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In this episode, our host, Lauren H Griffin along with special guests Rabbi Jana De Benedetti and Dr. Mari Rethelyi, discuss how Jewish spaces in Shreveport serve as an ideal case study to complicate popular definition of “religion.” While listening you’ll discover that B’nai Zion Congregation provides considerable evidence of the inseparability of culture, politics, and religion.
Founded in 1861, the B’nai Zion Congregation is one of the oldest Jewish communities in Louisiana. The art and architecture of B’nai Zion and its cemeteries tell a story of civic leadership, acceptance, and growth, as well as one challenged by assimilation, antisemitism, and stagnation.
In this episode, our host Lauren H Griffin, interviews Father Jason Vidrine who takes her on a tour of the church while explaining the rich history of the Acadians. While listening, you will discover how social formations that happen in typically “private” spaces, like church, have a huge impact on public life.
Referred to as the Mother Church of the Acadians, the art and architecture of St. Martin de Tours reveals the inseparability of religious, ethnic, and national identity as well as the role of the state in shaping conceptions of ethnic identity.
In this episode, out host Lauren H Griffin tours the iconic St. Patrick’s Church in New Orleans LA while talking with Father Garrett Obrien. Listen to explore the interesting history of this Irish Catholic church in a city known for its French and Spanish history.
The establishment of St. Patrick’s Church shows how language can be a driving force for the establishment of a church community, and how local identity is shaped by language and national identity for immigrant communities.