Sir,-While I sympathise with the objections of 8676 (Wellington) to the building of. the proposed Wellington Cathedral I think he has left the principal objection out. It is that we are not a_ sufficiently religious people to be able to make use of a cathedral. When the famous cathedrals of Europe were built there was a strong desire among the people for a building /in which they could seek communion with God through the ritual of a service. There were also great religious teachers who had personal spiritual knowledge of a quality such as our churchmen no longer possess, and the combination of a devout many led by a spiritually initiated few produced a spiritually inspired architecture. It was not by chance that the gothic style reached its noblest example at Chartres. If a real religious enthusiasm inspired Wellington the people would place a cathedral first on their list of building needs and would gladly forgo housing and health camps until their spiritual hunger was satisfied. And that cathedral would be built in a new style of. architecture as different from the traditional styles as we are from our mediaeval ancestors. Until there is a new upsurge in Christianity, health camps and youth hostels will be better than a cathedral if only because they will be more alive. Before we can produce a real cathedral we shall have to experience a \desire for a deeper spiritual life.
E.
S.
(Auckland),
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 363, 7 June 1946, Page 5
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240Untitled New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 363, 7 June 1946, Page 5
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