Sacred Space in the Media

The ideas of sacred/profane have come up in the media a lot lately. The article ‘Father Peter Kennedy in defiant mass at St Mary's’ from the Courier Mail made many things clear about the ‘sacred’ tradition of the Catholic Church. Father Kennedy, after being sacked from his parish of St Mary’s because of ‘unorthodox practices’, continued to take part in the parish, showing amazing conviction and strength for his God. These ‘unorthodox’ practices that he did included allowing a woman to preach and recognising gay relationship. He broke the mould of Catholic Sacredness that goes back hundreds of years to associate the church with young people (similar to the passion 06 DVD). And it worked – over 1500 people turned up, mums, dads, kids, grandparents and youth! The other article that interested me was ‘Italy crucifix row teacher barred’ form the BBC. The teacher, Franco Coppoli, was suspended from teaching for a month, after students complained about his taking down a crucifix from his classroom. Customary to Italy, the hanging of the Crux is not compulsory but accepted as ‘normal’. This was effectively rejecting the sacred Cross the Jesus Christ died on and acting as if it is just a profane element. Below, in the double bubble chart, I have outlined the key similarities and differences.

Articles:

Father Peter Kennedy in defiant mass at St Mary's

Italy crucifix row teacher barred

Passion 06 DVD: Does it Work?

Recently I watched the DVD filmed at Passion 06, called Everything Glorious. This Christian worship DVD featured many songs, most of which were modern and up-to-date. But did it broadcast the true Christian message through contemporary music, or did it only direct people further away from Christianity? There were many appealing features on the DVD; even the title screen was modern. The video was a good style to introduce young people to the gospel through music styles they listen to and like. The song 'Jesus Paid it All' by Kristian Stanfill was a modernised hymn, but stayed traditional, appealing to the older generations. This song featured a symbolic cross representing the death of Jesus and also had many candles to keep the traditional feeling. Profane elements made sacred due to their meaning, like the cross and candles, really created a deep spiritual atmosphere. This song really created a feeling of ‘going forward, but staying vintage’. The song ‘Made to Worship’ by Chris Tomlin was a contemporary song with strong lyrics, making the listener think about them. This song has profane elements in it like the instruments, which help the audience connect with their God through the song, acting as an axis mundi. I think this worship DVD was effective and portrayed an authentic message, and therefore it was successful. This DVD is an excellent medium to present the gospel with a modern twist.

---

Buy the DVD at Amazon.com

Buy the CD soundtrack at Amazon.com

'We Win' on Youtube

Coventry Cathedral: Sacred Space?

Today, I will explore the Coventry Cathedral and determine whether it is sacred or profane. I have researched several resources (see below) and through the information I have gathered, I am able to describe how a holy sacred space is created through the decoration and architecture of the building. The Coventry Cathedral was constructed in the late 1300’s to early 1400’s and was elevated to cathedral status in 1918. In World War 2 the German Nazis bombed the English countryside with 74,000 thousand tonnes of explosives, destroying landmarks and industrial towns to demoralize the English people. The Coventry Cathedral was destroyed, with only a few walls remaining. Following this, the congregation and city built a more amazing cathedral next to the remains. I asked myself this question ‘why would they bother to rebuild the cathedral?’ The answer I found was that the cathedral was so sacred to the people that they need to rebuild it to continue their lives. The amazing tapestry of Jesus, and others, and sculptures in the cathedral create a special and respectable church making the cathedral sacred to the people. The incredible stained glass window wall would have taken many months to create, so why was it made. I think the answer is that the people are trying to connect to a greater power, someone holier than themselves, their God. The spire of the cathedral acts as an axis mundi, the place where earth and heaven connect. This awe-inspiring building, with its incredible architecture and decorations, is trying to connect the people with their God, and that makes this cathedral sacred.

---

Coventry Cathedral's web siteCoventry Cathedral on Wikipedia

What Is Sacred Space?

What does sacred mean to me? I believe that something sacred is to be revered; to be respected. But where is it in my life and how can I identify it? I come from a Christian background so I have been brought up to think of church as a sacred space, and in the same way mosques and synagogues are sacred to their followers. But for someone without a religious belief sacred space could be when you are surfing, gardening or fishing, to name a few. Depending on your culture, your upbringing, your family and your life you will have a different understanding of what is sacred to you. Some sacred ceremonies or days for some people could be Anzac day, Christmas, Hanukkah or The Big Day Out. But something that I believe that we can all agree on is that something sacred is important, special and to be respected.

---

These are all Sacred