The Agnostic Chapel
So after yesterday’s Blessay, I got to wondering what a chapel designed for the use of agnostics would be like. Here’s what I came up with:
There would be no particular sense of orientation to it. No door at one end, altar at the other. I suspect that there would be multiple doors and no altars. The floor would all be at the same level, unless there was a conversation pit.
The design would not centre around concepts of shriving minimalism (there’s nothing to abase ourselves for or before), but neither would it be overly decorative (there’s nothing to glorify). In fact, the colour schemes and such would aim for soft neutrals, and the roof, I think, would be clear glass panels.
There would be seats. An assortment of them, not necessarily all the same. They’d all be movable, so that they could be arranged as circumstances and numbers dictated. And they’d all be comfortable, if utilitarian.
There would be no priests, and thus, no need for any of their secretive chambers out the back. In fact, the only side rooms would be toilets.
Along the walls would be bookshelves filled with thought-provoking stuff – no set syllabus, just whatever someone got a kick out of and wanted to share with others. The shelves would alternate with desks, and the desks would be well-stocked with pens and paper, and perhaps some computing facilities too. The whole place, of course, would be a wireless hotspot, and one that was open to the world.
The emphasis of the whole place would be towards polite conversation, although quiet contemplation would also be encouraged.
Well, that’s what I got. How about you?
