Rituals are pervasive because they are such useful mechanisms of social coordination. (Revised version of paper presented at Melbourne University Medieval Roundtable in February 2022.)
One of my most influential encounters outside the classroom during my uni years was discovering Jacob Bronowski's Ascent Of Man. (Amazing series I encourage everyone to see and read the book-of). There is a scene I still clearly remember that deals with ritual - that of Japanese swordsmiths forging katana blades.
Bronowski asserted that a major utility of rituals was to transmit procedural knowledge in pre-literate cultures. The given example shows the swordsmith heating up blades to a very particular colour - a shade of red precisely matching the hue of the setting sun... Thus without any written instructions or instruments and with very primitive tools the craftsmen could find the precise quenching and tempering temperatures for steel.
It would have taken decades and many generations to perfect such process, then transmit it from master to apprentice for centuries before modernity.
A very well written and highly illustrative post, thanks. Seems so apparent that tyrannical regimes, those who would rule over us and use us as ends for their means, are those most in need of imposing rituals. Epic distractions to dissuade us from being the born politicians we in fact are. Excellent on the mechanisms of ritual to distract us from what is truly and always important. It is culminating with the current slogans of the WEF - "we'll have nothing and we'll be happy".
Fascinating 'anti-conspiracy theory', but not a complete rebuttal, nor comprehensive explanation. What about non-conformity? Personally I have always been bewildered by rituals and traditions, just as a child wonders "What is going on?" This applies to the rituals of my own society as well as those of others, whether surrounding birth, death, 'marriage' or the various expressions of team/community solidarity. As I could never consciously relate, I always assumed such choreographics to be unconscious, yet still wonder at my detachment/immunity, unless unknowingly on the 'autism spectrum'. Surely I cannot be alone in standing outside 'traditions' and not being susceptible to ritual? Comments reasons, clues or pointers explaining such unconformity very much of interest
To lose oneself in ritual takes a certain lack of self-consciousness. If one has never acquired the habit, if one remains highly *self* conscious, then rituals will lack power and emotional resonance.
Fascinating, but what is the basis for the claim that early Christians were arsonists? Surely you are not Rome burning under Nero! The early church strictly forbade the title of martyr to anyone punished for criminal behaviour, so it wasn't likely to occur.
Constantine tried to respect the pagan temples in the empire (obviously he had to for political reasons, but also he seems to have wanted to) but they ended up being the centres for plotting against the throne, which is why they ended up being abolished.
"purifying by flame" btw isn't a Christian concept, it is pagan. In Christianity, purification comes by blood, water or prayer.
Nah. Even your own example is a case of him burning down a temple he now owned; a standard way of clearing a site for redevelopment.
Burning books is a modern heresy, based on a mis-understanding of the Book of Acts, where they smelt down 'magic books', that is silver tablets, to give the silver to the poor.
Being burned as a witch was a *pagan* custom. The early church really hated that, as miracle workers were frequently accused of being witches (Athanasius, famed for the creed he didn't write, had to flee Rome because of accusations of using sorcery to interfere with the grain shipments, and accused of necromancy for producing (alive) a man he was accused of having murdered). In early Christianity, *Accusing* someone of being a witch could get you burnt. Scandinavia and the World has done a cartoon on 'traditional witch burning'
First case recorded of a 'heretic' being burned was in 1022. There was no way the early church was going to do that; remember that many of the most famous saints had been martyred in that fashion, including Polycarp.
One of my most influential encounters outside the classroom during my uni years was discovering Jacob Bronowski's Ascent Of Man. (Amazing series I encourage everyone to see and read the book-of). There is a scene I still clearly remember that deals with ritual - that of Japanese swordsmiths forging katana blades.
Bronowski asserted that a major utility of rituals was to transmit procedural knowledge in pre-literate cultures. The given example shows the swordsmith heating up blades to a very particular colour - a shade of red precisely matching the hue of the setting sun... Thus without any written instructions or instruments and with very primitive tools the craftsmen could find the precise quenching and tempering temperatures for steel.
It would have taken decades and many generations to perfect such process, then transmit it from master to apprentice for centuries before modernity.
Fascinating.
A very well written and highly illustrative post, thanks. Seems so apparent that tyrannical regimes, those who would rule over us and use us as ends for their means, are those most in need of imposing rituals. Epic distractions to dissuade us from being the born politicians we in fact are. Excellent on the mechanisms of ritual to distract us from what is truly and always important. It is culminating with the current slogans of the WEF - "we'll have nothing and we'll be happy".
Fascinating 'anti-conspiracy theory', but not a complete rebuttal, nor comprehensive explanation. What about non-conformity? Personally I have always been bewildered by rituals and traditions, just as a child wonders "What is going on?" This applies to the rituals of my own society as well as those of others, whether surrounding birth, death, 'marriage' or the various expressions of team/community solidarity. As I could never consciously relate, I always assumed such choreographics to be unconscious, yet still wonder at my detachment/immunity, unless unknowingly on the 'autism spectrum'. Surely I cannot be alone in standing outside 'traditions' and not being susceptible to ritual? Comments reasons, clues or pointers explaining such unconformity very much of interest
To lose oneself in ritual takes a certain lack of self-consciousness. If one has never acquired the habit, if one remains highly *self* conscious, then rituals will lack power and emotional resonance.
Fascinating, but what is the basis for the claim that early Christians were arsonists? Surely you are not Rome burning under Nero! The early church strictly forbade the title of martyr to anyone punished for criminal behaviour, so it wasn't likely to occur.
Early Christianity was a diverse movement. And I am afraid Christians were notorious for their willingness to destroy pagan temples and sites.
Source please?
And if you mention Hypatia, understand that I am going to laugh at you.
Hypatia isn’t a temple :)
And I am relying on a classicist/lawyer friend. Also, snippets read over the years.
The destruction of the Serapeum of Alexandria is the most famous example, but there were cases earlier.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serapeum_of_Alexandria
You normally do much better :/
Constantine tried to respect the pagan temples in the empire (obviously he had to for political reasons, but also he seems to have wanted to) but they ended up being the centres for plotting against the throne, which is why they ended up being abolished.
"purifying by flame" btw isn't a Christian concept, it is pagan. In Christianity, purification comes by blood, water or prayer.
Burnt books, witches, heretics and pagan temples suggest purification by fire was very Christian. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1201-1500/st-stephen-of-perm-holy-arsonist-11629872.html
Nah. Even your own example is a case of him burning down a temple he now owned; a standard way of clearing a site for redevelopment.
Burning books is a modern heresy, based on a mis-understanding of the Book of Acts, where they smelt down 'magic books', that is silver tablets, to give the silver to the poor.
Being burned as a witch was a *pagan* custom. The early church really hated that, as miracle workers were frequently accused of being witches (Athanasius, famed for the creed he didn't write, had to flee Rome because of accusations of using sorcery to interfere with the grain shipments, and accused of necromancy for producing (alive) a man he was accused of having murdered). In early Christianity, *Accusing* someone of being a witch could get you burnt. Scandinavia and the World has done a cartoon on 'traditional witch burning'
https://satwcomic.com/what-comes-around-goes-around
First case recorded of a 'heretic' being burned was in 1022. There was no way the early church was going to do that; remember that many of the most famous saints had been martyred in that fashion, including Polycarp.