Cathedral Thinking

An architect’s vision for a church is magnificent in scope. They must design a massive structure that is both beautiful and sacred. They have to coordinate the work of hundreds of nameless builders and craftspeople. They also have to reckon with the idea that the work is unlikely to be completed in their own lifetimes. The great cathedrals of the Middle Ages and Renaissance—Chartres, Notre Dame, St. Peter’s Basilica—often took centuries to complete, from the time that the cornerstone was laid to the church’s consecration. When I teach my students about the process of building medieval cathedrals, I show them how incremental progress stretched out over many years: moments of great innovation, or wartime years when progress was stalled or thwarted. I ask them to imagine what it would be like to know your work will outlive you.