Durham Cathedral

I called at Durham Cathedral this month. Despite its scale and history, those charged with administering it have not seen fit to charge for admission: good for them! In return, I made a point of eating in the café and patronising the gift shop (at York Minister, which charges £26, I make a point of not doing).

I recall being kindly brought here by my church youth leaders back in the mid-nineties for a university interview. Although it went well enough for the college to give me a reduced offer, I thought the place too posh for me, and so I studied elsewhere. After the formalities, we came to the cathedral and climbed up the tower: I was less interested in architecture then than now, but I could only be wowed by what I saw.

The style is Norman or Romanesque with those big, rounded arches and huge, heavy pillars. Several of the latter are decorated in zigzags and concentric patterns; solidity and sturdiness were the builders’ watchwords. Yet alternating with these gigantic, carved pillars are more slender, composite columns which are rather more graceful and elegant in their design. One may hardly bemoan their weakness on account of their more intricate appearance, for they are just as helpful to the roof's integrity as their fatter brothers.

 The pillars of Durham Cathedral are therefore an appropriate model for Christians in general and ministry leaders in particular: solid but gracious; strong, but gentle; truthful, yet tender.