Cultivating Neighborhood Shalom
Chris Elisara, Studio Lead and Senior Fellow for Placemaking at Ormond Center
Episode 2 - Defining Place
What makes the places where our homes and churches are located distinct and why should this matter to our mandate to seek shalom?
Place is a key element of shalom because our identities are rooted in place and we connect to one another through place. In this episode, Eric and Sara Joy discuss the difference between place and space (and why place isn’t always good and space isn’t always bad), while framing both within a biblical understanding. They also bring in Chris Elisara of Ormond Center to expound on the topic from his own personal experiences.
Links to resources and terms from this episode:
Articles, Books, & Media
First and Main Films: Find out more about the films that Chris Elisara mentions in this interview
Where Mortals Dwell: A Christian View of Place for Today by Craig Bartholomew
“The Work of Local Culture” in Sex, Economy, Freedom & Community: Eight Essays by Wendell Berry
Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America by James and Deborah Fallows
A Christian Theology of Place: Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology by John Inge
Reclaiming Place in a Disengaged World: An Interview with Eric O. Jacobsen in Fuller Magazine: Issue 17
Jeremiah 29:7 "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." (ESV)
Key Terms
Place (and Space)
Hospitality
Placelessness