"SACRED SPACES: MORE THAN STEEL AND STONE," AN INTERFAITH RELIGION SPECIAL ABOUT OUR PLACES OF WORSHIP, TO BE BROADCAST SUNDAY, JUNE 19 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

            SACRED SPACES: MORE THAN STEEL AND STONE, an interfaith religion special about our places of worship, will be broadcast, Sunday, June 19 (8:00-8:30 AM, ET; 5:00-5:30 AM, PT) on the CBS Television Network.

            The program looks at how churches, temples and mosques are used for the rituals of these various faiths. It explores what makes a space designed for worship become a sacred space, helping inspire a connection to the divine. We visit various sites across the U.S. and speak with clergy, professors, historians, and a liturgical designer each adding understanding and depth to the insights. 

            We visit mega churches, with their very large and growing Protestant congregations.  In addition, the program attends a Friday Prayer Service at the Islamic Cultural Center''s Mosque and are aided in our understanding by Imam Ishmael Shuaib.  The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles is seen along with Temple B''nai Jeshurun, and Temple Israel in New York.  The Pastor, Rev. Heidi Neumark of Trinity Lutheran Church in New York City, helps us experience the various outreach programs that some churches have developed to serve the community; programs that are not liturgical but more educational and charitable.

            This is a richly illustrated tour of varied sacred spaces.  Judith Dupre, author of Churches, gives us perspective about Christian sacred spaces, insights that go beyond steel and stone.  Rev. Richard Vosko, a major Liturgical Designer, adds detail and explores -- why the people, and their intent -- is what makes a place sacred.  Jerrilyn Dodds (professor of Architectural History and Theory at City College of New York),  author of New York Masjid: Mosques of New York, helps us understand how mosques differ from other religious sites.  Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman of Hebrew Union College, presents the history and meanings at the center of various Jewish rituals, and adds insights about the sacred landscapes of other faiths here in the USA.

             John P. Blessington is the executive producer of the special; Liz Kineke is the producer.  It is being produced with the cooperation of the National Council of Churches, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Jewish Theological Seminary and the Southern Baptist Broadcast Communication Group.

To order a copy of the program, call 1-800-494-6007. $19.95 plus $4.95 s/h.

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