Multi-religious Houses in Postsecular Cities as Sign of the Refiguration of Religion in Late Modernity

Abstract

Contemporary societies are increasingly characterised by secularisation, which leads to dechurching and a pluralisation of religions and worldviews. These dynamics manifest themselves chiefly in post-secular cities. Multi-religious houses of the 21st century reflect these transformation processes. We have seen a growing phenomenon in recent years: multireligious houses of worship have been opening on a regular basis. In Berlin, for instance, the “House of One” is being set up. These spaces aim to inspire interfaith dialogue while also engaging the public life of the city. Their goal is to dispel xenophobic prejudices against people of other religions and to promote social cohesion within a multicultural and multi-religious urban population. Furthermore, they explicitly seek to engage in dialogue with secular individuals in post-secular cities such as Berlin. The architecture should enable transcendental experiences for secular people, offering space for dialogue and rooms for prayer. One could say that the architecture of post-secular sacred buildings is intended not only to serve self-discovery but, above all, to provide a space for dialogue. This could be a sign of the refiguration of religion in societies of late modernity.