RE 173: Space, Place, and Religion

Where does religion happen? Why are people so interested in and protective of religious spaces? This class examines the ways that people experience and live religion through interactions with particular spaces and places. We will examine the nature of “sacred space” and why religion, which is considered by many to be relatively abstract, is in fact often grounded in geography at the intersection between the physical and the spiritual realms. Covering religions from across the globe and their interactions across space and time, we will examine the ways that religions interact, develop, and establish themselves in new locations and with new peoples and cultures. We will also look at how various religions understand and interact with the environment.