Sacred

Definition

The sacred refers to things, places, or concepts that are considered holy, divine, or set apart from the ordinary. It is a central concept in the sociological study of religion, as it helps define what is considered worthy of reverence, worship, and ritual practice within a particular religious or spiritual tradition.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The sacred is often associated with the divine, supernatural, or spiritual realms, and is seen as distinct from the mundane, everyday world.
2. The sacred can be embodied in specific objects, places, or practices that are considered to have a special, elevated status within a religious or spiritual tradition.
3. The distinction between the sacred and the profane is a key concept in the sociological study of religion, as it helps to understand how religious communities define and maintain their boundaries.
4. Rituals and ceremonies are often used to mark the sacred and to facilitate the experience of the sacred for individuals and communities.
5. The sacred can be experienced through a range of sensory and emotional experiences, such as awe, reverence, and transcendence.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of the sacred is central to the sociological approach to religion.
  • The concept of the sacred is central to the sociological approach to religion because it helps define what is considered worthy of reverence, worship, and ritual practice within a particular religious or spiritual tradition. The distinction between the sacred and the profane is a key way that religious communities establish and maintain their boundaries, and the ways in which the sacred is manifested and experienced through rituals, symbols, and other practices are a primary focus of sociological analysis of religion.
• Describe how the sacred can be embodied in specific objects, places, or practices within a religious or spiritual tradition.
  • The sacred can be embodied in a range of physical and symbolic forms within religious and spiritual traditions. This can include sacred objects, such as religious artifacts or relics, sacred places, such as temples, shrines, or natural landscapes, and sacred practices, such as rituals, ceremonies, or pilgrimages. These sacred elements are imbued with a sense of specialness, divinity, or transcendence that sets them apart from the ordinary, profane world and makes them the focus of reverence, worship, and ritual practice within the religious community.
• Analyze how the distinction between the sacred and the profane shapes the boundaries and experiences of religious communities.
  • The distinction between the sacred and the profane is a fundamental way that religious communities define and maintain their boundaries. By designating certain things, places, or practices as sacred and worthy of special reverence, while relegating other aspects of life to the profane realm, religious communities create a sense of specialness and exclusivity that helps to reinforce their identity and belonging. The experience of the sacred, often through rituals and ceremonies, also helps to foster a sense of transcendence, awe, and spiritual connection that is central to the religious experience for individuals and communities. This dynamic interplay between the sacred and the profane is a key focus of the sociological approach to understanding the role of religion in shaping individual and collective experiences.

Related terms

Profane:

The profane refers to the ordinary, everyday, and secular aspects of life that are not considered sacred or worthy of special reverence.

Ritual:

Rituals are symbolic actions and practices that are considered sacred and used to express or reinforce the sacred within a religious or spiritual context.

Hierophany: Hierophany refers to the manifestation or appearance of the sacred within the profane world, often through symbols, objects, or experiences that are considered divine or transcendent.