Faith in objects
Book Description
In the early 1900s, American religious communities gathered to witness something extraordinary: massive missionary expositions that brought distant cultures and spiritual practices directly into their neighborhoods. Erin L. Hasinoff uncovers the fascinating story of one such gathering, the World in Boston exposition of 1911, which drew unprecedented crowds and forever changed how Americans encountered faith beyond their own traditions.
This meticulously researched exploration reveals how religious artifacts, cultural displays, and missionary collections became powerful tools for spiritual education and cross-cultural understanding. Drawing from the intersection of anthropology and religious studies, Hasinoff demonstrates how these exhibitions shaped American Christianity while simultaneously influencing how people consumed knowledge about other cultures and belief systems.
For modern spiritual seekers, this work offers valuable insights into how material objects can carry profound religious meaning and how encounters with diverse faith traditions have historically transformed individual and collective spiritual understanding. The book illuminates the complex relationships between evangelism, cultural exchange, and the ways physical artifacts can deepen our comprehension of different spiritual paths.
Through careful examination of this pivotal moment in American religious history, readers discover how public exhibitions of faith created new possibilities for spiritual growth, interfaith dialogue, and the expansion of religious consciousness in an increasingly connected world.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)
📄 Length: 269 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore World in Boston (Exposition) (1911)
- ✓ Explore Missions
- ✓ Explore United states, church history, 20th century
- ✓ Explore RELIGION
- ✓ Explore SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore United states, church history
- ✓ Explore History
