Material “becomings” and a historical geography of religious experience: Metropolitan Methodism, 1851–1932

Abstract

Using Wesleyan Methodism in London between 1851 and 1932 as its case study, this paper explores the potential methods and outcomes of studying religious spaces as material items. Interested in both the “becoming” of their physical material properties and social meanings, this paper considers how geographical research can engage with debates within material culture studies about the relative importance and consequences of analysing the material qualities or social meanings of material items. This paper also responds to geographical and historical approaches to religious practices that are increasingly interested in individuals’ everyday experiences of religion, suggesting that studying the becoming nature of religious space can provide insights into historical congregational experiences. Finally, reflecting on the inevitable gaps and inconsistencies in historical archives, this paper assesses the methodological possibilities and viability of using material sources and analysis in historical geography.

Conjunctions of Islam: rethinking the geographies of art and piety through the notebooks of Ahmet Süheyl Ünver

“…More importantly, however, Ünver's work also adds a richer historical dimension to our understanding of the geographies of Islam. In contrast to a substantial body of scholarship examining the historical geographies of Christianity or Christian practice, 112 there is relatively little analysis of Islam and Muslim practice. This both reduces our image of Islam to a few obvious markers of visual difference (e.g.…”

Geographical approaches to religion in the past

“…For example, Carmel Mangion (2012) reflected on the material things that moved through Catholic sickrooms and how they contributed to patients' experiences of a holy death. Alternatively, others have considered the materiality of purpose‐built religious spaces (Edensor, 2011; Slatter, 2019a). Engaging with Tim Ingold's (2012) arguments about the constantly changing material qualities of buildings and objects, these approaches have used references to the repair and maintenance of religious spaces to reflect on how changes in their material qualities affected users.…”