American Sanctuary: Understanding Sacred Spaces

This volume examines a diverse set of spaces and buildings seen through
the lens of popular practice and belief to shed light on the complexities of sacred
space in America. Contributors explore how dedication sermons document shifting
understandings of the meetinghouse in early 19th-century Connecticut; the changes in
evangelical church architecture during the same century and what that tells us about
evangelical religious life; the impact of contemporary issues on Catholic church
architecture; the impact of globalization on the construction of traditional sacred
spaces; the urban practice of Jewish space; nature worship and Central Park in New
York; the mezuzah and domestic sacred space; and, finally, the spiritual aspects of
African American yard art.