It has been a while in coming and The Consecrated Space books are now available at blurb.com
A devotional look at the value aesthetics has to a space in communicating theology. Artist, photographer Jeff LeFever took what amounted to a 15-year pilgrimage to photographically study Christian churches and cathedrals. This book is his photographic essay and document. The book includes 230 pages with over 150 of his photographs selected from Europe, USA and Jerusalem with an inspirational essay on consecrated space by the artist that also includes his approach to the photography.
Scholar and educator, Brian Nixon, says “Jeff’s Consecrated Space text is one of the most articulate introductions on the topic I’ve read in a while.”
The photos in the book have been described as “touching, showing great depth, thought, and time,” “marvelous work,” “a treasure to be enjoyed often,” of having “…the double power of 1) each photo by itself, then 2) the power of the collection together. ‘The whole greater than the sum of the parts.’ “
Made to bless and educate us about the value in building and maintaining such spaces, LeFever presents this work so that we may we be inspired to deeply consider our inclusion of an original creative religious aesthetic. The artist claims it goes much deeper than the object and welcomes intentional dialog discussing the way for birthing and nurturing such spaces in our lives.
There are two book versions being offered. Both are the same in photos and book text. The Deluxe version has an extended 30-page conversation between Brian Nixon and Jeff LeFever on the relationship of beauty and aesthetics to truth, goodness, and unity. The conversation developed after LeFever had asked Nixon to read his introductory book text. Jeff thought the conversation added another dimension to his devotional text and saw it as kindling for the conversation of others. Because of that, the conversation was included as an extended addition to a “Deluxe” version of his book. “It’s a conversation I would expect to have, and delighted to have had, as a result of my work,” says LeFever. “I hope such conversations will follow suit for others and that more churches will see creative possibilities in how they may establish their church as a consecrated space for the heart of their communities.”
~ FBA
“It is surprising that so little thought is given to the influence of bad art in Christian life. Teachers, priests, and parents seem very little aware of the fact that bad art is harmful, and that truly Christian sacred art–the art which is traditional and genuinely spiritual art–exercises a powerful formative influence on the Christian soul. This influence is in some ways completely irreplaceable. But bad art exercises an equally powerful influence for deformation.”
~ Thomas Merton
“Sacred and Spiritual Life” Spnsa Regis, January 1960
