anglomedved

I knew from 50 metres away that I would not like the church. I was with MmeKourdukova on one of our Sunday afternoon exploratory drives, and we were in the Brussels suburb of Tervueren.

The church looked too well cared-for by Belgian standards, and too well integrated into the urban architecture. I smelt money and civic pride – Tervueren become wealthy after the war, and the 14th century church is the only respectable building it has. The Vredesboom (Peace Tree) in front also suggested that this was a place of 'feel good' rather than hard Christianity.

The church is glazed entirely with stained glass from the 1950s to 1970s. It must have cost a fortune. It is very much in the style of this period. And as such an eloquent testimony as to how already the RC Church in Belgium was losing its substance a generation before the general collapse from about 1975 onwards. Look at the faces: fine as illustrations to fairy tales, but for taking one into the deeper reality of God-man-ness they are useless. Is this the church’s narrative treasury being misappropriated as a source of pleasure and comfort to a certain bourgeoisie?

Don't talk to me about the main altar. The red balls looking like fishing net floats are supposed to represent a monk's rosary!

And as for the flowerpots and candles and the Taizé cross (when are they finally going to replace it with something less ugly...?), I'm not even going to try and explain them.