SCCC 361Q - Prosem: Sacred Space
Professor: Clifford G.
Hospital
tel: (803)777-2437
email: cghospital@yahoo.com
Office: Rutledge 323
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Spring 2004
T-TH 3:30p.m.
Flinn 102.
Office hours: T-Th 2 - 3
p.m.
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Description
This course is an introduction to the treatment of physical space
in religious worldviews, an examination of how humans create
significant space.
The basic theoretical background will be provided by a critical
examination of Mircea Eliade's classic text, The Sacred and the
Profane.
The remainder of the course will comprise three parts. In the
first, we shall look mainly at the treatment of the natural world--
I including such topics as (1) the symbolism of rocks, trees,
I mountains, rivers, lakes, caves, etc., and their association with
super-human beings: totemic ancestors, spirits, deities;(2) the
terrestrial ingredients utilized in the development of an idea of a
paradisal place of perfection, usually set in the heavens, -and (3)
the way in which, in many traditions, through the development of
highly abstract concepts, the entire world is sacralized.
In the second part we will discuss the symbolic elements of
religious buildings from different traditions (this will involve visits
to local churches and other sites); and examine the widespread
practice of pilgrimage (together with the related idea of the holy
city).
In a brief final section we will consider some recent
developments, via such topics as: the symbolism of national
parks; the tourist as pilgrim; the tropical island as paradise; and
modern sacred places--from Graceland to Ground Zero.
Grading:
The final grade will be based on the following: (1) a term paper
of about 2500 to 3000 words, on a topic selected from a list
provided, or developed in consultation with the instructor ( 40
marks); (2) two take-home examinations, around mid-term and
in the examination period, designed to test the student's
knowledge of the course as a whole (20 marks each); and (3)
contributions to class discussion (20 marks)
Reading List:
Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and theProfane
Jean Holm and John Bowker, eds., Sacred Pipe
Carolyn Humphrey and Piers Vitebsky, Sacred Architecture
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND ASSIGNED READINGS
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January 12
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Introduction: Significant Space; Religion and the Sacred
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January 19
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The Theory of Mircea Eliade
Eliade SP. 1-113
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January 26
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Orientation in Space
Gill. 10-13, 19-27; Smith, 1-23; HV 8-26
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February 2
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The Symbolism of Natural Phenomena
Eliade SP, 116-59
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February 9
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Imagining the Perfect Place
Qur'an 78.17-40; Revelation 21.1-22.5; Conze, 202-06
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February 16
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Nature and the Cosmos: South and East Asia
HB 8-14,62-67,174-85,187-92
Nature and the Cosmos: Western Traditions
HB 115-32,33-41,88-95
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February 23
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Religious Buildings: Hindu and Buddhist
HB 76-86,24-27; HV 36-37,46-49.92-95
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March 1,15
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Religious Buildings: Jewish, Christian and Islamic
HB 132-34, 53-57.98-99; HV 50, 82-90,98-99, 110-11. 124-27,
156-57, 163-69
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March 22
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Visits to local religious buildings
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March 29
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Pilgrimage: Hindu and Buddhist
HB 67-76,14-23,27-32; HV 60-61,76-79
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April 5
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Pilgrimage: Jewish, Christian and Islamic
HB 41-53,95-113; HV 76-81
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April 12
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The symbolism of National Parks; the tropical island as Paradise
Sears, chs. 1, 6
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April 19
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Modern sacred places-Graceville to Ground Zero; the Tourist as Pilgrim
Reader, ch. 3
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