Hinduism in Five Minutes - Steven W Ramey
45. Are There Any Ceremonies that Hindus Hold Very Sacred?
Hinduism in Five Minutes - Steven W Ramey
Thomas B. Ellis [+]
Appalachian State University
Thomas B. Ellis is Professor of Religion in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Appalachian State University (Boone, NC). Having published a book on the life and work of the twentieth century Hindu philosopher, Jarava Lal Mehta, Ellis’s current research pursues psychological and biological explanations of religion. Along these lines, Ellis has published “Disgusting Bodies, Disgusting Religion: The Biology of Tantra” and “Evoked Puja: The Behavioral Ecology of an Equatorial Ritual,” both of which appeared in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. He is currently working on a book-length manuscript on religion, disease and immunology.
Description
This chapter begins with a consideration of the contested nature of the “sacred,” proposing that something deemed “sacred” often reflects something held to be special. Some rituals are so routine that their special quality may be diminished. Other rituals, especially life cycle and devotional rituals, may retain their sacredness.