How do space and architecture shape liturgical celebrations within a parish? In Theology and Form: Contemporary Orthodox Architecture in America, Nicholas Denysenko profiles seven contemporary Eastern Orthodox communities in the United States and analyzes how their ecclesiastical identities are affected by their physical space and architecture. He begins with an overview of the Orthodox architectural heritage and its relation to liturgy and ecclesiology, including topics such as stational liturgy, mobility of the assembly, the symbiosis between celebrants and assembly, placement of musicians, and festal processions representative of the Orthodox liturgy. Chapters 2–7 present comparative case studies of seven Orthodox parishes. Some of these have purchased their property and built new edifices; Denysenko analyzes how contemporary architecture makes use of sacred space and engages visitors. Others are mission parishes that purchased existing properties and buildings, posing challenges for and limitations of their liturgical practices. The book concludes with a reflection on how these parish examples might contribute to the future trajectory of Orthodox architecture in America and its dialogical relationship with liturgy and ecclesial identity.

The fourteen essays in this collection demonstrate a wide variety of approaches to the study of Byzantine architecture, a reflection of both newer trends and traditional scholarship in the field. Three papers examine Early Christian monuments, two of which expand the inquiry into their architectural afterlives. Others discuss later monuments in Byzantine territory and monuments in territories related to Byzantium such as Serbia, Armenia, and Norman Italy. No Orthodox Church being complete without interior decoration, two papers discuss issues connected to frescoes in late medieval Balkan churches. Finally, one study investigates the continued influence of Byzantine palace architecture long after the fall of Constantinople.

In places like Romania, despite massive post-communist building activity, the current practice of Orthodox Church architecture does not match the quality of its predecessors. This paper locates the source of these difficulties within the intricate historical legacy of the interaction between its Byzantine origins and its modern interpretations. As part of the liturgical arts of the Orthodox Church, the understanding of Orthodox Church architecture is linked with that of the icon, central to Orthodoxy. This study will not only offer an insight into the importance of iconic language but will attempt to reveal the particular nature of language as implied in the Orthodox Church tradition. The array of present interpretations of the icon and of the Orthodox Church architecture is dependent to a large extent on a modern, instrumental understanding of language, basic to western metaphysics, and prevalent in the education system at all levels. Conceived of in an instrumental way, as a mere tool, the icon loses its original meaning and makes the understanding and practice of all liturgical arts of lesser value. In order to address this challenging situation we need to part from any modern interpretation of this building tradition and to focus instead on the nature of interpretation and above all on language itself. We can gain a better understanding of the iconic language of the Orthodox Church by drawing on the hermeneutics of Hans Georg Gadamer. Hermeneutics questions the philosophy of language, the nature of historical understanding and the roots of interpretation. Hermeneutics provides the opportunity to grasp the icon on its own terms, while using a method true to its nature, bypassing the instrumental framework of western metaphysics, and restoring the basis on which liturgical arts can attain their full potential once again. A hermeneutical insight into the iconic language of the Orthodox Church will enrich our horizon of Orthodox liturgical arts, serving those who want to research, critique, restore, maintain, design, and build this type of architecture.

The symposium was presented by the Partnership for Catholic Sacred Architecture, a collaborative effort between the schools of architecture at The Catholic University of America and the University of Notre Dame. It was held at The Catholic University of America (CUA) School of Architecture and Planning on April 30 and May 1, 2010. The symposium was the vision of Professor Martin, whose desire was that these great universities would work together for the good of the Church in the important mission of creating beautiful sacred architecture.

Torgerson begins by discussing God's transcendence and immanence and showing how church architecture has traditionally interpreted these key concepts. He then traces the theological roots of immanence's priority from liberal theology and liturgical innovation to modern architecture. Next, Torgerson illustrates this new architecture of immanence through particular practitioners, focusing especially on the work of theologically savvy architect Edward Anders Sövik. Finally, he addresses the future of church architecture as congregations are buffeted by the twin forces of liturgical change and postmodernism.

This book makes a significant contribution to advancing post-geographic understandings of physical and virtual boundaries. It brings together the emergent theory of ‘border thinking’ with innovative thinking on design, and explores the recent discourse on decoloniality and globalism. From a variety of viewpoints, the topics engaged show how design was historically embedded in the structures of colonial imposition, and how it is implicated in more contemporary settings in the extension of ‘epistemological colonialism’. The essays draw on perspectives from diverse geo-cultural and theoretical positions including architecture, design theory and history, sociology, critical theory and cultural studies. The authors are leading and emergent figures in their fields of study and practice, and the geographic scope of the chapters ranges across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Asia, and the Pacific. In recognition of the complexity of challenges that are now determining the future security of humanity, Design in the Borderlands aims to contribute to ‘thinking futures’ by adding to the increasingly significant debate between design, in the context of the history of Western modernity, and decolonial thought.