Tenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

In a historical context, the word “space” held a geometrical meaning, the idea of empty area (Lefebere, 1991). Space was conceived outside human existence and not considered to play an active role in shaping social life (Hagerstrand, 1952). Research then connected the mind to human spatial behavior, and studies revealed that space was subjectively caught up in social relations, both produced and consumed (Lynch, 1960). As sociologists joined forces with geographers to continue to study space (Hubbard and Kitchen, 2011), space was defined by the perceived, conceived, and lived in (Lefebere, 1991; Soja, 2000). At this point, “place” emerged as a form of “space” (Relph, 1976). “Place” was defined by, and constructed in terms of, the lived experiences of people (Hubbard and Kitchen, 2011). Religious architecture is an attempt to produce a place of connection and to reinforce religious ontological positions in the world where an interaction with the sacred is found and the meaning and significance of human existence are heightened (Barrie, 2010). This case study, the Crystal/Christ Cathedral in Southern California, features a place in motion, a space formally expressed as Protestant but currently defined as Catholic. Findings reveal religious harmonies and distinctions as the space transitions into a place of worship for a specific religious community. The paper invites the contemplation of divine mystery in the built form to encourage a deeper understanding of place formation, our presence in space, and the roles on human life.