The Architect Who Fought Modernism — and Inspired a Sacred Architecture Revival
Date Posted: May 29, 2025
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas,
From National Catholic Register: One does not necessarily expect to hear the language of warfare coming from the mouth of Duncan Stroik while discussing sacred architecture.
Bespectacled and bow-tied, the renowned church architect cuts the figure of the Yale-educated professor he is far more than any kind of combatant. And the 12th-floor office of his architecture firm in downtown South Bend, Indiana — covered in sun-dappled blueprints, portraits of iconic churches, and plasters of Greek columns — seems more like a retreat to Plato’s realm of the forms than any kind of arsenal.
And yet, the 63-year-old Stroik sees the effort to promote traditional forms of church architecture, a movement that he’s been at the fore of for decades, as a fight of epic significance: of the right understanding of worship against the wrong one, of beauty against mere utility, and of artistic humility against self-aggrandizing pride.
And by all accounts, his side appears to be winning — one traditionally designed sacred building at a time.
“We’re still fighting a battle against Modernism,” Stroik told the Register, referring to a long-dominant architectural movement that emphasizes functionality, minimalism and individual expression. “But, at least for sacred architecture in the United States, we’ve done a good job of turning the corner.”
Traditional sacred architecture doesn’t refer to a single approach but is instead a broad category. It includes Stroik’s signature Classical style — modeled after ancient Greco-Roman culture and the Renaissance — but also forms like Gothic and Baroque. In contrast to Modernism, which came into vogue in the 1950s, traditional forms of architecture emphasize the importance of accentuating the sacred, relying heavily on symbolism, verticality and liturgical orientation.
Once all but abandoned in the second half of the 1900s as outdated and impractical, the timeless architectural approach has made a significant comeback over the past decade or so, as a new generation of clergy, architects and lay patrons have sought to recover the beauty and reverence of traditional church design. Firms that specialize in this kind of work are busier than ever, and schools focused on more traditional design are attracting record interest.
And arguably no one has done more for the movement than Stroik, a popular Notre Dame professor and celebrated church designer in his own right.