern" churches actually work against prayer and hinder the spreading of the faith. Most modern churches violate at least one of the "three natural laws" of church architecture, and some violate all of them. With those laws in mind, it's easy to see what's wrong with modern churches. Then Rose goes on to explain that such a change was never intended by Vatican II. Even more interesting is the fact that the same "liturgical design consultants" who were invoking Vatican II to promote a new style of architecture were ignoring a directive from the Vatican to preserve and protect the church's great heritage of art and architecture. He also unmasks the anti-Catholic agenda that many architects bring to the designing of churches. He also shines a spotlight on the inexplicable fact that, while many dioceses have design contests for new churches (especially cathedrals), the winners are almost invariably modernists, even though there are beautiful and traditional submissions. (For example, he reprints a design for a new cathedral in Los Angeles that was done by an architecture student. You won't believe how different it is from the design that was chosen!) Rose ends his book with a proposed course of action, and he includes some very helpful resources - including a list of architects who know and respect the Church's traditions. Thank God for Michael S. Rose! He gives us hope that a day will come when churches look like churches again!
Rating:
Summary: If you like traditional church buildings, you're not alone!
Review: Michael S. Rose has written an excellent book about church architecture. It is highly informative, but it isn't too technical. A non-architect can understand it easily. Rose begins by showing what it is that makes a church a house of prayer. He describes, in detail, how theology and architecture come together to lift the soul of the faithful to the contemplation of God. All of the ornate decorations, the high peaked ceilings, the statues, the altar rails - everything that was once an important part of a church building was there for a reason. One could rightly call such a church "a gospel in stone". Rose's enumeration and explanation of the "three natural laws" of church architecture help the reader to understand just what it was that made many old churches so inspiring. Then he goes on to show how a "modern" church building fails to accomplish the important goals of traditional church architecture. Not only that, but many "modern" churches actually work against prayer and hinder the spreading of the faith. Most modern churches violate at least one of the "three natural laws" of church architecture, and some violate all of them. With those laws in mind, it's easy to see what's wrong with modern churches. Then Rose goes on to explain that such a change was never intended by Vatican II. Even more interesting is the fact that the same "liturgical design consultants" who were invoking Vatican II to promote a new style of architecture were ignoring a directive from the Vatican to preserve and protect the church's great heritage of art and architecture. He also unmasks the anti-Catholic agenda that many architects bring to the designing of churches. He also shines a spotlight on the inexplicable fact that, while many dioceses have design contests for new churches (especially cathedrals), the winners are almost invariably modernists, even though there are beautiful and traditional submissions. (For example, he reprints a design for a new cathedral in Los Angeles that was done by an architecture student. You won't believe how different it is from the design that was chosen!) Rose ends his book with a proposed course of action, and he includes some very helpful resources - including a list of architects who know and respect the Church's traditions. Thank God for Michael S. Rose! He gives us hope that a day will come when churches look like churches again!
Rating: 
Summary: Finally!!
Review: The fact that the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is unabashed to publish a propaganda tract entitled 'Environment and Art in Catholic Worship' means that this is an important book. As if 'Environment' were a kind of committee-induced sacramental poised like one of Stalin's Five-Year-Plans to nourish the souls of the faithful! Every Catholic with his five senses intact knows but too well the abysmal truth of the facts laid bare in this book. Michael S Rose is a courageous person, and must be commended for writing a clear and compelling argument. His facts are impeccable and his reasoning sound. He makes a praiseworthy, if not always practicable, call to action. It would seem impossible to over-argue that the 'Environment' deformers, the destroyers of churches, merely take their cue from the deformed liturgy in current usage. The thought of the Roman Mass, that is, the Immemorial Mass, being ritualized in the new Basilica in Mexico City (to mention but one egregious example) can almost bring you to a kind of desperate laughter. Let's face it- these people have made buildings to MATCH THEIR LITURGY -ugly as sin!- much in the way mediaeval man made Notre Dame, inspired by the ineffable Roman liturgy. The particular voraciousness of the present merry band of Thieves might pass imply as another indicator of a culture in decline, save for the treachery visited upon millions of Catholics who, while not loving an impossible gothic idea, have only wished not to be threatened by the very walls of the Room where they pray. This book addresses solidly and courageously those very people, and offers some hope. Recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Finally!!
Review: The fact that the National Conference of Catholic Bishops is unabashed to publish a propaganda tract entitled 'Environment and Art in Catholic Worship' means that this is an important book. As if 'Environment' were a kind of committee-induced sacramental poised like one of Stalin's Five-Year-Plans to nourish the souls of the faithful! Every Catholic with his five senses intact knows but too well the abysmal truth of the facts laid bare in this book. Michael S Rose is a courageous person, and must be commended for writing a clear and compelling argument. His facts are impeccable and his reasoning sound. He makes a praiseworthy, if not always practicable, call to action. It would seem impossible to over-argue that the 'Environment' deformers, the destroyers of churches, merely take their cue from the deformed liturgy in current usage. The thought of the Roman Mass, that is, the Immemorial Mass, being ritualized in the new Basilica in Mexico City (to mention but one egregious example) can almost bring you to a kind of desperate laughter. Let's face it- these people have made buildings to MATCH THEIR LITURGY -ugly as sin!- much in the way mediaeval man made Notre Dame, inspired by the ineffable Roman liturgy. The particular voraciousness of the present merry band of Thieves might pass imply as another indicator of a culture in decline, save for the treachery visited upon millions of Catholics who, while not loving an impossible gothic idea, have only wished not to be threatened by the very walls of the Room where they pray. This book addresses solidly and courageously those very people, and offers some hope. Recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: A Collection of Bad Examples
Review: This book is a biased book of bad examples of religious architecture. A much better book on religious architecture is Michael Crosbie's Architecture of the Gods.
Rating:
Summary: A Collection of Bad Examples
Review: This book is a biased book of bad examples of religious architecture. A much better book on religious architecture is Michael Crosbie's Architecture of the Gods.
Rating:
Summary: Uniformed polemics
Review: This book is uninformed and misleading. Of the tens of thousands of churches built in the last 50 years, anyone could find 20 pictures of ugly ones--even 200. To compare all churches to Notre Dame cathedral is ridiculous. The book fails to probe other factors at work in church design, especially economic factors in a nation where churches are not state-supported or maintained. If you want impolite polemics, then read this book. Otherwise, spend your money on something else. I would have rated this NO stars if I had had that option.
Rating:
Summary: A Personal View
Review: This book simply "reports on" one facet of the secularization of great nation. It indicts our willingness to turn our faces from God in the weakest of illusions that we are striving for progress and modernization. We must hold Sacred Art and Architecture in a place of supreme reverance and honor because it reflects our love and devotion to our Creator God. Mr Rose does not suggest that all Catholic Churches must be Notra Dame Cathedrals. He merely holds up a bit of mirror for reflective comparison and contemplative prayer. This book prompted me to revisit that portion of Holy Scripture that says...If my people will turn from their wicked ways and pray then I will hear their prayer and heal their land. (parapharsed)
| 
