Description
Book SynopsisSpace sharing by groups and organizations is widespread in the United States, from commercial partnerships, to government and private sector joint use agreements, to the use of public facilities and commons, and more. Drawing upon a variety of historical examples and contemporary cases, The Religious Dimensions of Shared Spaces offers a focused and systematic analysis of space sharing involving religious groups or organizations. All space-sharing arrangements are similar in most respects, so what difference does it make when religious groups or organizations are involved? How do they invest meaning in the spaces they use and share, including “sacred space”? When and why do they enter into space-sharing arrangements with other parties, religious and/or secular? How do religious space sharers structure and maintain their arrangements, including handling tensions that arise? What can secular space sharers learn from their religious counterparts, and vice versa? The book also teases out when religion does not matter in space sharing, even when religious groups or organizations are involved. Case studies include internal congregational groups that negotiate the use of shared facilities, arrangements between congregations and external groups or organizations, multifaith partnerships, and shared spaces in secular venues.
Table of ContentsList of Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Space Sharing
Part One: The Space-Sharing Phenomenon
Chapter One: Extent and Reasons
Chapter Two: Theoretical Framework and Research Methods
Part Two: Space-Sharing Cases
Chapter Three: Congregational Proprietors
Chapter Four: Other Religious Proprietors
Chapter Five: Secular Proprietors
Part Three: Understanding Space Sharing
Chapter Six: The Religion Factor
Chapter Seven: Space-Sharing Takeaways
Appendices
Bibliography
Index
About the Author
