Sanctuary:  Sacred or Safe?

Rev Jonalu Johnstone speaks.  Traditionally, sanctuary is a safe place because it is sacred.  Its sacredness kept soldiers and law enforcers from violating it by seizing people.  With increased secularization and religious pluralism, there’s less agreement on what places are sacred.  At the same time, we can all recognize that some sacred moments are not so safe–the moment of birth, the moment of death.  What’s the relationship between sacredness and safety?  How does it play out in sanctuary?  Convener is Marisa Larson at marisa.larson@gmail.com.