European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 7, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                New religion museum by Graham Heathcote the associated press christians jews hindus muslims of Scotland will find themselves represented in a personal Way in a new museum of religious Art history. Their own accounts of their faiths Are being tape not afraid of controversy of 500-year-old Buddhist figure from Tibet is bound for the new museum. Quot Christ of St. John of the Cross Quot by Salvador Dali is probably the Glasgow museums most famous painting. A ceremonial Indian Robe from America s Northwest similar to the Type placed on the Graves of chiefs. Recorded to be shared with visitors at. The museum scheduled to open next fall near the Glasgow Cathedral. Quot we Don t want the museum to be academic Boring but human Lively Quot said Mark o Neill Leader of the project. Quot we want to show How people Pray observe religious customs How the different religions treat birth marriage and  Julian Spaldin director of Glasgow s museums Art galleries believes the museum will be the first of its kind. Quot As far As i can find out it will be the first Public museum of religious Art that takes a Broad look at religion As a whole Quot he said recently while seated at his office in the City s Art gallery museum at Kelvin Grove in Glasgow. Quot there is a museum of religious Art at marburg in Germany but it does not have the Range we will have it in t widely  St. Mungo s museum As it will be known will be located on the upper floors of a three Story building adjoining the 13th-Century Cathedral dedicated to St. Mungo who founded a Church on the site in the sixth Century. The museum has had some fundraising difficulties but o Neill said he was confident it would open in the fall. O Neill said religion is frequently argued about Quot we won t object to a bit of  the museum among other things will Trace How christianity was carried to Scotland by St. Ninian in 397 a.d., romanized in the 1 Ith Century reformed in the 16th Century by calvinist Leader John Knox. Unlike the Church of England the Church of Ireland which Are anglican the Church of Scotland is presbyterian. It has 1,360 self governing churches 800,000 regular worshippers among Scotland s 5 million people. Exhibits for St. Mungo s museum Are coming mainly from the City s collections at Kelvin Grove the Burrell museum the people s Palace which is devoted to the City s history. Many have never been publicly displayed for Lack of space. As an indication of How seriously the director takes the project he will move one of this Century s most important Christian paintings a Salvador Dali s rendering of the crucifixion Christ of is. John of the Cross a from Kelvin Grove to the new museum. The viewer looks Down on Christ who is nailed to a Cross suspended in space above a Lake. The painting is probably the Best known picture in Glasgow is continually reproduced in Christian countries. Yet when it was purchased by Glasgow corporation in 1952, a few months after Dali finished it newspapers challenged the Wisdom of spending 8,200 pounds about $23,000 for what some thought was a sacrilegious work. One angry visitor slashed the painting with a Stone. Other exhibits in the new museum will include a ceremonial Robe from american indians islamic prayer rugs a Buddhist shrine african bronzes. Quot in those areas where our museums Are weakly represented such As hinduism in general islamic everyday life Judaica we Are collecting objects from those communities in Glasgow Quot Spalding said. There will also be references to recent movements in christianity such As mormonism Christian science new age As Well As some material on secular non belief generally in their scottish contexts. Ninian smart an authority on comparative religion professor of religious studies at the University of California Santa Barbara is serving As the new museum s adviser. Spalding said o Neill originated the idea for the museum during a discussion on How the history of Glasgow might be interpreted in new displays at the City s museums. Quot the new building was to be a visitor Center for the Cathedral but it proved too big could t be funded by the friends of the Cathedral so it seemed Ideal for our purpose Quot Spalding said. Quot the friends Are pleased that we have taken it Over they will have the basement Quot he said. Quot the building looks like a scottish Castle a the scottish baronial style a As it is still a Shell we Are putting in the floors  24 stripes Magazine november 7, 1991 a