Seminar Liturgical Space in Contemporary Architecture

Saturday, May 23, 2009
9:00–18:00
Evangelical Theological Faculty of Charles University
Černá 9, Prague 1
Lecture Hall S1

The seminar will focus on the architectural, artistic, and substantive aspects of shaping liturgical space. Its aim is to deepen the understanding of the specific requirements of liturgical architecture in both confessional and ecumenical contexts, particularly among professional circles that encounter the specific task of building or adapting churches, prayer houses, etc.
Participants will be introduced to the issues of the theological understanding of sacred architecture, the transformations of tasks within the framework of liturgical reform, the development and justification of progressive floor plan patterns, and the specific requirements of individual denominations. Emphasis will be placed on the close relationship between the form of liturgical space and the self-reflection of both the local and the universal church, which is reflected in the forms of liturgical celebration. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion on the current issues of contemporary production in the Czech Republic.
The speakers will be liturgical specialists from the Czech Republic and abroad – Klemens Richter, David Holeton, František Kunetka, Pavel Kopeček, and others.
Registration for the seminar is free and takes place by signing up at the contact email address: jan.klipa@gmail.com.

Seminar Program:

9:00	Opening remarks
9:15	F. Kunetka: Domus ecclesiae. A small theory of the relativity of liturgical space.
10:00	K. Richter: Zur Entwicklung des liturgischen Raumes im 20. Jahrhundert. Von der Wegekirche zum Communio-Raum (The development of liturgical space in the 20th century. From the aisle church to the communio space.) The lecture will be interpreted.
11:30	P. Hradilek: Liturgical reform and its implications for the arrangement of liturgical space.
12:15–13:45	Lunch break
14:00	D. Holeton: Specificity of the Liturgical Space of Protestant Churches (Specificity of Protestant liturgical space.) The lecture will be interpreted.
15:15	J. Kirschner: The renewal of liturgy in Protestant churches and its consequences for Protestant liturgical architecture – ideas and reality.
16:00	P. Kopeček: Practical problems in creating liturgical architecture / Furnishings in contemporary liturgical space.
17:00	Panel discussion. Moderated by V. Eliáš.
18:00	Evaluation & conclusion

More information at www.etf.cuni.cz.