The national seminary hosted a themed book club meeting on “Codes of European Church Art,” encouraging students to explore church art with Chinese features.
On March 22, Professor Xu Zhenglin of Shanghai University was invited to share during the book club meeting “Codes of European Church Art” at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary’s library, reported the seminary.
Professor Xu stated that churches were important public places in European history. Before the Roman Empire declared Christianity the state religion, Christians worshiped in their homes or even in tombs. The Tabernacle of the Old Testament served as the church's prototype. Later, early churches were often simple and plain on the outside while lavishly adorned on the inside.
From Professor Xu’s view, the construction of churches encouraged the development of architectural styles, contributed to the inheritance of culture, and promoted cultural exchanges between different regions. He presented photos of different European church buildings from various periods and regions, as well as related church art, including Basilica, Romanesque, and Byzantine, which blended both Eastern and Western cultures, as well as Gothic and Baroque styles, etc.
He stated that from the 18th century to the present, church architecture has returned to a classical design that emphasizes simplicity and proportion. Modern church architecture stresses material and technological innovation, as well as the building's function and utility.
When analyzing the shapes of European churches, Xu concluded that Gothic church architecture conveys the greatest religious symbolism.
Subsequently, the professor introduced the religious themes in European church architecture and current trends in rising church architecture.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
国家神学院举办“欧洲教堂艺术的密码”读书会，帮助学生思考探索具有中国特色的教堂艺术。
据金陵协和神学院，上海大学许正林教授受邀于3月22日在图书馆进行题为“欧洲教堂艺术的密码”读书会分享。
许教授分享在欧洲历史上，教堂是当地的重要公共场所。
其实，罗马帝国将基督教设为国教前，基督徒们的崇拜场所是在信徒的宅第甚至是墓穴中。而在《旧约》中所记载的会幕就是教堂的雏形。后来，早期的教堂外部一般都较简陋朴素，但内部装饰富丽堂皇。
许教授认为教堂的出现推动了建筑风格的发展，有助于文化的传承，促进不同地区间的文化交流。他展示了不同时期不同地区的欧洲各类教堂建筑照片及相关的教堂艺术，包括巴西利卡式，罗马式，融合东西方文化的拜占廷艺术风格，哥特式和巴洛克式等。
他说，18世纪至今，教堂建筑回归古典形式，强调简洁和比例。现代教堂建筑则更加注重材料和技术的创新，以及建筑的功能和实用性。
在欧洲教堂建筑的形态分析中，他认为教堂的宗教象征意义在哥特式教堂建筑中体现的最为完美。
随后，许教授介绍了欧洲教堂建筑的宗教主题和当代新兴教堂建筑的趋势。
国家神学院读书会：欧洲教堂艺术的密码
The national seminary hosted a themed book club meeting on “Codes of European Church Art,” encouraging students to explore church art with Chinese features.
On March 22, Professor Xu Zhenglin of Shanghai University was invited to share during the book club meeting “Codes of European Church Art” at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary’s library, reported the seminary.
Professor Xu stated that churches were important public places in European history. Before the Roman Empire declared Christianity the state religion, Christians worshiped in their homes or even in tombs. The Tabernacle of the Old Testament served as the church's prototype. Later, early churches were often simple and plain on the outside while lavishly adorned on the inside.
From Professor Xu’s view, the construction of churches encouraged the development of architectural styles, contributed to the inheritance of culture, and promoted cultural exchanges between different regions. He presented photos of different European church buildings from various periods and regions, as well as related church art, including Basilica, Romanesque, and Byzantine, which blended both Eastern and Western cultures, as well as Gothic and Baroque styles, etc.
He stated that from the 18th century to the present, church architecture has returned to a classical design that emphasizes simplicity and proportion. Modern church architecture stresses material and technological innovation, as well as the building's function and utility.
When analyzing the shapes of European churches, Xu concluded that Gothic church architecture conveys the greatest religious symbolism.
Subsequently, the professor introduced the religious themes in European church architecture and current trends in rising church architecture.
- Translated by Poppy Chan
National Seminary's Book Club Deciphers Codes of European Church Art
