An Imaginary Israel in Contemporary Germany

The Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary’s Kanaan

Authors

  • George Faithful Saint Louis University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.v23i2.173

Keywords:

spirituality, architecture, Protestantism, monasticism, Germany

Abstract

Built in Germany in the aftermath of World War II, Kanaan is the retreat center of the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary. They opened their Promised Land to outsiders in order to facilitate their collective witness. For the founders of the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, Kanaan was a miracle and a refuge. For their spiritual daughters, it served as a reminder of Christ and of heaven. Yet former members of the group have seen the place as a prison, and guests might perceive it as anything from a source of spiritual sustenance to an evangelistic gimmick. Kanaan’s architecture and artistic representations of the Holy Land are provocative; whether they are persuasive is a matter for individuals to discern, as this reception analysis will demonstrate.

Author Biography

  • George Faithful, Saint Louis University
    George Faithful is a Ph.D. student at Saint Louis University in the United States. He and his wife, Enelia, like to go on long walks with their Shepherd-Beagle mix, Emma. [email protected]

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Published

2010-12-14

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Faithful, G. (2010). An Imaginary Israel in Contemporary Germany: The Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary’s Kanaan. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 23(2), 173-190. https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.v23i2.173