The Separation of Spiritual and State Affairs:
Secular and Non-Secular Influences on New York
The waves of the Upper Bay beat against the side of the ferry as I sat and watched the city diminish on the horizon. The cold wind rushed against my face as mist and foam whipped my red face. I smile as the shadow of the Statue passes over the boat, and the engine dims to a gentle hum. A voice floods through the speaker system mumbling, “Liberty Island.” People funnel out of the exits and disperse over the island’s green grasses. My family and I quickly scurry towards the star shaped base of the giant green woman. My sisters and I lean our heads back in awe as we admire her watching over the whole city like a guardian of all the citizens. Her facial expression is warm and welcoming as well as stern and serious. My little sister, flabbergasted by the torch towering above the Statue’s head and the crowns pointed edges, holds up her tiny arm to imitate the same posture as the Statue. To us tourists, this is just a wonderful example of architecture. But for people of the past, the Statue of Liberty was a sign of hope and new lives. She symbolized freedom, independence, and strength, as boats full of immigrants would pass her on the way to Ellis Island.To a child like me, she was just a spectacular statue, but to thousands before me she was more than a statue; she was a sign of promise and prosperity.
I chose to study both the secular and nonsecular influences of culturally powerful sites around New York. After reading “Black Star Lines: Home to Harlem,” an essay by Christina Zanfagna in the “Non-Stop Metropolis: A New York City Atlas" anthology. I was inspired by the sacred influences in Harlem to research further how places can be seen as both secular and sacred. In her essay, Zanfagna touches on the importance of religion and music in Harlem, and how those two subjects have transformed it from a slum, to a place of cultural influence. Many famous performers have debuted in the theatres there, hundreds of new families have been started there, and multiple religions have practiced throughout the entirety of the borough. These stories, places, and people all inspired me to ask my core question: How and why can we see iconic sites in New York, such as the Statue of Liberty, as both secular and sacred? I dove into this question because I believe that every significant structure or site has both a religious and non-religious influence. My goal of this project has been to help the reader be able to understand the spiritual and cultural significance of sites in New York City, such as the Statue of Liberty, and other sites around the world.
One of the most important aspects of understanding this project is knowing what Secularism is. The National Secular Society defines it as, “The separation of religion and state is the foundation of secularism. It ensures that religious groups don't interfere in affairs of state, and makes sure the state doesn't interfere in religious affairs.” (What is Secularism?) The reason behind secularism playing such a large role in the shaping of my essay is that it separates, but doesn’t segregate, the religious and cultural impact of a site or organization. Places such as churches, memorials, and statues may have a religious impact on some people, but they might just be a piece of art or a forefront in architecture for others. As cities and towns continue to expand, more and more places will continue to have a sacred influence on the population of that town. What makes these new places sacred to people is that they promise opportunity.
A place that encompasses sacred and secular aspects is the Apollo Theatre. Founded in 1934, the theatre was was opened in Harlem initially for black performers to entertain a black audience. At the time, this was not abnormal, but it still demonstrates the segregation of blacks and the whites. However, as more and more black musicians and artists made their debuts, starstruck careers began for the African American culture of Harlem. Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Cosby, and Billie Holiday are just a few of the big names who made their debuts in the Apollo Theatre in front of an all black crowd. As these musicians continued to make fantastic music, more and more white people from around New York became a part of the audience in order to enjoy the beauty of their music. Unfortunately, there was tension between the black Harlem residents and white audience members. This tension was caused because the African Americans felt like the white people were invading something that they considered sacred to their culture. But, they endured and slowly the audience became integrated. Some of the most important nights for the Apollo Theatre were Amatuer Nights. Amatuer Nights allowed for upcoming singers and artists to perform in front of a accepting and broad audience for their first time in an environment that could give them a good job as an entertainer. Amatuer Night is a tradition that continues from the 30’s into today. Nowadays, the audience have their say in who’s in and who’s out, narrowing down the talent that enters into the Apollo Theatre. These nights have become traditions to some people, coming to enjoy live music, communal bonding, and an amazing night in one of the most magical places on earth. In 2005, the Apollo Theatre was given a new slogan due to its rich history of creating careers for Harlem entertainers: “Where stars are born and legends are made” (Apollo Theatre) Although most obviously the Apollo Theatre is a secular site, it has a spiritual presence in the history and living legacy of Harlem. In other words, it has shaped its residents to enjoy the beauty of music and embrace the mixed cultures of all of its citizens. This is only one of the many sites in New York that has a secular and a sacred aura. One of the best examples of these New York sites is the Statue of Liberty.
In 1865, Edouard de Laboulaye, a French author and jurist, believed that the United States needed a monument to represent their freedom. In 1875, renowned artist Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was given the task of designing a sculpture to be finished in 1876--the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. During our fight for liberation against the British, France was our closest ally. The statue was to be a momentous gesture of kindness. And thus, the plan went into action. The French and the Americans came to the agreement that the Americans would build the base for the statue that the French were going to build. The one issue with the whole idea was that both countries lacked the money to build their parts of the deal. France started to hold public events and also tax the public while Americans held auctions, plays, and many other events to raise money. This collective effort from both sides then allowed for the Statue to be paid for and built by each nation. The French were able to create a large copper structure in the shape of a woman holding a book and a torch while America created a pedestal on an island in New York. The French shipped the sculpture in over 350 pieces in a total of 214 crates. On October 22, 1886, the Statue was finished and dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The Statue grew to become one of the most iconic symbols for America as a surge of immigration began to happen in the United States from the 1880’s through the 1920’s (“Statue History”). As boats would enter into the North Bay on their way to Ellis Island, all of the passengers would see first the Statue before any other land. Her torch would light the entrance to the land of freedom for all of the different people coming into the country from around the world. It also was a way for people to be unified under a single object as an American citizen. The Statue of Liberty evokes a sense of great pride and promise to those who visit it today and will continue to for centuries because it shows both a secular and spiritual importance to immigrants and their families. The Statue carries the stories of millions of immigrants as they came from different countries into America whilst also being a sign of our freedom.
Another thing that brings people together in all societies is sports. I have been fortunate enough to grow up in a household in which we have favorite sports teams and we watch them religiously. For example, my dad and I are very big USC Trojan football fans, so every game we will sit down and scream at the TV as mistakes are made or touchdowns are scored. The Yankees and the Mets are two giants in Major League Baseball, and they have influenced the city for the better through uniting people across all racial, economic, and geographic diversity. There is a core idea created by a man named Emile Durkheim, a French philosopher and and physiologist called collective effervescence. Explaining Durkheim's beliefs, Professor Paul Carl writes in his essay on collective effervescence in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Collective effervescence refers to moments in societal life when the group of individuals that makes up a society comes together in order to perform a religious ritual” (Carls). One place in New York that embodies both sacred and secular influences in the world of sports is Shea Stadium. Built in 1964, Shea Stadium was one of the pioneers of multi-purpose ball parks. It was a blueprint for what other stadiums would have to live up to because it was the first all-concrete stadium. The issue with the Mets making this New Stadium was that their franchise moved. The Mets used to play in stadium, Polo Grounds, which was in what was considered the “black slums” of New York. Currently, there are housing projects down by Polo Grounds that house up to 1,600 low income families in apartments. But when Shea Stadium was built, the franchise moved to a suburb, north of New York City where they could overcharge for parking and build a bigger stadium. “‘This was the transition from a world in which teams owned and built their own stadiums to a world in which all stadiums were subsidized,’ said Stanford economics professor Roger Noll” (qtd. in Akers). This team's movement changed the entirety of the fanbase of the franchise, because the team left from its fan base in the poorer parts of New York in order to make it big in the rich areas of New York.
I believe that this change in location also changed the complete fanbase of the New York Mets from a poor African American majority to upper-middle class white majority. For the devout fans of the poorer neighborhood, it became nearly impossible for them to commute to the new stadium. Even if they were even able to get there, the inflation in prices of the stadium’s commodities made for an unaffordable experience. Another way that the Mets franchise abused their new stadium for profit was through isolation. They ensured no small businesses around the stadium could take profit away from the stadium’s infrastructure. The stadium would sell food, drink, and merchandise inside its own walls to ensure that all of the profit from the area came to them. But still, Shea Stadium established its prowess as a place of entertainment, passion, and cultural importance to New York citizens (Akers). The stadium became an inter-generational tradition to some families. This connection between past and present, parents bringing their kids back to the stadium that they would visit when they were kids to support the same team, is a cultural phenomenon. Shea Stadium has become a great example of collective effervescence. The crowds that come back year after year, generation after generation, all to share their experiences with one another and bring back some of the best memories of their lives with their families.These emotions of the crowd show how building can go from being just another building to being sacred in some people's eyes.
As the world continues to change and gentrification continues to occur in New York, humankind will continue to spiritually evolve. New places will be seen as sacred, and current sacred places will be destroyed or become insignificant. But what is important is that we as a population are able to take in both the secular and sacred influence of all of these sites, and know that to one person it may just be a building, but to others it could be seen as their heavenly abode. If there is one thing that the reader should take away, it is that many secular sites have an impact to someone on a spiritual level. I find Butterfly Beach as a sacred place to me and my family because it was where I learned to swim, where my sisters and I would go everyday during summer, and it has always been one of the most beautiful places in Santa Barbara. So to others, Butterfly Beach is just a beach, but to me, it is a place of spiritual importance and family connection.
I chose to study both the secular and nonsecular influences of culturally powerful sites around New York. After reading “Black Star Lines: Home to Harlem,” an essay by Christina Zanfagna in the “Non-Stop Metropolis: A New York City Atlas" anthology. I was inspired by the sacred influences in Harlem to research further how places can be seen as both secular and sacred. In her essay, Zanfagna touches on the importance of religion and music in Harlem, and how those two subjects have transformed it from a slum, to a place of cultural influence. Many famous performers have debuted in the theatres there, hundreds of new families have been started there, and multiple religions have practiced throughout the entirety of the borough. These stories, places, and people all inspired me to ask my core question: How and why can we see iconic sites in New York, such as the Statue of Liberty, as both secular and sacred? I dove into this question because I believe that every significant structure or site has both a religious and non-religious influence. My goal of this project has been to help the reader be able to understand the spiritual and cultural significance of sites in New York City, such as the Statue of Liberty, and other sites around the world.
One of the most important aspects of understanding this project is knowing what Secularism is. The National Secular Society defines it as, “The separation of religion and state is the foundation of secularism. It ensures that religious groups don't interfere in affairs of state, and makes sure the state doesn't interfere in religious affairs.” (What is Secularism?) The reason behind secularism playing such a large role in the shaping of my essay is that it separates, but doesn’t segregate, the religious and cultural impact of a site or organization. Places such as churches, memorials, and statues may have a religious impact on some people, but they might just be a piece of art or a forefront in architecture for others. As cities and towns continue to expand, more and more places will continue to have a sacred influence on the population of that town. What makes these new places sacred to people is that they promise opportunity.
A place that encompasses sacred and secular aspects is the Apollo Theatre. Founded in 1934, the theatre was was opened in Harlem initially for black performers to entertain a black audience. At the time, this was not abnormal, but it still demonstrates the segregation of blacks and the whites. However, as more and more black musicians and artists made their debuts, starstruck careers began for the African American culture of Harlem. Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Cosby, and Billie Holiday are just a few of the big names who made their debuts in the Apollo Theatre in front of an all black crowd. As these musicians continued to make fantastic music, more and more white people from around New York became a part of the audience in order to enjoy the beauty of their music. Unfortunately, there was tension between the black Harlem residents and white audience members. This tension was caused because the African Americans felt like the white people were invading something that they considered sacred to their culture. But, they endured and slowly the audience became integrated. Some of the most important nights for the Apollo Theatre were Amatuer Nights. Amatuer Nights allowed for upcoming singers and artists to perform in front of a accepting and broad audience for their first time in an environment that could give them a good job as an entertainer. Amatuer Night is a tradition that continues from the 30’s into today. Nowadays, the audience have their say in who’s in and who’s out, narrowing down the talent that enters into the Apollo Theatre. These nights have become traditions to some people, coming to enjoy live music, communal bonding, and an amazing night in one of the most magical places on earth. In 2005, the Apollo Theatre was given a new slogan due to its rich history of creating careers for Harlem entertainers: “Where stars are born and legends are made” (Apollo Theatre) Although most obviously the Apollo Theatre is a secular site, it has a spiritual presence in the history and living legacy of Harlem. In other words, it has shaped its residents to enjoy the beauty of music and embrace the mixed cultures of all of its citizens. This is only one of the many sites in New York that has a secular and a sacred aura. One of the best examples of these New York sites is the Statue of Liberty.
In 1865, Edouard de Laboulaye, a French author and jurist, believed that the United States needed a monument to represent their freedom. In 1875, renowned artist Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was given the task of designing a sculpture to be finished in 1876--the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. During our fight for liberation against the British, France was our closest ally. The statue was to be a momentous gesture of kindness. And thus, the plan went into action. The French and the Americans came to the agreement that the Americans would build the base for the statue that the French were going to build. The one issue with the whole idea was that both countries lacked the money to build their parts of the deal. France started to hold public events and also tax the public while Americans held auctions, plays, and many other events to raise money. This collective effort from both sides then allowed for the Statue to be paid for and built by each nation. The French were able to create a large copper structure in the shape of a woman holding a book and a torch while America created a pedestal on an island in New York. The French shipped the sculpture in over 350 pieces in a total of 214 crates. On October 22, 1886, the Statue was finished and dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The Statue grew to become one of the most iconic symbols for America as a surge of immigration began to happen in the United States from the 1880’s through the 1920’s (“Statue History”). As boats would enter into the North Bay on their way to Ellis Island, all of the passengers would see first the Statue before any other land. Her torch would light the entrance to the land of freedom for all of the different people coming into the country from around the world. It also was a way for people to be unified under a single object as an American citizen. The Statue of Liberty evokes a sense of great pride and promise to those who visit it today and will continue to for centuries because it shows both a secular and spiritual importance to immigrants and their families. The Statue carries the stories of millions of immigrants as they came from different countries into America whilst also being a sign of our freedom.
Another thing that brings people together in all societies is sports. I have been fortunate enough to grow up in a household in which we have favorite sports teams and we watch them religiously. For example, my dad and I are very big USC Trojan football fans, so every game we will sit down and scream at the TV as mistakes are made or touchdowns are scored. The Yankees and the Mets are two giants in Major League Baseball, and they have influenced the city for the better through uniting people across all racial, economic, and geographic diversity. There is a core idea created by a man named Emile Durkheim, a French philosopher and and physiologist called collective effervescence. Explaining Durkheim's beliefs, Professor Paul Carl writes in his essay on collective effervescence in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Collective effervescence refers to moments in societal life when the group of individuals that makes up a society comes together in order to perform a religious ritual” (Carls). One place in New York that embodies both sacred and secular influences in the world of sports is Shea Stadium. Built in 1964, Shea Stadium was one of the pioneers of multi-purpose ball parks. It was a blueprint for what other stadiums would have to live up to because it was the first all-concrete stadium. The issue with the Mets making this New Stadium was that their franchise moved. The Mets used to play in stadium, Polo Grounds, which was in what was considered the “black slums” of New York. Currently, there are housing projects down by Polo Grounds that house up to 1,600 low income families in apartments. But when Shea Stadium was built, the franchise moved to a suburb, north of New York City where they could overcharge for parking and build a bigger stadium. “‘This was the transition from a world in which teams owned and built their own stadiums to a world in which all stadiums were subsidized,’ said Stanford economics professor Roger Noll” (qtd. in Akers). This team's movement changed the entirety of the fanbase of the franchise, because the team left from its fan base in the poorer parts of New York in order to make it big in the rich areas of New York.
I believe that this change in location also changed the complete fanbase of the New York Mets from a poor African American majority to upper-middle class white majority. For the devout fans of the poorer neighborhood, it became nearly impossible for them to commute to the new stadium. Even if they were even able to get there, the inflation in prices of the stadium’s commodities made for an unaffordable experience. Another way that the Mets franchise abused their new stadium for profit was through isolation. They ensured no small businesses around the stadium could take profit away from the stadium’s infrastructure. The stadium would sell food, drink, and merchandise inside its own walls to ensure that all of the profit from the area came to them. But still, Shea Stadium established its prowess as a place of entertainment, passion, and cultural importance to New York citizens (Akers). The stadium became an inter-generational tradition to some families. This connection between past and present, parents bringing their kids back to the stadium that they would visit when they were kids to support the same team, is a cultural phenomenon. Shea Stadium has become a great example of collective effervescence. The crowds that come back year after year, generation after generation, all to share their experiences with one another and bring back some of the best memories of their lives with their families.These emotions of the crowd show how building can go from being just another building to being sacred in some people's eyes.
As the world continues to change and gentrification continues to occur in New York, humankind will continue to spiritually evolve. New places will be seen as sacred, and current sacred places will be destroyed or become insignificant. But what is important is that we as a population are able to take in both the secular and sacred influence of all of these sites, and know that to one person it may just be a building, but to others it could be seen as their heavenly abode. If there is one thing that the reader should take away, it is that many secular sites have an impact to someone on a spiritual level. I find Butterfly Beach as a sacred place to me and my family because it was where I learned to swim, where my sisters and I would go everyday during summer, and it has always been one of the most beautiful places in Santa Barbara. So to others, Butterfly Beach is just a beach, but to me, it is a place of spiritual importance and family connection.
Works Cited:
Akers, W.M. "Shea Stadium Is Gone, but Its Impact on Ballparks Lives On." Sports on Earth. 26 Sept.
2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.
Popik, Barry. "Double-Tongued Word Wrester Dictionary." The Big Apple. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.
"Statue History" The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty, Web. 2 Mar. 2017.
Weingarten, Christopher R. "Amateur Night at the Apollo: Behind the Boos." Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.
Akers, W.M. "Shea Stadium Is Gone, but Its Impact on Ballparks Lives On." Sports on Earth. 26 Sept.
2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2017.
Popik, Barry. "Double-Tongued Word Wrester Dictionary." The Big Apple. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.
"Statue History" The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty, Web. 2 Mar. 2017.
Weingarten, Christopher R. "Amateur Night at the Apollo: Behind the Boos." Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.