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The sacred meaning of love. What does the word sacred mean?

Sacred

from lat.- “dedicated to the gods”, “sacred”, “forbidden”, “cursed”.

holy, sacred, the most important ideological category, highlighting areas of existence and states of existence, perceived by consciousness as fundamentally different from everyday reality and exceptionally valuable. In many languages, this meaning is initially inherent in the semantics. word structure adopted for the name S.: lat. - sacer, Hebrew. - gadosh are associated with the meaning of separation, hiddenness, inviolability. For glory. *svet-, dating back to Indo-European. *k"wen-, the meanings of “increase”, “swell” are established, in a more specific cultural context - “filled with blessed alien power”. In the picture of the world, S. plays the role of a structure-forming principle: in accordance with the ideas about S., other fragments of the picture are built world and their hierarchy is formed.In axiology, S. sets the vertical of value orientations.

Historically, in all cultures without exception, the complex of ideas and feelings, the subject of which is S., found its most complete expression in religion. spirituality. The conviction in the existence of S. and the desire to be involved in it constitute the essence of religion. In religion, S. is presented in its ontological aspect as miraculous; German theologian R. Otto in classic. work "The Holy" (1917) indicated that for religions. S.'s consciousness is “completely Other.” In religion S.'s culture is not just a different reality, but also an absolute, eternal and primary reality in relation to the perishable world, in other words, S. is thought of as the substance of being. This substance is presupposed by such attributes, usually taken in the superlative degree, as rationality, immateriality, spirituality, power; in developed religions self-sufficiency is added to them. Being for religions. ontology, the “alpha” of being, the source and basis of existence, S. at the same time turns out to be its “omega” - eschatological closure closes on S. perspective of the created world. Therefore, in the context of religious culture, S. is fulfilled soteriologically. meaning: the acquisition of holiness is an indispensable condition and goal of salvation. Already in ancient cultures, the perception of S. as an ontological and soteriological value is supplemented by the perception of S. as perfect beauty and truth. At the same time, however, beauty and truth are not obligatory signs of S. in ancient cultures: S. can remain outside of positive ethical and aesthetic characteristics. S.'s isolation from the vicissitudes of profane, earthly existence and endowing it with the quality of truth puts S. in the position of an unshakable ideal, an exalted and faithful role model. In religion spirituality, ideas about S. are concretized through sacred images and sacred word, Logos. At the same time, however, religious. mentality is characterized by deep convictions based on religious data. experience and supported by the idea of ​​transcendence of S., in the inexpressibility of the true essence of S. and the experience of contact with it through the direct translation of knowledge into the language of “this-worldly” reality. Therefore, when describing S. in religion. In cultures, it is customary to use allegories and ami - verbal, musical, graphic. and others. The desire to convey the complex range of impressions from communication with S. encouraged the gifted to become religious. and artist people's attitude towards improving the forms of expression of thoughts and feelings, towards the complication of metaphors. presentation techniques, what does it mean? to a large extent enriched the language and content of culture.

Lit.: Bart R. Zero degree of writing // Semiotics. M., 1983; Frank S.L. Op. M., 1990; Vinokurov V.V. The phenomenon of the sacred, or the Rise of the Gods // Sociologos. Vol. 1. M., 1991; Barthelemy D. God and His Image: An Essay on Biblical Theology. Milan, 1992; Schmeman A. Eucharist: The Sacrament of the Kingdom. M., 1992; The existence of culture: sacred and secular. Ekaterinburg, 1994; Benveniste E. Dictionary of Indo-European social terms. M., 1995; Toporov V.N. Holiness and saints in Russian spiritual culture. T. 1. M., 1995; Durkheim E. Les forms elementaires de la vie religieuse. P., 1912; Otto R. Das Heilige. Gotha, 1925; Leeuw G. van der. Einfuhmng in die Phanomenologie der Religion. Gutersloh, 1961; Zaehner R.C. Mysticism, Sacred and Profane. N.Y., 1961.

(from Latin sacrum - sacred) - everything that relates to cult, worship of especially valuable ideals. Sacramental - sanctified, holy, cherished. S. is the opposite of secular, profane, worldly. What is recognized as a shrine is subject to unconditional and reverent veneration and is protected with special care by all possible means. S. is the identity of faith, hope and love; its “organ” is the human heart. The preservation of a sacred attitude towards the object of worship is primarily ensured by the conscience of the believer, who values ​​the shrine more than his own life. Therefore, when there is a threat of desecration of a shrine, a true believer comes to its defense without much thought or external coercion; sometimes he can sacrifice his life for this. S. in theology means subordinate to God. The symbol of sacralization is consecration, that is, a ceremony as a result of which an ordinary worldly procedure acquires a transcendental meaning. Initiation is the elevation of a person through an established sacrament or church rite to one or another degree of spiritual service. A priest is a person who is attached to the temple and performs all the sacraments except the priesthood. Sacrilege is a property attack aimed at sacred and consecrated objects and accessories of the temple, as well as insulting the religious feelings of believers; in a broader sense, it means an attack on a shrine. In addition to the theological understanding of S. as a derivative of God, there is an extensive philosophical interpretation of it. For example, E. Durkheim used this concept to designate the natural historical basis of truly human existence, its social essence and contrasted it with the concept of individualistic (egoistic) existence. Some religious scholars consider the procedure of sacralization as an essential distinguishing feature of any religion - pantheistic, theistic and atheistic: religion begins where a system of sacralization of especially valuable ideals takes shape. The church and the state are developing a complex and subtle system of protecting and transmitting the sacred attitude of people to the basic ideals of the established culture. Broadcasting is carried out using mutually agreed upon methods and means of all forms. public life. Among them - strict standards rights and soft techniques of art. An individual from the cradle to the grave is immersed in the S system generated by the family, clan, tribe and state. He is involved in ceremonies, ritual actions, performs prayers, rituals, observes fasts and many other religious instructions. First of all, the norms and rules of attitude towards the near and far, family, people, state and the absolute are subject to sacralization. The sacralization system consists of: a) the sum of ideas sacred to a given society (ideology); b) psychological techniques and means of convincing people of the unconditional truth of these ideas?) specific iconic forms of embodiment of shrines, sacramental and hostile symbols; d) a special organization (for example, a church); e) special practical actions, rites and ceremonies (cult). It takes a lot of time to create such a system; it absorbs past and newly emerged traditions. Thanks to sacred traditions and the currently existing system of sacralization, society strives to reproduce a certain religion in all its horizontals (social groups, classes) and verticals (generations). When the chosen object is sacralized, people believe in its reality more strongly than in empirically given things. The highest degree of S. attitude is holiness, that is, righteousness, piety, pleasing to God, penetration with active love for the absolute and liberation of oneself from impulses of selfishness. Any religiosity is associated with S., but not every believer is capable of becoming a saint in practice. There are few saints, their example serves as a guide for ordinary people. Degrees of S. attitudes - fanaticism, moderation, indifferentism. S.'s feeling is whole, and the poison of doubt is deadly for him. D. V. Pivovarov

Definitions, meanings of words in other dictionaries:

Big dictionary esoteric terms - edited by Doctor of Medical Sciences Stepanov A.M.

(from Latin sacrum - shrine), sacred. In theology, sacred means submission to the divine, unconditional adherence to any tradition of knowledge of God through the belittlement of one’s own desires.

Inherently incomprehensible; phenomenologically sacred - marvelous, amazing; axiologically - imperative, deeply revered.

Ideas about the sacred are most fully expressed in the religious worldview, where the sacred refers to those entities that are the object of worship. The belief in the existence of the sacred and being involved in it constitute the essence of religion. In developed religious consciousness, the sacred is soteriological high dignity: the acquisition of holiness is an indispensable condition and goal of salvation.

In the philosophy of religion of the 20th century. The doctrine of the sacred as a constitutive element of religion is expanded from various religious positions. E. Durkheim in his work “Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Totemic in Australia” (Les formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse. Système totémique d "Australie, 1912) critically revised the idea that religion should be defined from the concept of deity or the concept of the supernatural. The concept of deity, according to Durkheim, is not universal and does not explain everything diversity of religious life; the supernatural appears late - outside of classical antiquity. On the contrary, all religions, already at an early stage, are characterized by the division of the world into two areas - secular (profane) and sacred, which are placed by religious consciousness in the position of antagonists. The basis of such opposition is, according to Durkheim , the most important of the sacred is its inviolability, separation, forbiddenness. The forbiddenness, tabooness of the sacred is a collective establishment. This position allowed Durkheim to argue that the sacred is essentially social: social groups give their highest social and moral motives the appearance of sacred images, symbols, thereby achieving from the individual's categorical submission to collective demands. Durkheim's approach was supported by M. Mauss, who, reducing the sacred to social values, insisted that sacred phenomena are essentially those social phenomena, which, due to their importance to the group, are declared inviolable. In the sociological concept of T. Lukman, the sacred acquires “strata of meanings”, to which the everyday is attributed as the final authority.

R. Ommo sharply disagrees with the sociological interpretation of the saint. If Durkheim hoped to overcome the extremes of apriorism and empiricism in explaining the holy, then Otto, a follower of I. Kant, built his book “The Holy” (Das Heilige, 1917) on the idea of ​​​​the apriority of this category. According to Otto, it is formed in the process of synthesis of rational and irrational aspects of cognition with the primacy of irrational principles. Turning to the study of religious experience, Otto discovered in the “foundation of the soul” the a priori source of the category of the saint and religiosity in general - the special “mood of the spirit” and the intuition of the saint. The “attitude of the spirit”, from the development of which the category of the saint grows, was called by the German “numinous” (from the Latin - divine power), highlighting the most important psychological components of the numinous: “the feeling of creatureliness”; misterium tremendum (a feeling of awe-inspiring mystery - the “Completely Other” (Ganz Andere), which plunges one into awe in one mode of perception, and into horror in another with its eerie and majestic side, leading a person into ecstasy); the feeling of fascinans (from Latin fascino - to enchant, to bewitch) - a positive feeling of attraction, enchantment, admiration that arises in contact with mystery. When a complex of numinous feelings arises, it immediately has the status of absolute value. Otto designates this numinous value with the concept sanctum (Latin sacred), in its ultimate irrational aspect - augustum (Latin sacred). Apriorism allowed Otto to justify his refusal to reduce the category of the holy (and religion in general) to any social, rational or ethical principles. According to Otto, rationalization and ethizapy of the category of the saint are the fruit of later additions to the numinous core, and numinous value is the primary source of all other objective values. Since, according to Otto, the true saint is elusive in concepts, it imprinted itself in “ideograms” - “pure symbols” expressing the numinous mood of the spirit.

Otgo's research made a major contribution to the phenomenological approach to the study of the category of the sacred and to the phenomenology of religion in general. The Dutch phenomenologist of religion G. van der Leeuw in his work “Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion” (1925) examined in a comparative manner the category of the holy from a historical perspective - from the initial, archaic stage to the category of Christian consciousness. G. Van der Leeuw, like N. Söderblom before him, emphasized in the category of holiness the meaning of strength and power (in Otto - majestas). G. Van der Leeuw brought the category of saint closer to the term “mana” borrowed from ethnology. Having opened wide access to historically specific archaic realities through such a rapprochement, the Dutch philosopher of religion set the theological (“God”), anthropological (“holy man”), spatiotemporal (“sacred time”, “sacred place”), ritual (“sacred word”, “taboo”) and other dimensions of the category of the holy.

Otto gave priority to the description of the numinous content of religious experience, ultimately striving to outline the contours of that transcendental reality that manifests itself in the experience of the saint. The metaphysics of the saint was the ultimate goal of Otto's theological phenomenology. M. Eliade, a follower of the German philosopher, did not inherit an interest in metaphysical problems. The focus of Eliade’s (“The Sacred and the Profane” - Le sacré et te profane, 1965*; etc.) is hierophany - the discovery of the sacred in the profane, profane sphere. In terms of hierophany, Eliade interprets religious symbolism, mythology, rituals, and the worldview of a religious person. The ideas and validity of Eliade’s conclusions have caused serious criticism. It is fundamentally important that Eliade’s central point - about the universality of the antagonism of the “sacred” and the “profane”, which brings his position closer to the position of Durkheim, does not find its confirmation.

Psychologization of the category of the sacred, rooting its foundations in the irrational layers of spiritual life - characteristic phenomenology of religion. However, the phenomenological approach, especially the approach of theological phenomenology, implies that in the act of religious experience or in the event of hierophany, a certain transcendental one makes itself known, which acts as the objectively existing substance of the saint. In the teachings of Z. Freud and in psychoanalytic religious studies (G. Roheim and others), the category of the saint has no basis other than psychological. The sacred in its origin and being is for Freud “something that cannot be touched,” sacred images personify first of all the prohibition, initially the prohibition of incest (Moses the Man and the Monotheistic, 1939). The saint does not have qualities that exist independently of infantile desires and, for the saint, according to Freud, is a “lasting forefather” - lasting in the psychic space of the conscious and unconscious as a kind of “psychic condensate”.

Data from the religious language, doctrine, and cult of different religions indicate that the category of the sacred, being a universal category of religious consciousness, has specific content in each of its specific historical manifestations. Comparative study shows that the historical types of the category of the sacred cannot be described by subsuming them under any one essential sign (“gabbed”, “other”, etc.) or a universal combination of signs (“horrifying”, “admiring” and etc.). In terms of content, the category of the sacred is as diverse and mobile as the ethnoreligious ones are unique and dynamic.

A. P. Zabiyako

New Philosophical Encyclopedia: In 4 vols. M.: Thought. Edited by V. S. Stepin. 2001 .


See what “SACRAL” is in other dictionaries:

    - (from Latin “dedicated to the gods”, “sacred”, “forbidden”, “cursed”) holy, sacred, the most important ideological category, highlighting areas of existence and states of existence, perceived by consciousness as fundamentally different from the ordinary... ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

    - (from English sacral and Latin sacrum sacred, dedicated to the gods) in a broad sense, everything related to the Divine, religious, heavenly, otherworldly, irrational, mystical, different from everyday things, ... ... Wikipedia

    SACRED- feeling religious. As a rule, the concept of the sacred is associated with that which surpasses a person, causing him not only respect and admiration, but also a special zeal, which Otto in his essay “The Sacred” (1917) defines as “a feeling ... ... Eurasian wisdom from A to Z. Explanatory dictionary

    SACRED- a feeling of the religious. As a rule, the concept of the sacred is associated with that which surpasses a person, causing him not only respect and admiration, but also a special zeal, which Otto in his essay “The Sacred” (1917) defines as “a feeling ... ... Philosophical Dictionary

    sacred- 1. The concept of Coro and the opposition between Coro and profane spread in the social sciences ca. hundred years ago, in particular thanks to the works of E. Durkheim. A. Hubert and M. Moss were among the first to use the words “Soe” and “profane” as... ... Dictionary of Medieval Culture

    sacred- HOLY, holy, sacred (Latin sacer, French sacre, English sacred) category denoting a property, the possession of which puts an object in a position of exceptional significance, enduring value and on this basis requires... ... Encyclopedia of Epistemology and Philosophy of Science

    SACRED- (SACRED) According to E. Durkheim, all religious beliefs in one way or another classify phenomena, relating them either to the realm of the sacred (sacred) or to the realm of the profane (secular). The realm of the sacred includes those phenomena that... ... Sociological Dictionary

    Sacred- - something that people reverence as extraordinary, leading to a feeling of awe and reverence... Dictionary-reference book for social work

    SACRED- (from Latin sacrum sacred) everything that relates to cult, worship of especially valuable ideals. Sacramental consecrated, holy, treasured. S. is the opposite of secular, profane, worldly. What is recognized as sacred is subject to unconditional and... Modern philosophical dictionary

What is “sacred”: meaning and interpretation of the word. Sacred knowledge. Sacred place

The end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century is a unique time in many respects. Especially for our country and for its spiritual culture in particular. The fortress walls of the former worldview collapsed, and a hitherto unknown sun of foreign spirituality rose over the world of Russian people. American evangelicalism, Eastern cults, and various occult schools have taken deep roots in Russia over the past quarter century. This also had positive aspects - today more and more people are thinking about the spiritual dimension of their lives and strive to harmonize it with a higher, sacred meaning. Therefore, it is very important to understand what the sacred, transcendental dimension of existence is.

Etymology of the word

The word “sacred” comes from the Latin sacralis, which means “sacred.” The base sac appears to go back to Proto-Indo-European saq, probable value which - “to protect, to protect.” Thus, the original semantics of the word “sacred” is “separated, protected.” Over time, religious consciousness deepened the understanding of the term, introducing into it a connotation of the purposefulness of such a separation. That is, the sacred is not simply separated (from the world, as opposed to the profane), but separated for a special purpose, as destined for a special higher service or use in connection with cult practices. The Hebrew “kadosh” has a similar meaning - holy, sanctified, sacred. If we are talking about God, the word “sacred” is a definition of the otherness of the Almighty, his transcendence in relation to the world. Accordingly, as connected with this transcendence, any object dedicated to God is endowed with the quality of sacredness, that is, sacredness.

Areas of distribution of the sacred

Its scope can be extremely wide. Especially in our time - in the boom of experimental science sacred meaning is sometimes given the most unexpected things, for example, erotica. Since ancient times we have known sacred animals and sacred places. There have been sacred wars in history, although they are still being waged today. But we have already forgotten what the sacred political system means.

Sacred art

The topic of art in the context of sacredness is extremely broad. In fact, it covers all types and areas of creativity, not even excluding comics and fashion. What do you need to do to understand what sacred art is? The main thing is to understand that its purpose is either to transmit sacred knowledge or to serve a cult. In light of this, it becomes clear why a painting can sometimes be equated with, say, scripture. It is not the nature of the craft that is important, but the purpose of application and, as a consequence, the content.

Types of such art

In the Western European world, sacred art was called ars sacra. Among its various types the following can be distinguished:

Sacred painting. This means works of art of a religious nature and/or purpose, for example, icons, statues, mosaics, bas-reliefs, etc.

Sacred geometry. This definition includes the entire layer of symbolic images, such as the Christian cross, the Jewish star "Magen David", the Chinese yin-yang symbol, the Egyptian ankh, etc.

Sacred architecture. In this case, we mean buildings and buildings of temple, monastery complexes and, in general, any buildings of a religious and mysterial nature. Among them can be the most simple examples, such as a canopy over a holy well, or very impressive monuments such as the Egyptian pyramids.

Sacred music. As a rule, this refers to cult music performed during divine services and religious rites - liturgical chants, bhajans, accompaniment of musical instruments, etc. In addition, sometimes non-liturgical musical works are called sacred, if their semantic load is related to the sphere of the transcendental, or created based on traditional sacred music, such as many new age samples.

There are other manifestations of sacred art. In fact, all its areas - cooking, literature, tailoring and even fashion - can have sacred meaning.

In addition to art, such concepts and things as space, time, knowledge, texts and physical actions are endowed with the quality of sanctification.

Sacred space

In this case, space can mean two things - a specific building and a sacred place, not necessarily associated with buildings. An example of the latter is the sacred groves, which were very popular in former times of pagan rule. Many mountains, hills, meadows, ponds and others still have sacred significance today. natural objects. Often such places are marked with special signs - flags, ribbons, images and other elements of religious decor. Their meaning is determined by some miraculous event, for example, the appearance of a saint. Or, as is especially common in shamanism and Buddhism, the veneration of a place is associated with the worship of invisible creatures living there - spirits, etc.

Another example of sacred space is a temple. Here, the determining factor of sacredness most often becomes not the holiness of the place as such, but the ritual character of the structure itself. Depending on the religion, the functions of the temple may vary slightly. For example, somewhere it is entirely the house of a deity, which is not intended for public visitation for the purpose of worship. In this case, honors are given outside, in front of the temple. This was the case, for example, in the ancient Greek religion. At the other extreme are Islamic mosques and Protestant houses of worship, which are specialized halls for religious meetings and are intended more for man than for God. In contrast to the first type, where holiness is inherent in the temple space in itself, here it is the fact of cultic use that transforms any room, even the most ordinary one, into a sacred place.

Time

A few words should also be said about the concept of sacred time. Things are even more complicated here. On the one hand, its flow is often synchronous with ordinary everyday time. On the other hand, it is not subject to the action of physical laws, but is determined by the mysterious life of a religious organization. A striking example- a Catholic mass, the content of which - the sacrament of the Eucharist - over and over again transports believers to the night of the Last Supper of Christ and the Apostles. Time, marked by special holiness and otherworldly influence, also has sacred significance. These are some segments of the cycles of the day, week, month, year, etc. In culture, they most often take the form of celebrations or, conversely, days of mourning. Examples of both are Holy Week, Easter, Christmastide, solstices, equinoxes, full moons, etc.

In any case, sacred time organizes the ritual life of the cult, determines the sequence and frequency of rituals.

Knowledge

Search has always been extremely popular secret knowledge- some secret information that promised its owners the most dizzying benefits - power over the whole world, the elixir of immortality, superhuman strength and the like. Although all such secrets belong to sacred knowledge, they are not always, strictly speaking, sacred. Rather, they are simply secret and mysterious. Sacred knowledge is information about the other world, the abode of gods and beings of a higher order. As the simplest example Theology can be cited. Moreover, we are talking not only about confessional theology. What is meant rather is science itself, which studies, on the basis of some supposed otherworldly revelation of deities, the world and the place of man in it.

Sacred texts

Sacred knowledge is recorded primarily in sacred texts - the Bible, Koran, Vedas, etc. In the narrow sense of the word, only such scriptures are sacred, that is, claiming to be conductors of knowledge from above. They seem to literally contain sacred words, not only the meaning of which, but also the form itself is significant. On the other hand, the own semantics of the definition of sacredness allows us to include in the circle of such texts another type of literature - the works of outstanding teachers of spirituality, such as the Talmud, “The Secret Doctrine” by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky or the books of Alice Beilis, which are quite popular in modern esoteric circles. The authority of such works of literature can vary - from absolute infallibility to dubious comments and author's fabrications. Nevertheless, by the nature of the information contained in them, these are sacred texts.

Action

Not only a specific object or concept can be sacred, but also a movement. For example, what is sacred action? This concept summarizes a wide range of gestures, dances and other physical movements that have a ritual, sacramental nature. Firstly, these are liturgical events - offering the host, lighting incense, blessings, etc. Secondly, these are actions aimed at changing the state of consciousness and transferring the internal focus to the realm of the otherworldly. Examples include the already mentioned dancing, yoga asanas, or even simple rhythmic swaying of the body.

Thirdly, the simplest of sacred actions are designed to express a certain, most often prayerful, disposition of a person - arms folded on the chest or raised to the sky, the sign of the cross, bow, and so on.

Sacred meaning physical actions is to, following spirit, time and space, separate from profane everyday life and elevate both the body itself and matter in general into the realm of the sacred. For this purpose, in particular, water, housing and other objects are blessed.

Conclusion

As can be seen from all of the above, the concept of sacredness is present wherever there is a person or the concept of the other world. But often this category also includes those things that belong to the area of ​​the ideal, most important ideas of the person himself. Indeed, what is sacred if not love, family, honor, devotion and similar principles of social relations, and, more deeply, characteristics of the inner content of the individual? It follows that the sacredness of an object is determined by the degree of its difference from the profane, that is, guided by instinctive and emotional principles, the world. Moreover, this separation can arise and be expressed both in the external world and in the internal.

Sacred

Sacred(from English sacred and lat. sacrum- sacred, dedicated to God) - in a broad sense - everything related to the divine, religious, heavenly, otherworldly, irrational, mystical, different from everyday things, concepts, phenomena.

Holy, sacred, sacred - comparison of concepts

Holiness is an attribute of the Divine and the Divine. Holy- it has Divine qualities or unique beneficial properties, close or dedicated to God, marked by the Divine presence.

Sacred usually means specific objects and actions dedicated to God or gods, and used in religious rituals and sacred ceremonies. Meanings of concepts sacred And sacred partially overlap, however sacred expresses to a greater extent the religious purpose of the subject than its internal properties, emphasizes its separation from the worldly, the need for a special attitude towards it.

Unlike both previous concepts, Sacred appeared not in the religious, but in the scientific lexicon and is used in the description of all religions, including paganism, primitive beliefs and mythology. There are several positions with which the concept of the sacred is associated. Among them are numinosity, a chthonic, indifferent attitude to the system of sign exchange, inconsistency with the idea of ​​the quantitative, an unarticulated and hidden character, and the idea of ​​the sacred as the Other. Sacred- this is everything that creates, restores or emphasizes a person’s connection with the otherworldly.

What does the meaning of the word “sacred” hide?

The meaning of the word sacred can be found in ancient literature. The word is associated with religion, something mysterious, divine. The semantic content refers to the origins of all things on Earth.

What do dictionary sources say?

The meaning of the word “sacred” carries with it the sense of inviolability, something irrefutable and true. Naming things or events with this term implies a connection with unearthly things. There is always a certain cult, holiness in the origin of the described properties.

Let’s track what the word “sacral” means using existing dictionaries:

  • The semantic content of the word is contrasted with the existent and the worldly.
  • Sacred refers to the spiritual state of a person. It is assumed that the meaning of a word is learned through the heart through faith or hope. Love becomes a tool for understanding the mysterious meaning of the term.
  • Things called “sacred” are carefully protected by people from encroachment. The basis is an undeniable holiness that does not require proof.
  • The meaning of the word “sacred” refers to such definitions as holy, true, cherished, unearthly.
  • Sacred signs can be found in any religion; they are associated with valuable ideals, often spiritual.
  • The origins of the sacred are laid by society through the family, state, and other structures.

Where does mysterious knowledge come from?

The meaning of the word “sacred” is passed on from generation to generation through sacraments, prayers, and through the education of growing offspring. The semantic content of sacred things cannot be described in words. You can only feel it. It is intangible and accessible to people only with a pure soul.

The meaning of the word "sacred" lies in scriptures. Only a believer has access to the tools to achieve knowledge of omnipresent knowledge. An object whose value is undeniable can be sacred. For a person, it becomes a shrine; for its sake, he could give his life.

A sacred object can be desecrated by word or action. For which the culprit will receive anger and curses from people who believe in the sacraments. Church rituals are based on ordinary earthly actions, which acquire a different significance for the participants in the process.

Religion and Sacraments

Sacred acts can only be performed by a person who has earned the recognition of believers. He is the link with parallel world, a guide to the other world. It is understood that any person can be enlightened and introduced to the mysteries of the universe through a ritual.

The higher the level of a person’s spiritual component, the more accessible the sacred meaning is. The priest refers to the bearer of the sacrament, and people turn to him to get closer to God, who is the source of everything sacred on Earth. One way or another, all people strive to know the immutable truth and join the clergy, following the established canons.

Additional definitions of the term

Historians and philosophers use the meaning of the definition of sacredness in a slightly different sense. In Durkheim's works, the word is designated as the concept of the authenticity of the existence of all humanity, where the existence of community is opposed to the needs of the individual. These sacraments are transmitted through communications between people.

Sacredness in society is stored in many areas of human life. The knowledge base is formed thanks to norms, rules, and a general ideology of behavior. From an early age, every person is convinced of the immutability of true things. These include love, faith, the existence of the soul, God.

For formation sacred knowledge centuries pass, man does not need proof of the existence of mysterious knowledge. Confirmation for him are miracles that occur in daily life thanks to rituals, prayers, and the actions of clergy.

SACRED is:

SACRED SACRED SACRED, sacred, sacred (lat. sacer) is an ideological category denoting a property, the possession of which puts an object in a position of exceptional significance, enduring value and on this basis requires a reverent attitude towards it. Ideas about the sacred include the most important characteristics of existence: ontologically it is different from everyday existence and refers to highest level reality; epistemologically - contains true knowledge, which is essentially incomprehensible; phenomenologically sacred - marvelous, amazing; axiologically - absolute, imperative, deeply revered. Ideas about the sacred are most fully expressed in the religious worldview, where the sacred is a predicate of those entities that are the object of worship. The conviction in the existence of the sacred and the desire to participate in it constitute the essence of religion. In a developed religious consciousness, the sacred is a soteriological value of high dignity: the acquisition of holiness is an indispensable condition and goal of salvation. In the philosophy of religion of the 20th century. The doctrine of the sacred as a constitutive element of religion receives a detailed justification from various religious positions. E. Durkheim in his work “Elementary Forms of Religious Life. The totemic system in Australia” (Les formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse. Système totémique d "Australie, 1912) critically revised the idea that religion should be defined from the concept of deity or the concept of the supernatural. The concept of deity, according to Durkheim, is not universal and not explains the entire diversity of religious life; the concept of the supernatural appears late - outside of classical antiquity. On the contrary, all religions, already at an early stage, are characterized by the division of the world into two areas - secular (profane) and sacred, which are placed by religious consciousness in the position of antagonists. The basis of such opposition is ", according to Durkheim, the most important feature of the sacred is its inviolability, separation, forbiddenness. The forbiddenness and taboo nature of the sacred is a collective establishment. This position allowed Durkheim to assert that the sacred is essentially social: social groups give their highest social and moral impulses the appearance of sacred images, symbols , thereby achieving from the individual categorical submission to collective demands. Durkheim's approach was supported by M. Mauss, who, reducing the sacred to social values, insisted that sacred phenomena are essentially those social phenomena that, due to their importance for the group, are declared inviolable. In the sociological concept of T. Lukman, the sacred acquires the status of a “stratum of meanings”, to which everyday life treated as the final authority. The position of R. Ommo sharply diverges from the sociological interpretation of the saint. If Durkheim hoped to overcome the extremes of apriorism and empiricism in explaining the category of the holy, then Otto, a follower of I. Kant, built his book “The Holy” (Das Heilige, 1917) on the idea of ​​​​the apriority of this category. According to Otto, it is formed in the process of synthesis of rational and irrational aspects of cognition with the primacy of irrational principles. Turning to the study of religious experience, Otto discovered in the “foundation of the soul” the a priori source of the category of the saint and religiosity in general - the special “mood of the spirit” and the intuition of the saint. The German philosopher called the “attitude of the spirit”, from the development of which the category of the saint, “numinous” (from the Latin numen - a sign of divine power), highlighting the most important psychological components of the numinous: “the feeling of creatureliness”; the feeling of misterium tremendum (the feeling of awe-inspiring mystery - the “Completely Other” (Ganz Andere), which plunges one into awe in one mode of perception, and into horror in another with its eerie and majestic side, leading a person into an ecstatic state); the feeling of fascinans (from Latin fascino - to enchant, to bewitch) is a positive experience of attraction, enchantment, admiration that arises at the moment of contact with a secret. When a complex of numinous feelings arises, it immediately has the status of absolute value. Otto designates this numinous value with the concept sanctum (Latin sacred), in its ultimate irrational aspect - augustum (Latin sublime, sacred). Apriorism allowed Otto to justify his refusal to reduce the category of the holy (and religion in general) to any social, rational or ethical principles. According to Otto, rationalization and ethizapy of the category of the saint are the fruit of later additions to the numinous core, and numinous value is the primary source of all other objective values. Since, according to Otto, the true essence of a saint is elusive in concepts, it imprinted its content in “ideograms” - “pure symbols” expressing the numinous mood of the spirit. Otgo's research made a major contribution to the development of a phenomenological approach to the study of the category of the holy and to the development of the phenomenology of religion in general. The Dutch phenomenologist of religion G. van der Leeuw in his work “Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion” (1925) examined in a comparative manner the category of the holy from a historical perspective - from the initial, archaic stage to the category of Christian consciousness. G. Van der Leeuw, like N. Söderblom before him, emphasized in the category of holiness the meaning of strength and power (in Otto - majestas). G. Van der Leeuw brought the category of saint closer to the term “mana” borrowed from ethnology. Having opened wide access to historically specific archaic realities through such a rapprochement, the Dutch philosopher of religion set the theological (“God”), anthropological (“holy man”), spatiotemporal (“sacred time”, “sacred place”), ritual (“sacred word”, “taboo”) and other dimensions of the category of the holy. Otto attached primary importance to the description of the numinous content of religious experience, ultimately striving to outline the contours of that transcendental reality that manifests itself in the experience of the saint. The metaphysics of the saint was the ultimate goal of Otto's theological phenomenology. M. Eliade, a follower of the German philosopher, did not inherit an interest in metaphysical problems. The focus of Eliade’s (“The Sacred and the Profane” - Le sacré et te profane, 1965*; etc.) is hierophany - the discovery of the sacred in the profane, profane sphere. In terms of hierophany, Eliade interprets religious symbolism, mythology, rituals, and the worldview of a religious person. The ideas and validity of Eliade’s conclusions have caused serious criticism. It is fundamentally important that Eliade’s central thesis - about the universality of the antagonism of the “sacred” and the “profane”, which brings his position closer to the position of Durkheim, is not confirmed. The psychologization of the category of the sacred, the rooting of its foundations in the irrational layers of spiritual life is a characteristic feature of the phenomenology of religion. However, the phenomenological approach, especially the approach of theological phenomenology, implies that in the act of religious experience or in the event of hierophany, a certain transcendent reality makes itself known, which acts as the objectively existing substance of the saint. In the teachings of Z. Freud and in psychoanalytic religious studies (G. Roheim and others), the category of the saint has no basis other than psychological. The sacred in its origin and being is for Freud “something that cannot be touched,” sacred images personify first of all the prohibition, initially the prohibition of incest (Moses the Man and the Monotheistic Religion, 1939). The saint has no qualities that exist independently of infantile desires and fears, for the saint, according to Freud, is the “lasting will of the forefather” - lasting in the psychic space of the conscious and unconscious as a kind of “psychic condensate”. Data from religious language, dogma, and cult practice of different religions indicate that the category of the sacred, being a universal category of religious consciousness, has specific content in each of its specific historical manifestations. Comparative study shows that the historical types of the category of the sacred cannot be described by subsuming them under any one essential sign (“gabbed”, “other”, etc.) or a universal combination of signs (“horrifying”, “admiring” and etc.). In terms of content, the category of the sacred is as diverse and mobile as the ethnoreligious traditions are unique and dynamic. A. P. Zabiyako

New Philosophical Encyclopedia: In 4 vols. M.: Thought. Edited by V. S. Stepin. 2001.

What does the word "sacred" mean?

How do we understand “sacred”? What it is? Is this a mystical word? Can the sacred be magical? Is this some kind of big secret?

Andrey Golovlev

The word sacred is related to the Latin words sacralis - sacred, sacrum - sacrum, os sacrum - sacred bone.

It seems like a strange combination of sacred and bone. But in fact, there is no strange thing, since holiness is a connection with God (such people who have earned this from God with their lives are called saints). And like the holy spirit connects people with God, and the main bones of the sacrum, vertebrae I'm tying t of human tissue into a single body of the physical body. That is, we can say that the sacred in all cases has meaning" main connection", and this could be: a bone; the holy spirit; a ritual with objects used in it (baptism, wedding, ...); a special teaching for a person that connects him with (religion, special practice (including magical) , ..). Since this is a connecting basis, the sacred is protected: usually difficult to access and/or trusted only by a select few.

The sacred is protected from understanding by other people. It can't be proven in a rational way. The sacred must first be accepted on faith. Yes, it is often mystical and even supernatural. Another understanding the word sacred- it's sacred. Sacrum is translated from Latin as sacred. It is kept secret so as not to be desecrated.

What is sacredness?

User deleted

The sacred (lat. sacrum - sacred object, sacred rite, sacraments, mystery), the meaning is revealed in relation to the profane. The term was introduced by Mircea Eliade.
- sacred, treasured; about words, speech: having a kind of magical meaning, sounding like a spell.

I wish you happiness

SACRED - (from Latin sacrum - sacred) - everything that relates to cult, worship of especially valuable ideals. Sacramental - sanctified, holy, cherished. S. is the opposite of secular, profane, worldly. What is recognized as a shrine is subject to unconditional and reverent veneration and is protected with special care by all possible means. S. is the identity of faith, hope and love; its “organ” is the human heart. The preservation of a sacred attitude towards the object of worship is primarily ensured by the conscience of the believer, who values ​​the shrine more than his own life. Therefore, when there is a threat of desecration of a shrine, a true believer comes to its defense without much thought or external coercion; sometimes he can sacrifice his life for this. S. in theology means subordinate to God. The symbol of sacralization is consecration, that is, a ceremony as a result of which an ordinary mundane procedure acquires a transcendental meaning. Initiation is the elevation of a person through an established sacrament or church rite to one or another degree of spiritual service. A priest is a person who is attached to the temple and performs all the sacraments except the priesthood. Sacrilege is a property attack aimed at sacred and consecrated objects and accessories of the temple, as well as insulting the religious feelings of believers; in a broader sense, it means an attack on a shrine. In addition to the theological understanding of S. as a derivative of God, there is an extensive philosophical interpretation of it. For example, E. Durkheim used this concept to designate the natural historical basis of truly human existence, its social essence and contrasted it with the concept of individualistic (egoistic) existence. Some religious scholars consider the procedure of sacralization as an essential distinguishing feature of any religion - pantheistic, theistic and atheistic: religion begins where a system of sacralization of especially valuable ideals takes shape. The church and the state are developing a complex and subtle system of protecting and transmitting the sacred attitude of people to the basic ideals of the established culture. Broadcasting is carried out using mutually agreed upon methods and means of all forms of social life. Among them are strict rules of law and soft techniques of art. An individual from the cradle to the grave is immersed in the S system generated by the family, clan, tribe and state. He is involved in ceremonies, ritual actions, performs prayers, rituals, observes fasts and many other religious instructions. First of all, the norms and rules of attitude towards the near and far, family, people, state and the absolute are subject to sacralization. The sacralization system consists of: a) the sum of ideas sacred to a given society (ideology); b) psychological techniques and means of convincing people of the unconditional truth of these ideas?) specific iconic forms of embodiment of shrines, sacramental and hostile symbols; d) a special organization (for example, a church); e) special practical actions, rituals and ceremonies (cult). It takes a lot of time to create such a system; it absorbs past and newly emerged traditions. Thanks to sacred traditions and the currently existing system of sacralization, society strives to reproduce a certain religion in all its horizontals (social groups, classes) and verticals (generations). When the chosen object is sacralized, people believe in its reality more strongly than in empirically given things. The highest degree of S. attitude is holiness, that is, righteousness, piety, pleasing to God, penetration with active love for the absolute and liberation of oneself from impulses of selfishness. Any religiosity is associated with S., but not every believer is capable of becoming a saint in practice. There are few saints; their example serves as a guide for ordinary people. Degrees of S. attitudes - fanaticism, moderation, indifferentism. S.'s feeling is whole, and the poison of doubt is deadly for him. D. V. Pivovarov

Alexei

holiness
SACRALIZATION - sacred. Involvement in the sphere of religion of public, group, individual consciousness, activities and behavior of people, social relations and institutions. In addition, the endowment of material objects, persons, actions, speech formulas, norms of behavior, etc. magical properties and raising them to the rank of sacred (see), holy, saints.
SACRED - sacred, holy - fictional creatures endowed with supernatural qualities - characters of religious myths. Religious values ​​- faith, religious truths, sacraments, church. In addition, a set of things, persons, actions, texts, linguistic formulas, buildings, etc., included in the system of religious cult. Contrasted with the worldly.

What is a sacramental question?

Juno

SACRAMENTAL, aya, oh; - flax, flax, flax [novolat. sacramentalis - sacred] (book).
Sacred, treasured.
Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

Sacramental
see sanctified by custom, ingrained, traditional, ritual, ceremonial, customary, sacred, sanctified by tradition, become a tradition
Synonym dictionary

In Russian, “sacred” and “sacramental” are practically synonymous. Both come from the Latin verb sacrare - to dedicate, to sanctify. The word “sacramental” is derived from the Late Latin sacramentum - oath of allegiance. The word sacrament means sacrament - any of the seven solemn rites in Christianity: baptism, marriage, confession, unction, communion, confirmation or priesthood. "Sacramental" accordingly means something related to a religious cult; something ceremonial, ritual. This meaning completely coincides with the meaning of the word “sacred”, with one exception: the latter, in addition, is used in anatomy.

Sacramental, in addition (having already come into use among non-religious people) means - has become common, enshrined in tradition.
http://otvet.mail.ru/question/10463101/

The meaning of the word sacred can be found in ancient literature. The word is associated with religion, something mysterious, divine. The semantic content refers to the origins of all things on Earth.

What do dictionary sources say?

The meaning of the word “sacred” carries with it the sense of inviolability, something irrefutable and true. Naming things or events with this term implies a connection with unearthly things. There is always a certain cult, holiness in the origin of the described properties.

Let’s track what the word “sacral” means using existing dictionaries:

  • The semantic content of the word is contrasted with the existent and the worldly.
  • Sacred refers to the spiritual state of a person. It is assumed that the meaning of a word is learned through the heart through faith or hope. Love becomes a tool for understanding the mysterious meaning of the term.
  • Things called “sacred” are carefully protected by people from encroachment. The basis is an undeniable holiness that does not require proof.
  • The meaning of the word “sacred” refers to such definitions as holy, true, cherished, unearthly.
  • Sacred signs can be found in any religion; they are associated with valuable ideals, often spiritual.
  • The origins of the sacred are laid by society through the family, state, and other structures.

Where does mysterious knowledge come from?

The meaning of the word “sacred” is passed on from generation to generation through sacraments, prayers, and through the education of growing offspring. The semantic content of sacred things cannot be described in words. You can only feel it. It is intangible and accessible to people only with a pure soul.

The meaning of the word "sacred" is found in the scriptures. Only a believer has access to the tools to achieve knowledge of omnipresent knowledge. An object whose value is undeniable can be sacred. For a person, it becomes a shrine; for its sake, he could give his life.

A sacred object can be desecrated by word or action. For which the culprit will receive anger and curses from people who believe in the sacraments. Church rituals are based on ordinary earthly actions, which acquire a different significance for the participants in the process.

Religion and Sacraments

Sacred acts can only be performed by a person who has earned the recognition of believers. He is a link with a parallel world, a guide to the other world. It is understood that any person can be enlightened and introduced to the mysteries of the universe through a ritual.

The higher the level of a person’s spiritual component, the more accessible the sacred meaning is. The priest refers to the bearer of the sacrament, and people turn to him to get closer to God, who is the source of everything sacred on Earth. One way or another, all people strive to know and join the clergy, following the established canons.

Additional definitions of the term

Historians and philosophers use the meaning of the definition of sacredness in a slightly different sense. In Durkheim's works, the word is designated as the concept of the authenticity of the existence of all humanity, where the existence of community is opposed to the needs of the individual. These sacraments are transmitted through communications between people.

Sacredness in society is stored in many areas of human life. The knowledge base is formed thanks to norms, rules, and a general ideology of behavior. From an early age, every person is convinced of the immutability of true things. These include love, faith, the existence of the soul, God.

The formation of sacred knowledge takes centuries; a person does not need proof of the existence of mysterious knowledge. Confirmation for him are miracles that occur in daily life thanks to rituals, prayers, and the actions of clergy.