The Nature of the Sacred

What is Sacred

Complex character of the Sacred?

• wide range of phenomena
• sacred | profane – "other than ordinary"
• sacred as extraordinary
• important that sacred is not tied to a particular religious tradition

The Sacred and The Holy

• Often the words “sacred” and “holy” are used as equivalents.
• Thus, the best way to identify the sacred is to identify that which is designated holy.

• The early Israelites were instructed: “Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy.”
• A popular Christian hymn begins “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty!”
• Islamic tradition refers to Jerusalem as al-quds—the holy city, or the city set apart.

Examples

Sacred in Bible

O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life,my lips will praise You. (Psalm 63:1–3)

Sacred in Hinduism

Thou [God] art the Imperishable, the supreme Object of Knowledge, Thou art the ultimate resting-place of this universe; Thou art the immortal guardian of the eternal right; Thou art the everlasting Spirit. . . . Without beginning, middle, or end, of infinite power, Of infinite arms, whose eyes are the moon and sun, I see Thee, whose face is flaming fire, Burning this whole universe with Thy radiance. (11:18–20) (Bhagavad Gita)

Sacred in Buddhism

“Its form, O king, cannot be elucidated by similes, but its qualities can. . . . As the lotus is unstained by water, so is Nirvana unstained by all the defilements. . . . As cool water allays feverish heat, so also Nirvana is cool and allays the fever of all the passions. . . . As medicine protects from the torments of poison, so Nirvana protects from the torments of the poisonous passions. . . . Nirvana and medicine both give security. . . . As a mountain peak is unshakeable, so is Nirvana. . . . ” Buddhism: "The Nature of Nirvana"

The Concept in various cultures

The Concept of Sacred Reality

• Derived from the Latin “sanctus”.
• “Sanctus” means “holy” and refers to something separated or set apart from other things.
• The related terms from the Hebrew (kadosh קדוש ) and the Greek (/hagios, 'αγιος) mean the same.
• At minimum, the sacred is distinct from the profane.

Sacred Reality in Various Cultures

• Biblical witness is that God is only truly holy – all else is holy because it is connected to God

• Ancient Rome sanctus applied to the temples where rituals were dedicated to gods. Fanum was the name of the temple. Ritual was performed "before" the fanum – and were thus pro (before) the fanum.

Sacred Reality in the Hebrew Bible

• in Hebrew Bible kadosh is used of those things God has chosen:
  • the people of Israel
  • the land of the people
  • certain foods (kosher)
  • certain human relations

• nothing is special except in relation to God

Sacred and Profane

The Sacred and The Ordinary

• sacred can be described as really, real – everything else somehow pales
• sacred provides authority and truth where everywhere else is relativity and subjective experience

• sacred is other than ordinary but is made manifest through ordinary existence.

  • examples of the holy can include stones, trees, sky, bodies of water, various people

General Concept of the Sacred

• Sacred reality is present wherever something is real by 4 criteria:

• it is "set apart" from everything else in the world
• it is in some sense beyond human control
• it is in some sense vital for the well-being of humans
• it orders human existence

An illustration of the sacred

An illustration of the sacred