Hillary Kaell: Material Religion Across Borders

Hillary is Associate Professor of anthropology and religion at McGill University, where she holds a William Dawson Chair. She has edited "Everyday Sacred: Religion in Contemporary Quebec" and authored "Walking Where Jesus Walked: American Christians and Holy Land Pilgrimage." Her monograph, "Christian Globalism at Home: Child Sponsorship in the United States," won the 2021 Schaff Prize from the American Society of Church History. She also directs TERA (Technology, Ecology, Religion, Art), a collective of scholars and artists and co-authored the book, "The Artful Naturalist."In this episode, Hillary and I discuss her research on the devotional power of ordinary objects, the intersections of faith and commerce, and the complex dynamics of child sponsorship networks. We also look at the challenges heritage churches in Quebec face as they adapt to contemporary needs within a secular society, as well as the broader role churches play in urban environments—from zoning and preservation issues to their architectural and historical presence. Our conversation extends to Hillary’s work with the Tera Collective, where art, ecology, and religion meet.