Watched a wonderful Nova program on PBS last night. Scientists explained how the great Gothic
cathedrals were designed and built.
The
program proved more than fascinating.
The scientists helped me understand the effect these massive, light-filled
structures had on medieval townspeople. Instead
of the familiar dark, dank stone structure of the period, they entered a
miraculous building designed to evoke awe (Jung’s “the numinous”). From the celestially high walls, to the exquisite
mosaic glass, to the intricate floor tiles and carved statues, the Gothic churches
tried to create a “heaven on earth.” (Even modern visitors can’t help but be
touched by these structures, labored over for decades by local artisans who poured
their hearts and souls into each detail.
Did their religious belief compel such exquisite creations?)
Watching the program, I envied those parishioners who could
not help but be moved by the powerful ritual elements. The attendee not only gazed in wonder but
smelled the incense, tasted the Host, and listened to strange chants (the Latin
Mass) and angelic choirs.
Contemplating these gravity defying Gothic miracles, I felt
the power and relevance of the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. But our world is so different and the church’s
rituals are the same! Is it surprising
that so many of us remain unmoved by rituals that have not evolved?
What do we have in our own age that brings forth the
numinous? What brings us to God? Movies?
Sports? The drive to consume and
obtain more? Joseph Campbell was right: we are living today without a shared
mythology or a culturally relevant vehicle for seeking God. If we had a potent myth, what selfless work
could we achieve for the “Glory of God?”
