U73611 Issues in Contemporary Religion

U73611 Issues in Contemporary Religion

Week Nine: Conflict Over Sacred Sites

Week Nine: Conflict Over Sacred Sites

‘Place’ is important to all religions

‘Place’ is important to all religions

Why are some places sacred? How did they become so? Why aren’t all places sacred? What happens when more than one religion

regards a place as sacred?

Why are some places sacred? How did they become so? Why aren’t all places sacred? What happens when more than one religion

regards a place as sacred?

Pre-Christian religionsPre-Christian religions

Hard to generalise Springs, groves, ancient trees, rocks, hills

regarded as special

Hard to generalise Springs, groves, ancient trees, rocks, hills

regarded as special

Windmill Hill, AveburyWindmill Hill, Avebury

StonehengeStonehenge

Obviously a ‘special’ place But why was monument constructed there and not

somewhere else?

Obviously a ‘special’ place But why was monument constructed there and not

somewhere else?

Romans in BritainRomans in Britain

The genius loci Or spirit of place

The genius loci Or spirit of place

Bridewell Barrow, Wittenham Clumps

Bridewell Barrow, Wittenham Clumps

World ReligionsWorld Religions

Jerusalem - Christianity, Islam and Judaism Bodh-Gaya - Buddhism (where Buddha

received enlightenment) Mecca - Islam etc

Jerusalem - Christianity, Islam and Judaism Bodh-Gaya - Buddhism (where Buddha

received enlightenment) Mecca - Islam etc

TopophiliaTopophilia

‘the belief that certain locations are inherently powerful and exude a heightened sense of place’ Marion Bowman

What defines a place as sacred? Hard to define, but:

They are not transferable (because of associated holiness)

They do not need to be re-established with every generation

‘the belief that certain locations are inherently powerful and exude a heightened sense of place’ Marion Bowman

What defines a place as sacred? Hard to define, but:

They are not transferable (because of associated holiness)

They do not need to be re-established with every generation

Mircea Eliade 1907-86Mircea Eliade 1907-86

Romanian Scholar of Comparative Religion Moved to Chicago in later life The world is always and everywhere

divided between the sacred and the profane

Romanian Scholar of Comparative Religion Moved to Chicago in later life The world is always and everywhere

divided between the sacred and the profane

HierophanyHierophany

An eruption or an intrusion of the sacred into the profane

Literally: a manifestation of God Site becomes sacred centre Centre about which religious cosmology is

orientated

An eruption or an intrusion of the sacred into the profane

Literally: a manifestation of God Site becomes sacred centre Centre about which religious cosmology is

orientated

So, Mecca is sacred to Islam because that is where Allah spoke to the Prophet Mohammed

Mount Sinai to Judaism etc But doesn’t always apply - eg Glastonbury

So, Mecca is sacred to Islam because that is where Allah spoke to the Prophet Mohammed

Mount Sinai to Judaism etc But doesn’t always apply - eg Glastonbury

GlastonburyGlastonbury

GlastonburyGlastonbury

Small, rural Somerset town, population c.8000

(Festival is actually held at Pilton, five miles away)

Has been a site religious significance since the Middle Ages

Why? Presumably because the Tor is so aesthetically striking

Small, rural Somerset town, population c.8000

(Festival is actually held at Pilton, five miles away)

Has been a site religious significance since the Middle Ages

Why? Presumably because the Tor is so aesthetically striking

Glastonbury as Christian siteGlastonbury as Christian site

Myth 1) Joseph of Arimathea, provided tomb for Jesus after crucifixion, alleged to have come to Glastonbury

Thrust his staff in ground at Wearyall Hill - from which Glastonbury Thorn sprouted

Thought to have founded a ‘Celtic’ Church

Myth 1) Joseph of Arimathea, provided tomb for Jesus after crucifixion, alleged to have come to Glastonbury

Thrust his staff in ground at Wearyall Hill - from which Glastonbury Thorn sprouted

Thought to have founded a ‘Celtic’ Church

Myth 2) King ArthurMyth 2) King Arthur

Arthur is supposed to be buried in the isle of Avalon

Will appear again in our hour of need 1190 remains of Arthur and Guinevere

‘found’ in Abbey - established Glastonbury as a pilgrimage site

Arthur is supposed to be buried in the isle of Avalon

Will appear again in our hour of need 1190 remains of Arthur and Guinevere

‘found’ in Abbey - established Glastonbury as a pilgrimage site

Myth 3) JesusMyth 3) Jesus

What did Christ do between age 12-30? Joseph of Arimathea supposed to be a tin

trader Brought Christ with him Christ hung out with the Druid College,

again, supposed to have existed at Glastonbury

William Blake - Jerusalem

What did Christ do between age 12-30? Joseph of Arimathea supposed to be a tin

trader Brought Christ with him Christ hung out with the Druid College,

again, supposed to have existed at Glastonbury

William Blake - Jerusalem

TodayToday

Every summer, Anglican pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey on Saturday

Followed by a Catholic pilgrimage on the Sunday!

Every December, Anglican parish Church, St John the Baptist, conducts a thorn-cutting ceremony

Sprays of flowers sent to the Queen

Every summer, Anglican pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey on Saturday

Followed by a Catholic pilgrimage on the Sunday!

Every December, Anglican parish Church, St John the Baptist, conducts a thorn-cutting ceremony

Sprays of flowers sent to the Queen

The New Age - the AvaloniansThe New Age - the Avalonians

Dion Fortune 1890-1946 and others established Glastonbury as a New Age Centre

Now, centre for New Age spirituality, healing, neopaganism, earth mysteries etc etc

Dion Fortune 1890-1946 and others established Glastonbury as a New Age Centre

Now, centre for New Age spirituality, healing, neopaganism, earth mysteries etc etc

Conflict at Sacred SitesConflict at Sacred Sites

Different readings of Glastonbury coexist, elsewhere not so peaceful

Eg Jerusalem, Amritsar

Different readings of Glastonbury coexist, elsewhere not so peaceful

Eg Jerusalem, Amritsar

Amritsar massacre 1984Amritsar massacre 1984

Sikh activists took over Golden Temple Accused of amassing weapons Indira Ghandi ordered in troops Approx 500 civilian casualties Ghandi assassinated by two Sikh

bodyguards in revenge Led to pogrom vs Sikhs - maybe 5000

killed

Sikh activists took over Golden Temple Accused of amassing weapons Indira Ghandi ordered in troops Approx 500 civilian casualties Ghandi assassinated by two Sikh

bodyguards in revenge Led to pogrom vs Sikhs - maybe 5000

killed

Closer to home StonehengeCloser to home Stonehenge

Free festival 1974-84 The vision of one Phil Russell, aka Wally

Hope Forcibly closed down by Thatcher

government at Battle of the Beanfield 1985 S/H eventually reopened to public for

summer solstice in 1999

Free festival 1974-84 The vision of one Phil Russell, aka Wally

Hope Forcibly closed down by Thatcher

government at Battle of the Beanfield 1985 S/H eventually reopened to public for

summer solstice in 1999

Place:Place:

Evokes powerful emotions Often the site of symbolic/political struggle

Evokes powerful emotions Often the site of symbolic/political struggle