INTENTION
Can we use today's and future empirical means to raise our understanding of the phenomenology of sacred spaces and structures, particularlly in relation to spirituality and faith? The work and thought of late neuroscientist Francisco Varela loom large here, but much has occurred since his passing, and a whole new world is unfolding. Additionally, due to the focus of the program funding this Symposium (TRT's Art Seeking Understanding), we considered connections to what has been termed 'aesthetic cognitivism' by some philosophers (notably Gordon Graham and Christoph Baumberger). And, of course, insights from Theological Aesthetics played an important role in these considerations as well.
A selected number of individuals whose works and thoughts have been significantly advancing this new area of scholarship and research participated in the Symposium. They came from various disciplines, including psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, theology, medicine, computer science, the visual arts, music, and, of course, architecture. Such broad interdisciplinarity allowed us to view and interrogate the intersection of spirituality and the built environment from first, second, and third-person perspectives.
Lastly, this meeting wasn't so much about listening to great lectures (although we will have them) but more about actively exchanging, arguing, and exploring ideas, questions, methodologies, findings, and possibilities. Similarly, we had panel sessions covering ongoing research to provide concrete examples. We used such pointers to discuss more significant, paradigmatic issues associated with harnessing 21st Century knowledge, science, and scholarship to understand better how architecture (and the sacred arts) gives us access to spiritual realities and information. To guarantee this type of symposium dynamics, the lectures were followed by short commentaries/responses from 3 experts to invite productive and interesting discussions. Panels were moderated conversations among the participants. In both cases, Q&As from the larger audience were part of this program. The intention was that these healthy exchanges would begin building what may be called, for lack of better terms, an experimental theological aesthetics.