With this issue of Faith & Form, we close a history of publishing on the reflection, design, construction, and use of religious architecture and art that started more than 50 years ago. This issue will be the last published by Faith & Form, and it is wholly fitting that it presents the winning work of architects, designers, artists, and students who are engaged in the search for how human and divine spirit is expressed in what we build for worship (even in those places not used expressly for religious purposes). The awards issue has since 1978 presented the very latest thinking about worship environments and where they are heading—a barometer of our future. This issue is no exception. While there is no scarcity of interest, debate, and expression about sacred spaces and places, the journal’s financial resources require publication to cease. But this cessation will not silence voices and ideas about how we as spiritual beings seek to be human through our sacred architecture and art.
I want to express my gratitude to current members of the Faith & Form Board of Directors (who share their own views on the magazine and its history in “The Last Word” column, page 43) for their dedication to keeping this publication going long after many print and digital journals ceased to exist. We are particularly indebted to The Duke Endowment for its support of the journal for several decades. Also important has been Faith & Form’s board of editorial advisors: Annie Dixon; Judith Dupré; Thomas Fisher, Assoc. AIA; Robin Jensen; Jaime Lara; Ozayr Saloojee; Richard S. Vosko, Hon. AIA. Over the past decade-and-a-half the advisory board has been absolutely critical to what appears in the pages of Faith & Form. This journal and its legacy are very much products of my collaboration with these dedicated and generous women and men.
Another collaborator who has made this journal (and the Faith & Form/ID International Awards Program) what it has been is the journal’s art director, Dave Kuhar. Dave has carefully crafted the visual presentation of Faith & Form, which has consistently been complimented by our readers. He created our awards review website, which has made the work of the awards jury infinitely easier and more efficient. And he keeps the Faith & Form website up to date. Working with Dave (and enjoying his good cheer) over the years has been one of my joys as editor. Finally, we are grateful to all those insightful, articulate people who over the past 52 years contributed their words and work that have appeared in these pages. Thanks also to those dedicated Faith & Form advertisers—your support over the years is appreciated.
We anticipate that the end of Faith & Form as a stand-alone publication will allow a new publication to come forth, through a collaboration with Partners for Sacred Places, based in Philadelphia. Over the past two years, the Faith & Form Board has had on-going discussions with Bob Jaeger (president of Partners) and members of his team to merge Partners’ Sacred Places magazine with Faith & Form to create a new publication that reflects the strengths of the two organizations. The hope is that in 2020 this new publication will appear to serve our shared readers who are passionate about the creation and nurturing of sacred places and how they make our lives and communities richer.
Thanks for being a loyal reader of Faith & Form, and please stay tuned.
Michael J. Crosbie is the Editor-in-Chief of Faith & Form and can be reached by email at mcrosbie@faithandform.com
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