Description
Book SynopsisWhether Christian churches, Jewish synagogues, Islamic mosques, Buddhist temples, or the gathering places for other faiths, buildings designed for worship are significant to both their own community of believers and their larger communities. Coming to understand the history of places of worship, therefore, is an essential element in understanding the historical fabric of these communities. Places of Worship offers the abundant insights of an experienced historian of American religion. Using illustrations from a wide diversity of congregations, Wind suggests ways in which answers may be sought. In two enlightening appendices, he also provides guidance to important published works on American religion and a directory of denominational archives and historical agencies. But perhaps his greatest contribution is to emphasize the necessity of viewing any religious community as a dynamic, evolving social organism. The author not only offers a comprehensive rationale for including political an
Trade ReviewWind's book can help professional historians who have not written about congregations before and church members who have not written histories before. -- Martin E. Marty
Table of Contentschapter 1 Editor's Introduction chapter 2 Illustrations chapter 3 Acknowledgment chapter 4 Preface chapter 5 First Impressions chapter 6 Creating a Landscape chapter 7 Indispensible Questions chapter 8 Building Blocks chapter 9 Drawing a Blueprint chapter 10 Weaving Plots Together chapter 11 Crafting a History chapter 12 Reaching Beyond Nearby History chapter 13 Appendix A chapter 14 Appendix B chapter 15 Index
