Let’s Talk Politics and Religion…Really!

As we all know, never discuss politics or religion…

So, how about the controversy over the reconstruction of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris?

(Y’all do remember that Notre-Dame had a huge fire in April of 2019, right?)

A debate is now raging over a move by French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to Guardian newspaper, Macron took up an idea suggested by Laurent Ulrich, the archbishop of Paris. (Politics and religion…)

The idea?

During the rebuilding, why not replace several of the stained-glass windows within Notre-Dame’s south aisle with new contemporary designs?

To make that happen, Macron put out a call to French artists to enter a design competition for six new windows.

Cue the uproar!

A petition was immediately launched by the publication La Tribune de l’Art that opposes changing the 19th Century stained-glass windows. The petition obtained well over 100,000 signatures within days.

The petition says that changing the windows would not be in the spirit of restoring the cathedral to its last known historical state.

(Change is never easy, and with beloved historical landmarks, even more difficult.)

However, according to an article in The Smithsonian, “Only a small portion of the current glass dates back to the 12th century, while the majority was added much later in the 17th, 19th and 20th centuries.”

In addition, if the new windows are created and installed, the current 19th century windows are expected to be retained and displayed in a museum about the cathedral and its restoration after the fire.

Next, according to an article in the European Conservative, a public body under the French Ministry of Culture, the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture, held kind of an emergency meeting and unanimously ruled against replacing the windows.

However, the Commission serves in a consulting role, not a legislative one.

So in response to their ruling, the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, issued a news release noting that the replacement project is moving forward, and that the Commission will be consulted again in the Fall to review the winning artist’s project.

The art world is filled with stories of politics and religion. It’s exciting to see how this will play out.

And play out it will, as Notre-Dame Cathedral is scheduled to be through its reconstruction by the end of this year!

While this building is glorious, I like the idea of adding a touch of contemporary art in our century!

What are your thoughts?

(The photo is one I took in July with progress clearly underway!)