Introduction 1. The Islamic Origin of the Pointed Arch 2. Abbot Suger and the Historical Debate 3. St Bernard and the Early Gothic Plan 4. Of Cubes and Ka'aba 5. The Plan of Chartres 6. Dionysius the Areopagite and the Unknown God 7. St Denis, Chartres and the Darkness of God Endnotes & Bibliography
Description
Reviews
'Surprisingly, there's no heresy in this book. It's beautifully produced. It opens our eyes to the story of our historic relations with Islam. The deeper theme of seeing God in the darkness as well as the light is important, and so is the link between the geometry of square roots and the mysteriousness of Gothic, and of God. God isn't in a box, and can't be contained.' --- The Very Revd Jim Mein, Christ Church Episcopal, Edinburgh 'It is a beautifully illustrated book which explains both the beauty and the geometry of Gothic architecture as seen in Chartres.' --- The Rt Revd Brian Smith, Bishop of Edinburgh Gordon Strachan teaches in the Department of Architecture and the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Edinburgh. He is a Church of Scotland minister. He is the author of Jesus the Master Builder.