Articles varia
- GUICHARNAUD Hélène - Approche de l’architecture des temples protestants construits en France avant la Révocation
- KAEMPF Bernard - Lecture jungienne de l’histoire de Jacob
- GAGNEBIN Laurent - Le rite en perspective protestante : le rite comme geste
The destruction of the French Protestant churches in the XVIIth century prevents us from making a direct study of their architecture. Thus, for a better knowledge of these buildings that have been destroyed for more than three centuries, it is necessary to refer to construction contracts, historic and iconographic documents, contemporary testimonies and traveller’s accounts. The largest possible examination of these different sources allows us to study the location of the churches and to analyze the draughts chosen for their construction, also their exterior elevation, interior architecture and decoration. The theoretical sources that may have had an influence on their architecture will be examined also. The study of these different points allows us to develop a classification of the French Protestant churches built before the Revocation, and to estimate their degree of innovation.
The story of Jacob is presented here in a narrative way through the categories of the Jungian psychology. By this kind of reading, the text, which often seems to belong to the past, can get closer to the reader, who may identify more easily with the caracters. By such an approach, the story of Jacob should make sense again.
Trying to define the notion of rite and to circumscribe the problems attached to this notion in protestant theology, the author presents rite as gestures which, like words pronounced in fleeting time, must be regarded as ephemeral, precarious, and opposed to any attempt of spatial objectification. Such attemps belong to a geography of salvation characteristic of roman catholicism, whereas protestantism, according to its iconoclastic essence, prefers to think in terms of history of salvation. Examples borrowed from the field of church architecture and worship illustrate this thesis. Eventually, in order to favour group discussions, the article concludes on some open questions.