This glaring white formation is a symbolic creation, representing the “heavenly Jerusalem”, or “Zion” for a local community of Zionist Christians (as opposed to Christian Zionists: the latter believe the modern state of Israel is playing a role in the fulfilment of a Biblical prophecy; the former is the biggest Christian denomination in South Africa). It serves a more practical purpose as a gathering space for believers who don’t have an expensive church building in which to meet.
Stepping into such a circle doesn’t require any special effort – there are no fences or alarm systems – and there is no immediate sensation of a sense of the past rushing up to meet you. If you’re there alone, it’s the visual impact of the structure that is most striking.
It’s an unnatural form that nevertheless complements the landscape. And when the congregants who built it are gathered in their robes, it appears to take on a solidity in excess of what you’d expect, given its design.
In the same way that any other sort of church is defined by more than its size and architecture, a simple hillside Zion substitute is clearly a site of real importance to those who worship there.
It may not fulfill that same purpose for you, but it should provide enough food for thought to encourage you to at least slow down as you meander past.