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Foreword In my introduction to Ira Zepp's earlier edition of this book, I claimed that he had taken a risk in claiming that a religious world (the Enclosed Mall Air Conditioned Centers (EMACs)) was camouflaged by 20th-century technology. I also indicated that the book would spark considerable debate about the religious dimensions of the malling of America. In fact, ZeppS risk proved to be a wise one, as the book was read from coast to coast and a widespread debate took place in both the academic and popular press. Review comments poured in from the L.A. Times Mirror, the Statesman-Journal (Salem, Oregon), The Christian Centuy, theJoumal o f the Histo y of Religions, The Wodd and I, The National Catholic Reporter, and many more. Some reviewers were rattled by Zepp's insights, as, for instance,"If there is somethingslightly pathetic and even honifylngabout the notion of the shopping mall as the spiritualcenter of American life, Zepp is too reticent - or too compassionate- tosayso."Some were pious, as in, "If he had bothered to . . . probe the depth of the . . . motivations of the average mall developer . . . Zepp would have discovered the quantitative difference, noted by most, between approaching a shopping mall and approaching the Lord"! Still another renewer gave Zepp the special kudo that he had written a book that would change our perspective on the phenomenon of malls, as in, "You'll never look at mall domes, fountains, skylights and events the same after reading Zepp." Another writer deepened the claim with," A profound and refreshingwork that allows us to see a commonplace of contemporary life in an utterly unexpectedway." So I invite you all to enter into this expanded edition, which shows Zepp both firmer and wiser in his comparison between traditional ceremonial centers and EMACs, but now also airpolts and ballparks! There is indeed a fresh and important perspective revealed in the second edition of The New Religious Image o f U&an Amaica: The Shopping Mall as Ceremonial Center. I could do no better than end by quoting what the distinguished urban ecologist and chair of the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago wrote to me after reading the first edition: "Did you put Ira Zepp up to writing about the shopping mall as a ceremonial center? If so, it's about the best thmg you could have done. He has treated the malling of America in a way that would simply not have occurred to any of the professionalurbanistswho plan such complexes-rather as if an ornithologist had thrown entirely new light on the sparrow instead of studyingsome exotic denizen of the Amazon."In fact, I didn't put Ira Zepp up to it. He put me up to studying sacred space years ago and continues to share new light with those who read him. DAV~D CARRASCO Princeton University Spring 1996 ...

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