Visually Sacred: Conversations on the Power of Images

Michael is Professor of Architecture at the University of Hartford. He is the sole author, editor, or contributor to more than 75 books on architecture, including five books for children.
Michael is the recipient of the Edward S. Frey Memorial Award, in Recognition of the Contributions Made to Religion, Art, and Architecture, bestowed by the American Institute of Architects’ Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art, and Architecture. He’s practiced with Centerbrook Architects and Steven Winter Associates and is a registered architect in the State of Connecticut.​​
I spoke with Michael about the relationship between architecture and spirituality, with a focus on sacred architecture and spatial justice. We discussed the historical importance of sacred spaces, the role of inclusivity in design, and how materials and art contribute to meaningful environments. We also explored why accessibility and welcome are essential for sacred spaces if they’re to reflect and effectively serve the diversity of their communities.

Anthony is Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, where he teaches courses in U.S. religious history, gender and sexuality studies, the long 1980s, and visual culture. His most recent book, "Provoking Religion: Sex, Art, and the Culture Wars," examines the history of feminist and queer artists who found themselves caught in the crosshairs of the Christian Right. He is also the author of "After the Wrath of God: AIDS, Sexuality, and American Religion. " Anthony serves as a series editor for the North American Religions book series at NYU Press. Before joining Notre Dame, he was an associate professor of religion at Boston University, where he also served as the NEH Distinguished Teaching Professor and founded the Health Humanities Project.​​
In this conversation, Anthony and I discussed the role of artists in the culture wars of the 80s and 90s and the ongoing relevance of material religion in contemporary art. We also shared thoughts on how artists today continue to engage with religious themes, challenge traditional narratives, and address issues of race, sexuality, and power through their work.

Chris is an Assistant Professor of Religion in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Mississippi State University. He has served as Director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center at the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and has worked at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, the University of Michigan, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, and Wesleyan University. 
Chris’s published work explores the role of liturgy and law in the lives of religious minorities, migration and emplacement, and the question of secularism in relation to religious minority rights. His first monograph is "Liturgical Rights: Armenian Minority Presence in Turkey."​​
In this conversation, I spoke with Chris about the Armenian liturgy and its theological significance. We discussed the distinctions between liturgy and worship and the sensory fullness of Armenian practice. Our conversation also touched on how cultural and historical forces have shaped Armenian visual forms.

Hillary is Associate Professor of anthropology and religion at McGill University, where she holds a William Dawson Chair. She has edited "Everyday Sacred: Religion in Contemporary Quebec" and authored "Walking Where Jesus Walked: American Christians and Holy Land Pilgrimage." Her monograph, "Christian Globalism at Home: Child Sponsorship in the United States," won the 2021 Schaff Prize from the American Society of Church History. She also directs TERA (Technology, Ecology, Religion, Art), a collective of scholars and artists and co-authored the book, "The Artful Naturalist."
In this episode, Hillary and I discuss her research on the devotional power of ordinary objects, the intersections of faith and commerce, and the complex dynamics of child sponsorship networks. We also look at the challenges heritage churches in Quebec face as they adapt to contemporary needs within a secular society, as well as the broader role churches play in urban environments—from zoning and preservation issues to their architectural and historical presence. Our conversation extends to Hillary’s work with the Tera Collective, where art, ecology, and religion meet.

Andrew is a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. He is the managing editor of "Material Religion: the Journal of Objects, Art, and Belief" and the author of "What is Protestant Art?", a short survey of Protestant images and visual cultures from the Reformation to the present. Andrew has published articles on Bible charts, comic book Bibles, and Protestant fundamentalism in America. He is currently working on a project about maps of the "Holy Land" in the Scofield Bible. He also teaches undergraduate classes about the history of religion in the United States, atheism and secularism, and religion and film.
In this episode, I sit down with Andrew to establish the foundations of material religion—what it is, why it matters, and how it’s transforming the study of faith today. He helps map the key debates and methodological commitments shaping the field, emphasizing its inherently interdisciplinary nature and the global perspectives pushing its boundaries. This conversation lays the groundwork for understanding how material forms, ancient and emerging, shape belief, devotion, and religious imagination.