Contents
Essays are listed below according to the class projects in which they were produced. Bold headings represent class project or section title and in most cases link to an introductory essay.
Baptist Historical Sites in Downtown Birmingham (summer 2019)
Avondale’s Religious Life (fall 2019)
- Map of All Religious Sites in Avondale with research notes (updated April 2020)
- South Avondale Baptist Church
- Zion Spring Baptist Church
- Birmingham Friends Meeting
- Beloved Community Church
- The Abbey
- Redeemer Community Church
- Shambhala Meditation Center
- St. Symeon Orthodox Church
- Zion Star A.O.H. Church of God
- Independent Presbyterian Church
Houses of Worship in Birmingham (fall 2019)
- Alabama Buddhist Vihara
- Church of the Highlands, Grants Mill Campus
- First Baptist Church of Birmingham
- Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Birmingham
- Holy Trinity – Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral
- Homewood Masjid
- Hoover Crescent Islamic Center
- Sikh Temple of Alabama
- St. George Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- Temple Beth-El
- Temple Emanu-El
Faces of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama (spring 2020)
- Wales Window for Alabama by John Petts at Sixteenth Street Baptist Church
- Jesus and the Theotokos of St. Theodore at St. Symeon Orthodox Church
- Messiah by He Qi in Davis Library, Samford University
Religious Images in Birmingham, Alabama (fall 2020)
- Chancel Windows by Margaret Gaudin, Mountain Brook Baptist Church
- Christ of the Nations, St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Chapel
- Crucifix at Outdoor Altar, Saint Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Brookside
- Damballah / St. Patrick (Vodou flag or banner) by Joseph Oldof Pierre, Birmingham Museum of Art
- Esther in Saint John’s Bible by Donald Jackson, St. John’s Bible, Heritage Edition, Samford University Library
- Female Power Figure with Nails, Birmingham Museum of Art
- Fred Shuttlesworth by John Rhoden, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
- Ganesha, Silver Coin Indian Grill
- The Good Shepherd, Cathedral of St. Paul (Roman Catholic)
- Justice is Blind, Old South, and New South, Jefferson County Courthouse
- Labyrinth at Trinity United Methodist Church
- Pentecost with Sts. Paul and Francis Xavier, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church
- Peter and John Heal a Man Who Was Lame by D. Jeffrey Mims, College of Health Sciences, Samford University
- Psalm 42 & 121 Window by Columcille Starkey, Mountain Brook Baptist Church
- Reformation Day (Luther at the Wittenberg Door) by Petru Botezatu at Hodges Chapel, Samford University
- Sudhana Visits Avalokitesvara by Kono Bajrei, Birmingham Museum of Art
- Teaching Window by Margaret Gaudin, Mountain Brook Baptist Church
- Three Ministers Kneeling by Raymond Kaskey, Kelly Ingram Park
- Trinity Windows, Chapel at East Lake United Methodist Church
Worship in Birmingham, Alabama, in Spring 2021
- Bethel Baptist Church of Collegeville’s Worship and Preaching
- Cathedral Church of the Advent’s Band-Led Service: A Glimpse into the Heart of the Advent
- Church at Brook Hills’s Easter Worship Service
- Church of the Highlands: “Passionate about God”
- Dawson Memorial Baptist Church’s Sunday Morning Service: Found Faithful as God’s People
- First Christian Church, Sunday Morning Worship: “All Are Welcome as God has Welcomed Us”
- Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, Sunday Worship Service: A Community Standing Stronger Together
- Iron City Church’s Worship Service: Dedication to Education in Unity and Diversity
- Mountain Brook Baptist Church’s Contemporary Worship Service: Worship Across Generations
- Mountaintop Church’s Sunday Worship Service: Keeping it Personal
- Redeemer Community Church’s Easter Worship Service
- Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Sunday Worship: Redefining History and Reaching Community
- St. George Melkite Church’s Liturgies: A Birmingham Community’s Spiritual Journey
- Trinity United Methodist Church’s “Contact” Worship Service: The Second Service
- Vestavia Hills Baptist Church Sunday Worship: Traditional Worship in an Untraditional Building
- Worship with Beloved Community Church during Covid-19: Worship at a Congregation Built on Diversity and Inclusion
Great and Small: Ten Religious Sites in Birmingham (fall 2021)
- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir: A Hindu Presence in Birmingham
- Beth Hallel Messianic Synagogue: Messianic Jewish Worship, Beliefs, and Service Structure
- Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church: A Landmark Church and Center for the Latin Mass in Birmingham
- Cahaba River Sangha: An Online Meditation Community
- Cathedral of Saint Paul: Enriching Faith and Community Through Music
- Knesseth Israel Congregation: The Only Orthodox Synagogue in Alabama
- Latter-day Saints in Birmingham: Sunday Gatherings and Beliefs
- Muslim Garden: An Islamic Cemetery in Birmingham
- Saint Elias Maronite Catholic Church: History, Liturgy, and Architecture
- West Side Masjid
Woodlawn’s Religious Landscape (fall 2022)
- Church of the Highlands, Woodlawn Campus
- Corpus Christi Faith Church
- Grace Episcopal Church
- Groveland Baptist Church: Emphasizing the Communal Aspect of Christianity in Woodlawn
- Holy Rosary Catholic Church: A Church for the Community
- Woodlawn United Methodist Church
Praise Bands, Weekly Communion, and Traditions: Worship in Birmingham, Alabama, (spring 2023)
- The Abbey, Sunday Worship (Episcopal): Enacting Community
- Auburn Community Church, Birmingham: Relentless Pursuit
- Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Sunday Worship: A Beautiful Culture of Excellence
- Canterbury United Methodist Church’s Contemporary Worship Service: Individual Relationships in Community
- Covenant Presbyterian Church (forthcoming)
- Christ Fellowship Church: Worshipping as God’s People
- The Church at Brook Hills’s Good Friday Service: Corporate Confession and Hope
- Double Oak Community Church, Mt. Laurel: A Church that Values Community
- First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, Sanctuary Service: More Than a Building: Using History to Focus on the Future
- King’s Way’s Sunday Service: Making Room for the Holy Spirit
- Restoration Anglican Church’s Pre-Launch Gathering: True to Its Name
- Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Smithfield, Sunday Worship: One Big Christ-Led Family
- Sardis Missionary Baptist Church, Sunday Worship: Transformation in Tradition
- Shades Mountain Baptist Church: Like You Never Left Home
Saints Honored in Birmingham (fall 2023)
- Athanasius in Hodges Chapel: Egyptian Defender of Christ’s Divinity
- Augustine in Hodges Chapel: The Greatest Father of Africa
- Basil of Caesarea in Holy Trinity – Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral: More than “Just Another Saint”
- Fred Shuttlesworth at Legal Services Building in Birmingham: Warrior and Shepherd
- John Bunyan in Hodges Chapel: From Religious Critic to Christian Enthusiast
- John Calvin in Hodges Chapel: An Icon of An Iconoclast
- John Knox in Hodges Chapel: The Great Scottish Reformer
- John Leland in Hodges Chapel: An Early American Who Made Dreams of Religious Freedom Come True
- John Lewis Mural in Birmingham: Fight for the Beloved Community
- John Wesley in Hodges Chapel: Model of How to Live out the Christian Life
- Lottie Moon in Hodges Chapel: The Pioneer Missionary Woman
- Martin Luther in Hodges Chapel: The Fire of the Reformation
- Saint Patrick in the Cathedral of St. Paul: The Irish Savior
- Thomas Aquinas in Hodges Chapel: The Legacy of the Angelic Doctor
- Thomas Cranmer in Hodges Chapel: Reformer, then Martyr
- Toyohiko Kagawa in Hodges Chapel: A Servant Leader
Memorials and the Future (spring 2024)
- Brother Bryan and Birmingham: How One Minister Changed Thousands of Lives
- The First Alabama-Auburn Game Historical Marker: The History and Impact of the Greatest Rivalry in American Sports
- Freedom Riders: The Unity of Black and White Youth in Birmingham
- George Whitefield in Hodges Chapel: The Forgotten Founding Father
- J. S. Bach, Albert Schweitzer and Music Today
- Mark of Ephesus in St. Symeon Orthodox Church: Faithful Orthodox Christian Behind Bars
- Mr. Beeson and his Philanthropy
- Nina Miglionico: Pioneer for Equality
- Ralph Waldo Beeson: A Samford Legacy
- Raphael of Brooklyn: First Eastern Orthodox Bishop Consecrated in America
- Sun Ra: Birmingham’s Citizen from Saturn
- Temple Beth-El Bombing Attempt
- Unity Mural at My Sister’s Closet: Women Championing Unity in Birmingham
- Vulcan: The Great Impact That Vulcan and Mines Had on Birmingham
- Willie Mays at Regions Field: An Unyeilding Spirit
Reference Maps
These maps were created for Samford students, most of whom are Protestant, to assist them in selecting congregations to visit which are outside their religious tradition.
- Map of Catholic, Orthodox, Unitarian, and LDS Houses of Worship
- Map of Synagogues, Temples, and Mosques
Indexes
Updated May 4, 2024
Magic City Religion 