Press Release

A JOURNEY OF FAITH THROUGH PHILADELPHIA ON SOUNDABOUTPHILLY.COM
Keepin’ The Faith Debuts On Free Podcast Tour Site

PHILADELPHIA, May 11, 2007 - Even in the 17^th century, Philadelphia had a tolerant approach to religion, thanks to founder William Penn, who had the radical idea that people should be allowed to worship who they want and how they want. The history of Philadelphia’s faithful, still strong and diverse today, is summed up in Keepin’ The Faith, the latest podcast tour on SoundAboutPhilly.com. The tour is the seventh addition to a new site created by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and initiated by The Pew Charitable Trusts, featuring free dynamically mapped and completely customizable sound-seeing tours of the city.

Arch Street Friends Meeting House

Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC

 

• Christ Church: How ironic that lightening struck the replica of King George II of England’s crown that was once perched atop the spire of this Revolutionary War-era church, now also a popular visitor attraction?
• Congregation Rodeph Shalom: As if being the oldest Ashkenazic congregation in the Western Hemisphere isn’t enough history, this magnificent Byzantine-styled synagogue, inspired by the Great Synagogue of Florence, also features displays of historic Judaica.
• Arch Street Meeting House: The only religious sect awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, the centuries-old Quaker influence is still alive and well in Philadelphia.
• First Unitarian Church: Punk rock concerts probably weren’t what minister’s son and architect Frank Furness was thinking when he designed this church, but this diverse congregation embraces everyone and even hosts indie rock concerts.
• Tindley Temple United Methodist Church: Generations of freedom-fighters have chanted “We Shall Overcome,” but few knew that the genius behind it (and dozens of other gospel hymns) was a Philadelphia minister named Reverend Tindley.
• St. Augustine Catholic Church: Anti-Irish arsonists destroyed the original church in 1844. Rebuilt in 1847 and stronger than ever, the church reverberates with the “Our Father,” sung by the Filipino in their native Tagalog language.
• Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church: The burial ground here is a who’s who of 18^th-century movers and shakers. And the church’s history includes music, an appearance in a Hollywood film and even a touch of scandal.
• Masjid Jami’a: After the tragic events of September 11, Philadelphia Muslims found acceptance and tolerance here. Why was Philadelphia different than other cities around the nation? And what is the real Islam all about?

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.

CONTACT:

Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com

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