Rites, Myths, Sacred Spaces, and Time in Religion
Rites
They are active mediation and can be ethical actions (service) or liturgical (worship). The latter are actions defined and organized by a group of believers as a positive response to God.
The rite is the most complete expression in the positive response of the SH response. It features:
- It’s a social action, personal integrity, and emotional-physical.
- It is a symbolic action, a good gesture (significant action is performed) for God (meaning).
- These are actions by a group according to rules that establish a protocol of action, which helps us to keep religious expression over time but people change. If you are waiting for the rules to neglect the relationship with God, it falls into ritualism.
- References are periodic (recurring). Rites recall important events but with the rhythm of life.
- An attempt is made effective this sacred reality (God). An attempt is made present.
Types of Rituals:
- According to the reality to which they relate:
- Rites of nature (time)
- Rites referring to SH and specifically religious milestones
- Rites of expression:
- Application for pardon
- Communion
- Atonement (listen to the call)
- Depending on the type of action:
- Positive (ritual meals)
- Negatives (fasting rituals)
Differences Between Ritual and Magic
Rite – is a divine reality where there is someone we encounter. – Medium that is directed by the invocation by a call. – Petition – Staff available for participants (faith).
Magic – Magic is not an individual but it is a force. “The intervening is not directed to this God, but that plot (does this)” And those who turn to medium, for personal gain.
Myths
They are stories of divine beings, which want to be explanations and also be the origin of things. They will be stories in which it is explained where reality comes from (creation stories). These stories are considered sacred. For people, they are quite real as they are spoken in real things. In many of these mythological stories, early civilizations are taken as models. In myth, it played an indispensable role: express, restore, and codifies belief; safeguard morals and imposes, guarantees the effectiveness of ritual ceremonies and offers practical rules for man. The use of myth is a living reality, far from being a fable.
Sacred Space
They exist in all religions, which for the believer God has done this at some point. In most religions, there is a small procedure which passes before reaching the sacred space. The sacred space compared to the rest, means for believers as an ordered space (ordered from the divine). To order, all religions make an axis from which everything is sorted. In many religions, that axis is a mountain, as in the mountain’s highest points are touching the sky. From this high point, establishing a relationship with the earth, the holy city. In many religions, we find pilgrimages, which are attempts to approach this sacred space par excellence.
There is also the temple where it is concentrated microcosm that sacred space par excellence. Since ancient times, there are points where energy can be measured geodesic:
- Judaism – Mats appear which generate small shrines that are connected with high points, among which are mountains, Sinai and Zion.
- Christianity – It’s a proposal for overcoming the space. Some places of pilgrimage: Santiago, Rome, and Jerusalem. The structure of the temples is a Latin cross or a Greek cross.
- Islam – The sacred space is Mecca. Every Muslim is obliged to pass through it at least once in their life. Here is a sacred place called Kabba, where Muslims must give 7 laps and come to make a gesture of adoration. Medina is the city of Mohammed. In all cities are places that are packed mosques to pray.
- Hinduism – Temples also exist in which there are different rooms of gods, where the Brahmins come to bring offerings.
- Buddhism – The temples have to be square or rectangular. In Theravada Buddhism, there are different rooms, besides the temples are round. The temples are Bagod, which result in sharp form.
Sacred Time
Refers to the holidays, special days, the events. There are two different ways of understanding time:
- Linear Conception – Where there is development in the time it starts and ends.
- Cycle Conception – Where we again go through the same time. We see this in Hinduism and Buddhism.
- Judaism – Is marked by 5 sentences (two individual and three synagogues), which are called tefilah. Within the week for the Jewish holy day is the Sabbath, which recalls as the day God rested. Within the year, there are some very important events that recall the exodus, God’s covenant with His people and another arrival in the Promised Land. Another holiday is Yom Kippur which asks God for forgiveness until 10 days in between starts.
- Christianity – Is marked by 7 times of Christian prayer of the day: Matins, Lauds, third, sixth, ninth, eve, and completas. Christmas, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Ordinary Time and the Advent are the fundamental moments. The holy day is Sunday.
- Islamism – 5 sentences are made called saalavat. These 5 times can be personal or communal celebration. The community time for Muslims is Friday. There are some major holidays throughout the year that are related to Muhammad and some Muslim traditions. Within the Muslim year, the most important time is that of Ramadan, which lasts one month.
- Hinduism – This is what marks the sun time. The two moments of the day are sunrise and sunset, which are also the moments of prayer time. There is no week, as there are days but not weeks. It has moments of communal celebration, but if there are festivals throughout the year community (Holi).
- Buddhism – The day is marked by sunrise and sunset, which are the two times of prayer. The festivals are organized around the Buddha and his disciples.
Sacraments
These are signs that contain recall, visualizing and communicating another reality different from them, but present in them.