NASA History Listserv Readers:
Please join us on Wednesday June 24, 2020, Noon Eastern time, for a brown bag talk entitled “Gateway
to the Stars: Fundamentalism, Space Tourism, and the Cape Canaveral Bible Conference” by Kari Edwards, a Ph.D. candidate in History at the University
of Mississippi—bio and full abstract below. This brown bag talk will take place via
Microsoft Teams. Please contact Nadine Andreassen with any logistical questions.
---Brian Odom
BIO: Kari Edwards is a Ph.D. Candidate in History at the University of Mississippi. She holds a
Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga and a Master of Arts in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi. Her primary area of research is American religion in the 20th century, focusing on Christian fundamentalism
and conflicts between religion and science. She is currently working on her dissertation, which explores the religious history of the Space Race in the United States.
ABSTRACT: In January of 1971, a fundamentalist radio
preacher named Carl McIntire announced his purchase of a large tract of land in Cape Canaveral, Florida. He envisioned building a Christian community called “Gateway to the Stars,” a fundamentalist Bible conference center with a large hotel, condominiums,
restaurants, a Bible college, and everything else like-minded Christian visitors might desire, with the highlight of the complex being its view of Kennedy Space Center’s launch area. McIntire’s devotees and critics alike were puzzled by this concept. What
did NASA, a fundamentalist Bible conference complex, and a Christian-themed Florida vacation spot have in common? Since the earliest days of the Space Race, McIntire preached a consistent message, positioning the fight against the Soviet Union for dominance
in the heavens as a divine mission and NASA’s technological achievements as proof of God’s blessings on America. This presentation will analyze McIntire’s “Gateway to the Stars” community, arguing that it is a unique example of the often precarious marriage
between religion and scientific progress that characterized the Cold War-era American religious landscape.
Brian C. Odom, PhD
NASA History Division (Detail)
Office of Communications
NASA Headquarters
256-541-8974 (cell)
http://history.nasa.gov/
Forward this Message to a Friend »
Subscription Reminder: You're Subscribed to:
[NASA REPORTS]
using the address:
example@example.com
From:
list.admin@aus-city.com
https://aus-city.com
Manage Your Subscription »
or,
Unsubscribe Automatically »