the interfaith forum on religion, art and architecture
For every issue we publish, Faith & Form features one article here on our website. As each new issue is distributed, our home page is updated with the latest featured article. Previously posted articles will remain on the website and will be accessible from this page. Our online article archive goes back to 2006.
The design of retreat centers can help or hinder the experience, an experienced retreatant reflects. It was late into the long, summer afternoon. Sunlight slanted across the meadow from a sky the color of faded blue jeans. I sat on sun-warmed grass, my … [continue]
Gilchrist Hospice Care is Maryland’s largest hospice organization, serving thousands of families annually through its in-patient facilities and at-home hospice care services. Additionally, Gilchrist provides support services for patients’ families during and … [continue]
A retreat is a time, and a place. A religious retreat is a withdrawal from daily life for the purpose of approaching a more meaningful existence. It is a temporary respite from clamor and chaos in exchange for peace and simplicity. It is a separation for … [continue]
Note: you can use your left and right arrow keys to navigate this slideshow. A total of 127 Submissions to the awards program this year represented an increase of about 7 percent over the number of last year’s entrants—good news indeed. One thing that … [continue]
Christ Church’s dramatic transformation of its Neighborhood House into a community asset The transformation of Christ Church’s Neighborhood House in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia powerfully exemplifies the aims of the Sacred Places/Civic Spaces … [continue]
In cities and towns throughout the country, many shrinking congregations have room to spare, while artists are looking for affordable places in which to create. Why not bring them together for mutual benefit? How do congregations with space they are not fully … [continue]
In all the aspects, cultures, and geographies of the Islamic world, one will often hear the term “ummah” in conversation. It is heard in conversations between friends and families. It is heard from the minbar of the mosque at the Friday prayer; heard in … [continue]
The shifting borders between sacred place and secular space This issue’s theme is an exploration of the connections, overlaps, and opportunities between sacred places and the communities in which they live. Such an appraisal demands that we examine how we … [continue]
Philadelphia’s religious building stock is in transition, due in large part to the declining memberships and resources of many congregations, which echoes the situation in cities and towns across the country. The moment a building is sold by a congregation or … [continue]
For over 25 years, senior staff at Partners for Sacred Places have been fielding the question in this article’s headline from congregations across the US, showing varying degrees of experience or capacity for stewardship of their buildings—from strategically … [continue]
