Recognise the style of the chairs or the “bungalow” house? Intrigued by the child’s cot/rocker or the “Oh-so-everyday” simple lines of the large building? All these can be found in Weimar, Germany, home to the birth of the Bauhaus movement. A super little city packed with culture, history - some of it dark - and some nice restaurants! It was here after the devastation and pain of the First World War that a group of academics, artists and master craftsmen and craftswomen set out to create a new environment for humanity that would set men and women free to live life in a way that was life affirming and fulfilling. The influence of their Bauhaus school which continued from 1919 until 1933/4 spread throughout the world as the embodiment of how a thought through egalitarian approach to design and production could lift the soul and sustain a good community life. Art combined with industry created a design portfolio that in many cases is still in production today and is “modern” 100 years on from their first production.
That’s Bauhaus!
So what about this theology-thought-experiment….
The ten principles outlined in the last post are not the sum of knowledge or technique that a designer needs to grasp but they guide the way in which all other knowledge is selected, used, balanced and integrated in the design process.
For example, an everyday object like a chair might seem easy to design; human beings have been making and designing chairs for thousands of years and by now have a good idea what makes a good chair. The knowledge of good chair design has been accumulated, distilled and passed down over countless generations. Although the user of a chair knows simply by feel how good and comfortable a chair is when they sit down, the chair designer or craftsman will need to have an innate grasp of many disciplines; including the physiology of human body, utility of purpose, materials science, the properties of textiles, colour science, physics, the techniques of production engineering, sustainability and economics if they are to design a good seat.
The ten principles act as a guide to ensure the end result of a process of design “fits” what is needed by balancing all the disciplines without skewing the design by a designer’s blinkered “idolatry” of any one or two disciplines over and above consideration of the others.
By bringing all knowledge and skill into play the end result should be a chair that is comfortable, functional, attractive, sustainable, reliable and desirable.
This approach, building on traditional craft skills and modern scientific analysis has influenced and shaped our modern lives. These principles make explicit what we have known by instinct since pre-history; that the objects we use are often chosen and utilised as extensions of our person and badges of identity. They make our lived environment fit for our bodies and easy on our souls.
Approaching theology as a design discipline: less but better.
Theology is perceived by many as an arcane and ancient if skilful art. It is considered an esoteric field practiced in “ivory towers” rather than a local and domestic practice that can shape the experience, values and lived environment of ordinary people. Such high level theology, being systems of philosophy with their own technical language and internal architecture of reason are “arts” analogues to something in the world “the sciences” such as fluid dynamics or materials science.
These disciplines are important for underpinning the construction of new theology but do not make for easily understood patterns and paths for flourishing daily living. Just as everyone knows a good chair when they sit down, well crafted and designed theology wether received or challenged is intuitively recognised as addressing what is needful and beneficial for both the existential and immediate dimensions of life.
It is vital for a good designer to be aware of the tools and materials available to them and equally life circumstances, aspirations and choices of those who will use their designed product. This is necessary if the designed product is to be something sustainable, fit, useful and improves the life of the user. Likewise the theologian must be aware of the material content and tools of communication used in shaping their thought for the purpose of challenging, supporting and improving the situation, outlook and praxis (active conviction) of their fellow human souls.
I suggest that theologians, aware of the historical, social and cultural raw materials of our human situation also have an awareness of the needs and aspirations of human beings if they are to create theology that is easily understood and usable at “domestic” level. We might consider Jesus’ teaching in this light, both in its form and function: for example the domesticity of the parables or the proverbial poetry of the beatitudes. He is the master designer of theology, who knows how to translate spiritual things so great and awesome they are beyond our imagining or conception into wisdom and insight for supporting and improving daily living. His method of teaching offers the exemplary example in how to communicate deep and complex truth in ways that are instantly recognisable; his theology is thought provoking, life affirming, has an elegance that fascinates the mind and is often readily straightforward, if at times challenging, to put into practice.
Well, quite a bit of food for thought there. Next time we will begin to look at the adapted “10 Principles” of good theology. The schnitzel was very nice by the way, as was the sheeps’ cheese crepe I had the following evening!
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