Why do we still go to medieval churches?

[Anonymous]

A mosque in Dubai:

A church in England:

Why do we still go to medieval churches when Muslims are preparing for the future? Our churches are very old and seem to be from the Middle Ages. Innovation is needed.

[BCRanger10]

Because modern-looking churches are UG... LY!

They don't convey any sense at all of the transcendent. They don't communicate anything of a retreat from the world and an entrance into the sacred and the Divine. They don't convey anything of beauty, let alone the Eternal Beauty which we here below hope for. And they most certainly don't show anything of a reverence or a respect for the ancient mysteries and revelations which they are meant to house and communicate to the world.

And if you look at the track record since the 1960s, you see that "innovation" has been nothing short of a total disaster. Mass attendance dropped and faithfulness to Church teachings and knowledge of the Faith have suffered. "Innovation" is the enemy of truth, which is what we come to learn through worship.

Think about it this way. There's a saying in the Church: "Lex orandi, lex credendi", or "the law of prayer is the law of belief". What that means is that if we pray and worship as the world does, we will believe as the world does. There's also a third part to that saying, which is "lex vivendi", or "the law of living". So if we worship and believe as the world does, so will we live.

Ugly churches inevitably means ugly liturgies, which means apostasy.

[BCA6010]

You realize that you're cherry picking, right? Almost all churches I've seen built in the last two decades, including the Catholic ones can't be described as anything but contemporary and in many cases ugly by design. In contrast, virtually every mosque I ever saw in the Middle East would blend in seamlessly with the buildings around them if it weren't for the dome (s) and spire (s). Most churches that aren't at least half a century old look like rennovated warehouses or a Google employee zen garden depending on how much money went into them. Christianity should revive the stone Gothic architecture and make beautiful, imposing buildings again.

Also comparing Dubai, a city-state that is tailor-made to be impressive to a multinational clientele to some obscure town in the English countryside is extremely disengenuous. That building looks stupid as hell too, and completely out of place.

[purplepoppy]

Because they're there. These are solid buildings so why knock them down and replace with a modern building with a short life span.

[jennifer_bloom]

I love medieval churches, it’s got a classic beauty to it.

[Ευδεμονια]

I honestly think it’s important to maintain our cultural heritage. Religion is a matter of thousand years ago so it’s ok to have ancient churches, they represent our history and our culture.
Muslim have ancient mosques and very old monuments too, as we have modern churches… it usually depends on the country you’re looking at. Obv if you watch a thousand years old country like England or France you find mostly old churches, you can’t compare it with modern nations like Dubai, they’re being built in recent years…

[StalwartTR]

Salam. Though I am a Shia Muslim myself, I don't think mosques and other worship places should be luxurious, costly etc. Because that amount of money and effor could be used for the worshippers and their livelihoods instead. The Prophet Muhammad was known for his simplicity. So was Islam. Until the dynasties usurped the caliphate some thirty years after him.

May I suggest an article?

On the Plight of Oppressed People by Ali Shariati

Mosques, churches need to serve the worshippers and not the other way around.

[NamerOfStars]

Why? Okay, they should be electrified and plumbed, but most of them ARE. What's changed in Christianity that requires more modern architecture? Sure, the city-state that's crazily flushed with oil money builds extravagant things, but I'd bet in most parts of the Islamic world, their mosques are older and humbler.

Why fix what isn't broken?

[AviatorTom]

A church is just a building, doesn't matter how old (or young) it is, it's what happens inside that's important. And, by the way, using your example, there are mosques that are thousands of years old too... the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, for example.

[Lionman95]

The hagia sophia was originally a church so it´s not the best example to give sorry.

[andreasderjuengere]

A building that lasts hundreds of years can't be so bad.

Would you want a ''made-in-China'' church that needs to be replaced each 5 years?

If you miss some modern entertainment inside - just bring your handphone and a head-set. Or... stay away; it won't be noticed :)

[Chill_Thoughts]

You have modern churches, but honestly old churches have great value and can be absolutely magnificent

[BCRanger10]

Correct. And the modern churches are invariably ugly as puke.

[nachosaresexy]

Religion in general is obviously just fable stuff passed on by generation, so some of those cool buildings are part of the deal. I dig the latter.

[madgoat]

New places of worship do get built in the UK but typically they were built in times where the church had a lot more followers and a lot more money.
In short, religious groups are living off past glory in a mature and established country.

[sawno]

The old ones have way more soul to them and are from a time people understood concepts of creating a healing atmosphere by manipulating the elements. Unfortunately its lost knowledge.

[Stoner710]

I personally don’t because there’s no medieval chores in the United States but the architecture is beautiful and is uplifting and why not go to a church that is traditional

[Fireguy17]

There is a lot of history in those buildings.
Many of them survived WW2, some didn't and were rebuilt.
Religion is so much more than the building you meet in.

[OlderAndWiser]

If you are focused on the physical facility, you have missed the entire point of religions.

[jshm2]

Because for all your modern pretentions you are still stuck in that medieval mentality.

Hence why you repeat history, and others don't.

[OddBeMe]

Seems like christians are doing fine…

[nawtee_me]

If you go to church for what is on the outside then you miss what is on the inside... The church is just a building in which to gather. It is the message that you to church for...

[Zeus_66]

So you're advocating for history to torn down? Your comparison isn't really a fair one.

[Staximus]

Those old churches are more beautiful and were way harder to build, the Craftsmanship was way better. New churches look like shit.

[Anonymous]

What now? Muslims preparing for the future you say? Because from what I've seen, they seem much more intent on going back to around the year 800 A. D. or so.

[RedThread]

You seem to ask a lot of questions like this ms. anonymous.

[IesusHominumSalvator]

Modernity is for weak gays.. i prefer the medieval times.

[Anonymous]

Didn’t they have a crane fall on a crowd during the Hajj and human stampedes seem to occur with troublesome regularity.

[MysteriousDarkness]

What is it with you wanting the qho world to be built up and modernized?

[jasco]

Their beautiful and some are historical. So in short yea

[Shamalien]

Because old churches are beautiful feats of design which are unparalleled in modern times

[Guanfei]

Fuck off with your modern crap. Nothing's better than the charm and style of old building.

[fireforeffect]

Because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Only through Jesus Christ can you ever hope to reach Heaven.
Muslim worship Satan.

[Kelly6]

Historical and looks good

[enocheli]

dig under it

you will see

[Anonymous]

Id love to go to a church like that.

[Redstang88]

History

[red324]

We don't

[Twalli]

Posterity