Religions Reflection in Architecture - 815 Words

How have architectural styles reflected the philosophies, religions, and politics of various cultures throughout history? I would like to focus my discussion on religions reflection in architecture and hope it will not be too lengthy. Religion forms the foundation of cultural identity and has decisively shaped world civilizations based on differing, but not exclusive, views of ultimate value: mercy and benevolence in Buddhism, morality and ethics in Confucianism, respect in Shintoism, devotion and mystical unity of divine Self in Hinduism, obedience and perseverance in Judaism, love for the Creator and ones fellowman in Christianity, and submission to the will of Allah in Islam. Shrine-like buildings found at Catal Huyuk in†¦show more content†¦The product of two streams of development, one in the Mediterranean and the other in south-central Asia, Muslim architecture is fundamentally centered upon worship. At its heart is the mosque, whose characteristic domes, minarets, and stylized decorative art encouraged contemplation and prayer. After the destruction of the Temple and dispersal of Jews from Israel in 70 C.E., Judaism focused on family ritual and synagogues that housed prayer sanctuaries which faced Jerusalem. By the fifth and sixth centuries, many Arabs respected the non-sexualized symbols of Judaism, its ascetic monotheism, and the Jewish devotion to family life and education. The Arabs called the Jews People of the Book, and Jews and Arabs lived side by side in peace. Resources: Boston College The Art of the Ancient Mediterranean The Worlds First City http://www2.bc.edu/~mcdonadh/course/huyuk.html HistoryWorld History of Buddhist and Hindu Architecture http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab96 Teaching Comparative Religion through Art and Architecture Sacred Spaces in Shinto Jinja (Shrine) Shinto University of California, Berkeley http://ias.berkeley.edu/orias/visuals/japan_visuals/shinto.HTM China.Org.Cn The Temple Of Heaven http://www.china.org.cn/english/kuaixun/75120.htm Wikipedia Early Christian Art and Architecture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christian_art Wikipedia IslamicShow MoreRelatedAncient Architecture : Ancient And Medieval Architecture1015 Words   |  5 PagesReligion’s Architecture Ancient and Medieval Architecture spans from the meaningful Zygurats in Mesopotamia to the elaborate Gothic Churches in France. Architecture has been influenced by many factors like environment, politics, and culture. However, the greater factor that influenced Ancient and Medieval Architecture is religion. Religion, Gods, and the heavens where the key factors in creating Mesopotamian Ziggurats, Egyptian Pyramids, Greek Temples, Christian Basilicas, Islamic Mosques, andRead MoreThe Islamic Center Of Akron / Kent Essay2276 Words   |  10 PagesMuslim and at the center to pray, I would feel awakened and alert to what was ahead. Interestingly, this action was not foreign to me; during the High Holidays in Judaism, the Shofar is blown and serves as a â€Å"wake up† call to Jews to begin their reflections and pleas for forgiveness of their sins. Finally, as we entered the prayer hall we were invited to sit and observe. Everyone present to pray sat with purpose as they faced the direction of Mecca and ready to receive the message. What many do notRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 Pagesdedicated to anti-racism, Jewish culture, war museums etc. †¢ Forbidden fruit effect †¢ A critical analysis on the media will inspire youths to question why violence is so prevalent in our media today †¢ Help them to realize that media is not a reflection of reality but rather a social construct †¢ White House report that media literacy empowers young people, not only to understand and evaluate the ideas found in popular culture, but also â€Å"to be positive contributors to society, to challenge cynicism