Holiness

Church architecture and decoration is something I always notice. There's nothing more exciting for me than going to different churches when I travel. I love to look at the building, how it's built, what it looks like on the inside compared to the outside, how the artists have portrayed what is theologically important...I just love churches. 

Iceland was a really cool experience for me to see different kinds of churches, ranging from the iconic, airy and soaring heights of Hallgrímskirkja to the simple and unassuming Kálfatjarnarkirkja. I found myself greatly looking forward to going to different churches. Something I find myself taking note of is how the place makes me feel. I find myself thinking about what kind of ministry is done there, by what means and through what avenues, and I find myself wondering if how I view something as holy is fluid. 

I have to admit, when I first went to Hallgrímskirkja, the newer cathedral, I found myself thinking that it was more of a tourist attraction than it was a church. When we worshiped there during Sunday mass, I found myself wondering in the back of my mind if there were people in there taking photos of the church while mass was going on. And yet, I found myself being drawn up in the soaring arches, struck by the simplicity of the windows, and the organ music. From my seat, I couldn't see anything but the sky out of the windows at the front of the chancel, behind the altar. But when we walked up to the front at the urging of the pastor to look, after the service had ended, I noticed that I could see the city spreading out below, that there was more to see than just the sky -- there were mountains, the city, houses, buildings, people going about their daily lives.

Juxtaposed by our visit to Hallgrímskirkja, we went to Kálfatjarnarkirkja, far outside the city, on a little peninsula by the ocean, once a fishing village and now in the midst of a golf course. This is a place, upon walking into, where I was struck by the altar piece, which is a replica of the altar piece in the old cathedral in Reykjavik. Christ is bursting forth from the tomb, hands outstretch, surrounded by light. I was struck by the feelings of peace, serenity, and warmth I received from that image, and I began to think about what holy meant. Was it just how a place felt, as I formerly thought? Or was it what the place did, who it served and how? This is something I will continue to ponder. 

The soaring arches of Hallgrimskirkja

The altar and windows behind in Hallgrimskirkja

This is the altar piece in the old cathedral, but a replica is in Kalfatjarnarkirkja. 

The outside of the church at Kalfatjarnarkirkja.

Holy God, You reveal Yourself in different ways. Thank you for the varied ways in which You have revealed Yourself in Iceland and Norway, and for the people who live there. Thank you for the opportunity to explore Your church. Amen.