Suburbs vs. Downtown Mosaics of Sacred Space

NEW GEOGRAPHY
By Aaron M. Renn

Indiana World War Memorial in downtown Indianapolis is example of Sacred Space.

INDIANA---Suburbs are often unfairly maligned as lacking the qualities that make cities great. But one place that criticism can be fair is in the area of sacred space. There most certainly is sacred space in the suburbs, but usually less of it than in the city both quantitatively and qualitatively. In fact, the comparative lack of sacred space is one of the distinguishing characteristics of the suburb that makes it “sub” urban, that is, in a sense lesser than the city. What Is Sacred Space? The key to sacred space is the linkage to the transcendent. That is, sacred space connects us to something beyond or bigger than our surroundings, our present existence, and even ourselves. Here are three ways sacred space can do that. [link]