Urban Discoveries Baltimore

One of the benefits of living in the city is proximity to a variety of religious traditions. Baltimore, in particular, has a proud history of tolerance, though the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 only applied to Christians… and even then got nixed by Oliver Cromwell. But! Since then, our religious heritage has been plentiful and heterogeneous. In fact, there are far too many places of worship and religious study even to give a representative sampling, but here is a very small selection of the city’s spiritual loci:

1. Old Otterbein United Methodist Church in the Inner Harbor (112 W. Conway Street), built in 1785, is the oldest church building in Baltimore. It’s also the origin of the United Brethen in Christ. Worship services are Sundays at 11:00 a.m.

2. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Mount Vernon (409 Cathedral Street) is the oldest Catholic Cathedral in America. It may also have the longest name in America. Originally built between 1806 and 1821, the Basilica was recently restored and, whatever your religious inclinations, is a breathtaking example of the architectural mastery of Henry Latrobe. Mass is celebrated there twice or more daily.

3. The Lloyd Street Synagogue in the Inner Harbor (15 Lloyd Street), built in 1845 and renovated in 1876, is the oldest synagogue in Maryland. Now in the possession of the Jewish Museum of Maryland, the synagogue, which over the years has also housed Catholic and Eastern Orthodox congregations, is open for tours at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. (Hours may be restricted this summer due to construction.)

4. The B’nai Israel Synagogue, also in the Inner Harbor (27 Lloyd Street), was built in 1876 and is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in continuous use in Baltimore. B’nai Israel is also owned by the Jewish Museum, though it has services Fridays after sundown and at additional times throughout the weekend.

5. The Masjid ul Haqq Downtown (514 Islamic Way) is the oldest place of worship for Muslims in Baltimore. Originally called Temple No. 6 and operated by the Nation of Islam, the space was renamed and rededicated shortly after the death of Elijah Muhammad. The Masjid is now operated by Sunni Orthodox Muslims and is open for Salat five times daily.

6. There are dozens of Hindu, Buddhist, Pantheist, and Theist meetings, gatherings, and social events in Baltimore––far too many to mention, so I’ll just add this last note for those of you who take your timor mortis black: the Baltimore Secular Humanists don’t have a static location, but they do meet regularly. Their next meeting will be at noon on July 12 at the Orient Restaurant in Towson (319 York Road). They will be discussing an interview with Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University.

Where do you go to get right with whatever you get right with?

Posted in: Downtown, Inner Harbor, Mount Vernon, Things To Do This WeekendNo Comments