Adversus populum : Peter Celsings och Sigurd Lewerentz sakralarkitektur 1945-1975 : [the religious architecture of Peter Celsing and Sigurd Lewerentz 1945-1975]

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this investigation is to describe the religious architecture of Peter Celsing andSigurd Lewerentz, 1945-1975. They were leading architects among church-builders in Sweden fromthe middle of the century. Despite an age difference of 35 years, they came to collaborate in a spiritof mutual respect and admiration. The churches of Björkhagen and Klippan were built by Lewerentzduring this period. Celsing designed at the same time the churches of Härlanda, Vällingby, Almtunaand a crematorium in Ludvika. In all these buildings both the architects used the dark brick fromHelsingborgs Ångtegelbruk. They devoted to the brick the same care as the smith would to iron -"brick-forging" ("tegelsmide"). The second, and larger, part of the book deals with these churchesand other churches, built by Celsing.The aim of this study is also to clarify the relation between the churches in question andcontemporary theology, specially ecclesiology. The first part of the book deals with the liturgicalbackground. The rediscovery of the Church had become an important incentive of a growing HighChurch awareness in Sweden from the 1940's. Clergymen like Gunnar Rosendal, Olov Hartman andAxel Rappe exerted a special influence upon the field of church-building. The terms of via sacra("the Holy Way") and circumstantes ("the standers all around the altar") were now actualized insome of the new churches.In the third part of the book it is described how the Swedish society in the 1950's wascharacterised by a fast development of housing in a sense of optimism and social Utopia. But Celsingand Lewerentz took no part in this work. They created churches with subtle ligthting betweenenclosing, protective walls, thus creating rooms, which makes the visitor calm and humble. Thisarchitecturale art means a clear contrast to the many public buildings of the time. The basic attitudeof many planners, both politicians and officials, was pragmatic, utalitarian and lacking in historicalconciousness. Lewerentz and Celsing adopted a clear position against this type of populism -adversus populum.