Idolatry, Ecology, and the Sacred as Tangible
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v12i1.74Keywords:
Paganism, idolatry, HinduismAbstract
While paganic aniconic forms of religiosity do flourish, such as we see in Shinto, Balinese Hinduism and Neo-paganism, idolatry is nevertheless a central form of religious expression to both generic paganism and vernacular forms of worship in general. However, thanks to the historically prevailing iconoclastic sentiments of Abrahamic religion, idolatrous worship has been vilified and ignored as a bona fide and authentic venerational response. The counter-argument presented in this essay rests on the contention that the corpo-spiritual fundaments of pagan perception not only allows idolatry but also encourages it as a distinguishing and legitimately affirmative religious approach. Through an emancipated understanding of the dynamics of the tangible, emerging pagan spirituality can flourish despite the biases, ridicule and condemnations inherent in both Abrahamic religion and secular ‘superiority’ as well as in ‘puritanical’ aspirations associated with dharmic orientationsReferences
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Burrgraeve, Roger, Johan De Tavernier, Didier Pollefeyt, and Jo Hanssens, eds. Desirable God? Our Fascination with Images, Idols and New Deities. Leuven: Peters, 2003.
Corrington, Robert. Ecstatic Naturalism: Signs of the World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994.
Edel, Abraham. Aristotle. New York: Dell, 1967.
Fenn, Richard K.. Beyond Idols: The Shape of a Secular Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
Harvey, Graham. Animism: Respecting the Living World. London: Hurst, 2005.
McGraw, Barbara A. Rediscovering America’s Sacred Ground: Public Religion and Pursuit of the Good in a Pluralistic America. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2003.
McKeon, Richard, ed. Introduction to Aristotle. New York: Random House, 1947.
Mumm, Susan. Religion Today: A Reader. Aldershot, Hants.: Ashgate in association with The Open University, 2002.
Palmquist, Stephen. “Does Kant Reduce Religion to Morality?” Kant-Studien 83, no. 2 (1992): 129-148.
Sacks, Jonathan. “True Religion Is About Sharing, Not Self-Worship and Self-Esteem.” The Times, 10 January 2004, 51.
Spinoza, Benedict de. Ethics. Translated by Edwin Curley. London: Penguin, 1996 [1665].
York, Michael, The Divine versus the Asurian: An Interpretation of Indo-European Cult and Myth. Bethesda, Md.: International Scholars Publications, 1995.
Zizek, Slavoj. “Defenders of the Faith.” New York Times, 12 March 2006.
Published
2011-01-11
Issue
Section
Special Section: Idolatry and Materiality
How to Cite
York, M. (2011). Idolatry, Ecology, and the Sacred as Tangible. Pomegranate, 12(1), 74-93. https://doi.org/10.1558/pome.v12i1.74
