Confusing size with grandeur. . .

It is no secret that the grand scale of some spaces is itself a part of their grandeur.  We all know that.  Size does say something.  But it does not say everything.  It seems that the modern penchant for minimalism in architecture, especially for churches, has presumed that size equals grandeur.  A survey of some of the modernist spaces that pass for churches shows that size and scale are, in some cases, rather good.  What is missing, however, is any sense of what that space is used for.  The spaces are undeniably large and impressively so but absent any adornment, they could be used for anything and do not admit to being for the particular purpose of the liturgy.  That is their strength, at least according the advocates of the stark and empty canvas of such architects, but it is exactly their weakness and their failure when it comes to their sacred use for the liturgy.  

It is not simply the applicability of space to a sacred purpose that counts towards its success but that it works for the liturgy -- for a specific purpose and not simply as a blank canvas waiting for something to be written upon it.  The problem with the images listed above is that the only adornment for these buildings is the liturgy -- a sacred purpose in a neutral or even unfriendly environment.  Everything in a building designed for worship should support its holy purpose and function in concert with the Word and the Sacraments.  The people are not the images that honor a space with its purpose but the preaching of the Word, the baptizing with water, and the feeding with the Eucharist.  In support of this holy purpose, art is employed and has been employed from earliest Christianity.  It is not accidental or inconsequential but defines the space for its role and purpose and places the people within a certain context.  It is not matter of a particular style but of architecture which is not merely friendly toward the liturgy but working in concert with the liturgy for its divinely appointed purpose.

Size may contribute to this but it does not equate to this.  Small scales can be equally unfriendly to the Divine Service as grand ones but when a grand space fails, it is a greater loss in resources.  Sometimes the only failure is the error of art that is missing and color that is not employed.  An unadorned canvas is not a piece of art and neither is a building erected for sacred purpose but lacking the visual cues that
would define that space as God's.  The second picture is a space that could work well for the liturgy but it is unfinished, incomplete, and awaits the artwork that would help focus the space upon Christ and His gifts for His people.  

Bland spaces can be neutral or they can be unfriendly to the very purpose for which they were created.  This has been and continues to be the Achilles' heel of modern church architecture.  The buildings work well to showcase the architect but they say nothing of the liturgy which goes on within that space or the God who is the focus of the space.  Elaborate spaces need not be gaudy or distracting.  Look at the space below and how well it functions to define what happens there and to whom the space as well as the people are directed.