Religious studiesLesson 2 of 2 in the course Religion and Culture

Religious Symbols, Meaning, and the Making of Sacred Places

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

A symbol stands for something else. The connection between a symbol and what it represents is arbitrary: the symbol does not have a natural or necessary connection to its reference. People learn the connection through shared cultural practices and understandings.

This differs from a sign, which typically indicates something through a more direct or conventional link. For example, smoke can be a sign of fire because it is commonly caused by fire. A religious symbol, by contrast, represents an idea because a community has learned to associate the symbol with that idea.

All flashcards

What is a symbol?
Something that stands for something else through a culturally learned, arbitrary connection.
How does a sign differ from a symbol?
A sign typically indicates something through a more direct or conventional link; a symbol represents something through a learned association.
What is a metaphorical symbol?
A symbol that represents something without a direct connection to what it represents.
What is a metonym?
A related part, object, or feature that represents a broader whole.
What does multivocal mean?
A symbol’s capacity to carry multiple meanings shaped by use and interpretation.

Quiz questions

  1. What is a defining feature of a symbol?Answer: It represents something through a culturally learned connection that is not naturally necessary.
  2. What is a metonym?Answer: A related object or feature that represents a broader whole.
  3. How do anthropologists distinguish place from space?Answer: Space is an unmarked physical field; place has sociocultural meaning attached to it.
  4. What does the term hierophany mean?Answer: A manifestation of the sacred or divine.
  5. In Wiccan practice, what does the pentagram represent?Answer: Air, water, fire, earth, and aether or spirit.

Based on Introduction to Anthropology by Jennifer Hasty, David G. Lewis, Marjorie M. Snipes (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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