This document discusses several topics related to religion and sacred spaces: 1. It explains the concept of sacred spaces in religion and how they are important places that hold special meaning and significance. Sacred spaces can be a source of conflict over territory and protection. 2. Religion provides a basis for community identity at various scales, from worldwide religious groups to local congregations. Diaspora religious communities also develop strong attachments to specific territories. 3. Religious laws and beliefs influence public and private spaces through rules governing behavior, holidays, education, and government in some countries. Examples of religious influences on the landscape like places of worship are also provided.

1. First—The test asks a couple of
questions about religious conflict in
Lebanon. Make sure you brush up on
this section in the book. Know the
religions that are there and the history
about changing majority populations
and the constitution.

2. Religious
Regions of
Lebanon
Small-scale world
religion maps fail
to show local
details
Understanding
religion regions is
key to several
current conflicts

3. Sacred Space

4. Sacred space is space that has special
religious significance and meaning that makes it
worth of reverence or devotion. It creates strong
attachments between people and territory.
•Places (Zion—SLC, Jerusalem)
•Sites (temples, Western Wall)
•Not necessarily territorially defined (prayer)
•Can be a source of disagreement and conflict
(federal land vs Native American collection of sage,
mesquite, salmon, etc.) (Americans in Saudia Arabia)
•Protection of sacred territory/sites (Mecca & Medina)
•Pilgrimage

5. Community, identity and
scale:
Religion can provide a strong basis for
community and individual identity.
ie: Islam—umma = worldwide population of
Muslims (transcends doctrinal difference and
geographic separation)
Dar-al-Islam = countries that are majority
Muslim
Mosque = local, community
Fasting during Ramadan & Hijab = individual,
body

6. Religion and settlement:
Diasporic religious communities (communities
that have become displaced from their religious
hearths) This often causes the development of
strong ideas about specific territories—not as
holy land, but as a homeland.
•Mormons (even extends to urban patterns)
•Jews

7. Religious Law and Social Space
Religion has a major presence in both public and
private space. Laws, education and government
can all be influenced by religion—more so in some
states (countries) than others.
•Blue Laws (alcohol, cars, hunting, horse racing,
etc.)
•Sabbath observance in Jewish communities
•Kosher (food) Laws
•Sharia Law (next slide)

8. Sharia Law continued:
-Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,
Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Maldives (constitution recognizes Islamic
Law as a principal basis for legislation)
-Malaysia, Nigeria, Gambia (constitution recognizes
the use of Islamic law in certain domains)

9. Sharia Law continued
-Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, Burkina Faso,
Mali, Algeria, Morocco, Niger, Chad, Turkey,
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Indonesia, Brunei, Bangladesh,
Comoros (constitution does not recognize Islamic
law as a principal basis for legislation)
-Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad,
Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan (constitution specifically declares the
state secular)

10. Visible on the Landscape:

11. Examples of Religion on
the Cultural Landscape
Places of worship
Shrines, pilgrimage sites
Cemeteries, mausolea
Sacred spaces
Stonehenge, southern England (Druid site)

12. Sacred Spaces
Sites of special religious significance (experiences, events)
Hallowed grounds that are preserved across generations
For believers, places endowed with divine meaning
Paha Sapa Kin Wiyopeya Unkiyapi kte sni yelo!!
We never sold the Black Hills!!
(Lakota expression)

13. Jepara,
southern
Sumatra
Melang, Java
Grand Mosque, Banda Aceh,
northern Sumatra
MOSQUE
STYLES IN
INDONESIA

14. Cathedral at Chartres, France
Shrine at Lourdes,
southern France

15. Methodist-
Congregationalist
(Protestant) church,
southwest Quebec,
Canada
St. Basil’s
(Russian Orthodox),
Red Square, Moscow

16. Mid-City
Cemetery
New Orleans
Recoleto
Cemetery
Buenos Aires

17. Synagogue,
Jewish
quarter,
Prague
(13th century)
Jewish
cemetery,
Chicago
Temple Beth El (1973),
Bloomington Hills, Mich.
Western (Wailing) Wall,
Jerusalem

18. Buddhist stupa, Thailand
(Hemispherical shape is
typical, but different forms of
Buddhism use differing types
and levels of ornamentation.)
Statue of
Buddha

19. Hindu
temple,
Northern
India
Taj Mahal (Agra, India) –
Islamic mausoleum
Hindu cremation
ceremony, India

20. Friday prayers, Grand Mosque, Mecca, Saudi Arabia: The Hajj

21. Civil Religion
The concept of sacredness can occur outside of
religion. The way we respect/honor/reverence
political leaders, veterans, flags, etc. ties in with
sanctification.
Geographer Kenneth Foote uses the site of the
Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bombing as
an example of this sanctification. (April 1995)

22. 1. The Event

23. 2. Informal consecration:
emerging consensus and spontaneous memorials (this
went on for five years)

24. 3. Formal Consecration
Official consensus for a permanent monument

25. 4. Final Consecration:
Solemn dedication of the site

26. Ritual Commemoration

27. Memorial Spaces
How similar to, and how different from, “sacred space”?
Think of “Civil Religion”