University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Arts Arts Research & Publications 2008-11 Sacred Spaces and Sacred Places Simmins, Geoffrey VDM Verlag http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Spaces-Places-Geoffrey-Simmins/dp/3639099311/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227295210&sr=1-7 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/46834 book http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 3.0 Unported Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca Sacred Spaces and Sacred Places by Geoffrey Simmins, PhD, MDiv Table of Contents Preface ....................................................................................................................................................................5 1. Defining Sacred Spaces and Sacred Places ........................................................................................................7 1.1. Overview of Key Concepts............................................................................................................................7 1.2. Dictionary Definitions of Key Terms ...........................................................................................................7 1.3. Theological Approach....................................................................................................................................8 1.4. Scriptural Precedent .......................................................................................................................................8 1.5. Binary or Unitary Definitions of Sacredness................................................................................................8 1.6. Physical or Symbolic Geography and Architecture .....................................................................................9 1.7. Commonalities and Differences between Cultures ......................................................................................9 1.8. Recent Perspectives......................................................................................................................................11 2. Indigenous Peoples’ Views of the Sacred.........................................................................................................13 2.1. General Overview of Issues.........................................................................................................................13 2.2. A Paean of Praise and a Note of Caution....................................................................................................13 2.3. Key Concepts Identified with Native Spirituality......................................................................................15 2.4. Variable Sacredness in Native Cultures......................................................................................................16 2.5. Examples.......................................................................................................................................................17 2.6. Problems Associated with Aboriginal Sites ...............................................................................................18 3. Examples from the Classical World and other non-Judeo-Christian Cultures ...............................................21 3.1. Overview of Issues .......................................................................................................................................21 3.2. Classical World ............................................................................................................................................21 3.3. Ancient Neolithic Europeans.......................................................................................................................22 3.4. Celtic Sites ....................................................................................................................................................24 3.5. Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Confucian Concepts ....................................................................................24 4. Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Hindu Concepts of Sacredness .......................................................................27 4.1. Overview of Issues .......................................................................................................................................27 4.2. Jewish Sacred Space—An Overview..........................................................................................................27 4.3. Early Christianity and Sacred Spaces .........................................................................................................30 4.4. Islam..............................................................................................................................................................31 4.5. Hinduism.......................................................................................................................................................31 5. Programmed or “Inspired” Architectural Sacred Spaces: An Abbreviated Historical Survey......................33 5.1. Overview of Issues .......................................................................................................................................33 5.2. Commonality and Differences between Cultures.......................................................................................33 5.3. Egypt and Africa ..........................................................................................................................................33 5.4. Jewish Historical Examples.........................................................................................................................34 5.5. Christian Worship Sites: An Overview.......................................................................................................35 5.6. Islamic Traditions.........................................................................................................................................41 5.7. Hinduism.......................................................................................................................................................42 5.8. Taoist.............................................................................................................................................................43 5.9. Buddhism ......................................................................................................................................................43 5.10. Shinto ..........................................................................................................................................................44 5.11. Sikhism .......................................................................................................................................................44 5.12. Jainism ........................................................................................................................................................44 6. Programmed Architectural Spaces: Recent Notable Examples.......................................................................47 6.1. Overview of Issues .......................................................................................................................................47 6.2. Analysis of Recent Religious Structures.....................................................................................................47 7. The Beauty of Order, the Order of Beauty: Benedictine Monastic Architecture and Sacred Geometry......53 7.1. Overview of Issues .......................................................................................................................................53 7.2. Examples Defined ........................................................................................................................................53 4 Sacred Spaces and Sacred Places 7.3. Sacred Geometry and Architecture .............................................................................................................53 7.4. The Golden Section......................................................................................................................................54 7.5. The Golden Section in History ....................................................................................................................54 7.6. Root Rectangles and the Golden Section....................................................................................................55 7.7. The Golden Section Applied in Architectural Practice..............................................................................56 7.8. The Golden Section in the Work of Benedictine Architect-Monk Paul Bellot........................................58 7.9. The Beuron School.......................................................................................................................................59 7.10. Sacred Geometry—Some Possible Explanations for its Use in Bellot’s 20th-century Benedictine Architecture .................................................................................................60 8. Beyond Programmed Spaces: Deep Ecology or Green Spirituality................................................................65 8.1. Overview of Issues .......................................................................................................................................65 8.2. Nature, Arcady, and Spirituality..................................................................................................................65