Loudoun's Quilt of Faith, an inter-faith oral history project begun in 2008, explores the importance of religion in the lives
of Loudoun County residents. The collection includes digital and print photographs, digitized interviews, and church brochures.
Processed by Beth Schuster, 27 September 2008. Updated by Beth Schuster, 25 November 2008. Updated by Carolyn Jackson, 23
July 2009. Updated by Carolyn Jackson, 2 June 2010
Loudoun's Quilt of Faith, an inter-faith oral history project begun in 2008, explores the importance of religion in the lives
of Loudoun County residents. Conceptualized as part of a national oral history project, America's Quilt of Faith, Loudoun's
Quilt of Faith is currently the only active component. Project founder and Loudoun County resident Christopher Stevenson,
a physicist, teacher, and engineer by training, was inspired by what he sees as the exceptional role religion played, and
continues to play, in the cultural and political life of the United States.
Stevenson points to the United States of America's unique religious experience as fundamental in allowing the emergence of
America's twenty-first century religious landscape. He also sees the United States' religious experience as markedly different
from the rest of the world -- both advanced and developing nations -- where absence of practicing faith and/or lack of tolerance
and religious diversity are hallmarks.
Building on the survey work of institutions like the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the 2008 American Religious
Identification Survey, Stevenson seeks to capture a snapshot of the diversity of the American religious experience in a narrative
format. He developed a template of twenty-eight questions, ranging from salvation and sin to evangelism to the role of religion
in revitalizing American families, to which both leaders and congregants of religious communities were asked to respond.
These interviews were digitally audio-recorded. In addition, Stevenson and photographer Kim Graham and Heather Lindsey attended
worship services, during which Graham photographed congregations actively practicing their faith.
The collection includes digital and print photographs, digitized interviews, and church brochures. It is an open collection;
additional materials will be added as they are completed.
Completed:
Bethany United Methodist Church, Purcellville
St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Purcellville
St. James Episcopal Church, Leesburg
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Purcellville
King of Kings Worship Center, Purcellville
Northern Virginia Baha'i Center, Sterling
All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), Sterling
Abundant Life Church of God, Hamilton
Hamilton Baptist Church, Hamilton
Hamilton Ward - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Hamilton
America's Quilt of Faith, http://www.americasquiltoffaith.org/index.html, accessed 15 September 2008.
Stevenson, Christopher, interview and correspondence with Beth Schuster, September, 2008
America's Quilt of Faith, http://www.americasquiltoffaith.org/index.html, accessed 15 September 2008.
Stevenson, Christopher, interview and correspondence with Beth Schuster, September, 2008
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