tracking back

Why do we rush to restore Notre Dame yet destroy the divine we see in the natural world?

In the latest in his series of reflections on place and pathways, considers different sorts of pilgrimage

Saturday 20 April 2019 15:17 BST
Comments
The interior of the cathedral the day after fire devastated the building
The interior of the cathedral the day after fire devastated the building

The fire that left Notre Dame gutted and blackened seemed also to set ablaze a common cultural consciousness across much of the western world.

Expressions of grief were certainly not confined to the cathedral’s regular worshippers, or to Catholics who have travelled there as pilgrims, or to the global Christian community.

Beauty which has been inspired by faith in God is not invisible to atheists – even if they would deny the deity who moved human beings to create such monuments.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in