Monstrous Carbuncles
Dear Friends
Some time ago Prince Charles outraged the architectural fraternity when he
described an extension to the National Gallery in London as a ‘monstrous
carbuncle’! Having come across his book A Vision of Britain in a restaurant
this week, I found his motivating chapter fascinating. His lament was not so
much about change, modernity or post-modernity rather the destruction of
an aesthetic that contributed to the character and personality of communities. Building in the 1960’s and 70’s may have been a triumph for new materials and technology, but they were built at the expense of environmental harmony, historical connectedness and the nations soul.
As I reflected on my reading it occurred to me that some of the same issues
have arisen in our faith building business! Could it be said that we have built
some ‘monstrous carbuncles’? Many of the edifices of our faith, like our
houses, were built in the Victorian era with embellishments that may have
been unessential, even indulgent. It may be that some of our institutions and
worship practices wore out and needed to be replaced. With regret some
were replaced by synthetic utilitarian frameworks. Our challenge is not so
much about the label we attach to restoration but that our efforts contribute
to the character and personality of our spiritual community.
I trust that during this period your travels will have given you the opportunity
to experience beauty in the world God gave us, and inspired you to share
some of this wonder with people from week to week.
There was a time when the motif displayed in many churches was ‘Worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness’, thank you for being among those committed to restoring the spirit of that ideal.
Yours truly
Victor