Sacrale oorden: een filosofische beschouwing over heilige plaatsen

After an introduction the author deals with the modern Enlightened criticism which can see in holy places nothing but sentimentalism and in religious pilgrimage nothing but a senseless activity. Moreover, this criticism is linked to a certain ideal of religious interiority, which is discussed with reference to a story by Tolstoy. Then Marc Augé’s vision of non-place is discussed as a sign of the postmodern, secularized attitude towards spaces. This postmodern approach can be seen as a reinforcement of the Enlightened criticism. In the following paragraphs it is shown how nevertheless something persists of the old attachment to holy places and which universal anthropological elements play a role here. Rome as the destination of a Catholic pilgrimage is briefly discussed. Understanding and misunderstanding of holy places is elucidated by reference to Jan Hendrik Walgrave. Finally it is shown how the reduced religious consciousness seeks refuge in contemporary art and how this secular paradigm in turn influences the ecclesiastical experience.

Publication year:2022

Keywords:A1 Journal article

Accessibility:Open