The Church Building in its Form and Function

ogólnouniwersyteckie

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This unit offers an analysis of the church building as a whole, serving as a functional and symbolical environment and backdrop for the liturgy. Icons, wall paintings and other furnishings will be discussed in their context, where they serve a common goal of underscoring the meaning of the ritual of the liturgy.

Christian worship has been taking place in private houses and other improvised locations during the first three centuries. With the introduction of the basilica as the dominant model in church architecture in the early 4th century, a building type has been chosen with both practical and symbolical aspects. It has not only the function of a gathering place for a large crowd, but has symbolical references to the imperial reception hall and – in later forms – to geographical and cosmic symbolism. These practical and symbolical aspects can only be fully understood in the context of the rituals for which church buildings were designed and the interior decorations and furniture. This course deals with an analysis of the church as a whole, during the period of 3rd to 11th centuries.

Ancient literary sources (in translation), material remains and secondary literature on the subject will serve as the starting point of this course.

L. Michael White, The Social Origins of Christian Architecture, vol. I: Building God’s House in the Roman World: Architectural Adaptation among Pagans, Jews, and Christians. (Harvard Theological Studies 42), Pennsylvania: Trinity Press, 1996

Alan Doig, Liturgy and Architecture, from the Early Church to the Middle Ages, Ashgate 2008, pp. 1-52

Ioli Kalavrezou-Maxeiner , ‘The Imperial Chamber at Luxor’ in Dumbarton Oaks Papers, Vol. 29 (1975), pp. 225-251

From Johannes Hahn e.a. (eds.), From Temple to Church, Destruction and Renewal of Cultic Topography in Late Antiquity, Leiden, Boston: Brill 2008:

David Frankfurter, ‘Iconoclasm and Christianization in late antiques Egypt: Christian treatments of space and image’ pp. 135-161

Johannes Hahn, ‘The conversion of cult statues: the destruction of the Serapeum 392 A.D. and the transformation of Alexandria into the “Christ-loving” city’, pp. 335-367

From S. Gerstel (ed.), Thresholds of the Sacred, Washington DC 2006:

Urs Peschlow, ‘Dividing Interior Space in Early Byzantine Churches: the Barriers between the Nave and the Aisles.’ 53-72

Elizabeth Bolman, ‘Veiling Sanctity in Christian Egypt, Visual and Spatial Solutions’ 73-106

Hans Belting, Likeness and Presence, a History of the Image before the Era of Art, Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1994, Chapters 5-9, pp. 78-184

Jaś Elsner, ‘Iconoclasm as Discourse: From Antiquity to Byzantium’ in The Art Bulletin, Vol. 94, No. 3 (September 2012), pp. 368-394

Leonid Ouspensky, Theology of the Icon, Crestwood NY 1978, 135-229

Otto Demus, Byzantine Mosaic Decoration, Aspects of Monumental Art in Byzantium, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1976

P. Grossmann, ‘Early Christian Architecture in Egypt and its Relationship to the Architecture of the Byzantine World’ in: R. Bagnall, Egypt in the Byzantine World, 300-700, Cambridge Univ. Press 2007, pp. 103-136

K.C. Innemée, ‘Dayr al-Suryan, New Discoveries, update of 2023’, in Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia https://ccdl.claremont.edu/digital/collection/cce/id/2185/

KW 05 has detailed knowledge of selected late antique communities, including terminology, theories and methodology in the field of archaeology

KW 09 knows and understands the basic methods of analysis and interpretation of various cultural products appropriate for selected traditions, theories and research schools in the field of archaeology

KW 11 knows and understands the basic methods of analysis and interpretation of information contained in scientific publications.

KW 12 knows and understands the basic methods of analysing ancient, medieval or modern texts.

KU 01 can search, analyse, evaluate, select and use information about archaeological sources and their context using literature and electronic media

KU 02 can search, analyse, evaluate, select and use the information contained in various sources

KU 05 can independently acquire knowledge and develop skills in the field of complexity and the contribution of culture to human evolution

KK 01 is ready to use his knowledge and skills and is aware of the need to confront them with the opinions of experts

Written exam