On the practical faith of Frederick Law Olmstead...

[E_Pluribus_Unitarian]

American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead (born in Hartford, CT on April 26 1822) is regarded as the father of urban parks in the United States, designing such spaces as the nation's capitol grounds, Central Park, the park systems of Boston, Chicago, Buffalo, Seattle, Louisville and Rochester, as well as the campus of Stanford University, and pioneering the development of the National Park Service. During the American Civil War he also worked closely with friend Unitarian minister Henry W. Bellows on the United States Sanitary Commission, a precursor to the American Red Cross. Below are links that describe the religious influences on his development of New York's Central Park...

http://www.nycreligion.info/?p=3468

http://www.nycreligion.info/?p=3498

This leads me to wonder if purely secular interests could have pulled off such spectacular works of art? Any thoughts on this?

[trotsky]

1. Why do you think the question should be asked?

Do you think that non-believers are incapable of creating something beautiful?

[cilla4progress]

2. Of course they could!

"Religionists" have no corner on meaning, ethics, even spirituality. I know as a UU (like me) you know this?!

[dmallind]

3. Ermmm

Delius
Shostakovich
Bartok
Janacek
Strauss
Highly probably Brahms and Prokofiev

Just from memory, just from my genre.

So...yes is the answer.