Washington National Cathedral
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One of my first studies in the area of religious art and architecture was of the Washington National Cathedral. Although the National Cathedral is the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, it is dedicated to a pan-spiritual view. Their vision is to seek to be a “catalyst for spiritual harmony in our nation, reconciliation among faiths, and compassion in the world.” With regard to “spiritual harmony in out nation,” they did indeed devote some effort to that, displaying the flags of the states, displaying statues of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and dedicating artwork to patriotic themes and American history and accomplishments.
The cathedral, consistent with its vision of “spiritual harmony” has led and participated in Moslim/Christian summits since 2010. In November of 2014, the Cathedral invited Moslims to an Islamic prayer service led by Ebrahim Rasool in the cathedral. Some woman rudely interrupted the service, but was immediately led away.
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