The Project leaves the ragged confines of Philadelphia to journey to nearby Bryn Athyn. I normally wouldn’t do this sort of thing, you know. The suburbs are pretty much anathema to me, especially when it comes to religious architecture. But Bryn Athyn is home to a most unique and interesting specimen: the famous titular cathedral.

It is home to The Bryn Athyn Church, a congregation of the New Church, also known as the General Church of the New Jerusalem. If you’re confused, they’re a Christian denomination that believes the writings of Emmanuel Swedenborg are the Second Coming, and thus are held in equal standing with the Bible. You can find out more on one of their copious tours.

The Bryan Athyn Cathedral itself is a triumph of style over substance, or perhaps more specifically, a triumph of marketing. It’s widely regarded as an architectural marvel, a stunning example of religious construction. That line might work on John Q. Churchgoer, but you’d have to get up pretty early in the morning to pull one over on the Project; after all, we take our religious architecture more seriously than most. Quite frankly, Bryan Athyn doesn’t compare. In fact, it’s barely in the same ballpark as some of the churches we’ve seen.

I’ll grant you that the exterior is wondrous. It’s an enormous stone entity rising out of a couple acres of rolling green suburbia and lush flora. There’s an undeniable power to it, and it just embodies the word “cathedral.” It’s so grand that it wouldn’t seem out of place in Europe.

My real problem lies with the interior, which simply doesn’t match up with the exterior glamour. It’s nowhere near as large as you might think; it’s a decent size, but nothing that makes you think “Cathedral!” And the ornamentation is sorely lacking; the whole place lacks any statuary or frills of any sort, and is excessively, persistently plain. The “renowned” stained glass windows are also a huge disappointment; they’re small and unimaginative. Off the top of my head, I can think of a dozen churches that best it in both size and ornamentation.

You want size? Go to Immaculate Conception. You want ornamentation? Go to St. John the Baptist. Hell, even beleaguered Our Lady of Hope, the "Cathedral on North Broad," is more of a cathedral than this could ever hope to be.

I could go on, but I think my point is clear. Bryn Athyn does some interesting things, but it’s nowhere near the upper-echelon of Philly-area churches—despite what some people might tell you.

Size Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Ornamentation Rating: 7 out of 10

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 crosses

The Cathedral is easily accessible via Huntingdon Pike, and, given the sheer size of the grounds, there is copious space for parking. It’s also probably one of the safest places we’ll see. Take note, however; in the interests of promoting the New Church to outsiders, they’ll pretty much let just about anyone wander around the premises. (Save for those engaging in lewd or lascivious behavior.) You might encounter some dangerous hoboes meandering about, but I wouldn’t let that thought ruin your enjoyment of the views.

Safety Rating: 9.5 out of 10 tire irons

Did you know that the Cathedral was built without using any right angles or straight lines? According to them, “this subtle quality represents the unpredictable path of human growth.” Quirky things like this make me wish the overall package was more impressive.