| The Sacred and the Profane Lecture Summary September 8 |
| 9/8: In The Sacred and the Profane, Mircea Eliade explains the Sacred, a referral to sacred dieties, places (axis mundi), or things. He also explains the idea of a hierophany, which is the relationship between humanity and the Sacred, and the explanation of humans as homo religiosus, or people who are accepting of the hierophany. The numinous experience or theophany ties into the hierophany of homo religiosus, as it explains the overwhelming experience (mysterium tremendum et fascinans) which furthers the relationship between homo religiosus and the Sacred. The axis mundi, the central space dedicated to the Sacred such as temples and churches, enables humans to physically relate to the Sacred by combining the tangible aspects related to the space and the objects within the space to the intangible virtues of the Sacred. Eliade also explores cosmogonic and cosmologic aspects of the Sacred and homo religiosus, namely through rituals and myths. Rituals that continually remind human beings of their creation and their place in the universe and myths that continually imitate divine models help human beings to further relate to the Sacred and provides the basis for several religions. |
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