Sacred Sites and Sacred Stories Across Cultures

This book offers global perspectives from Mediterranean, Asian, Australian, and American cultures on sacred sites and their related stories in regional history. Contemporary society witnesses many travelers visiting sacred sites (temples, mountains, castles, churches, houses) throughout the world. These visits often involve discovery of new historical facts through the origin stories of the associated tribe, region, or nation. The transmission of oral tradition and myth carries on the significant meaning of those religious sites. This volume unveils multi-angle perspectives of symbolic and mystical places. The contributors describe the religio-political experiences of each regional case, and analyze the religiosity of local people as a lens through which readers can re-examine the concept of iconography, syncretism, and materialism. In addition, contributors interpret the growth of new religions as the alternative perspectives of anti-traditional religions. This new approach offers significant insight into comprehending the practical agony and sorrow of regional people in the context of contemporary history.

David W. Kim is Associate Professor of Asian History at Kookmin University, Seoul, and a Visiting Fellow at the School of History, Australian National University, Canberra.

“An extraordinary cross-cultural and multi-religious panorama. We encounter many lesser known but important sacred places and become better informed as to how the traditions behind them have been passed on. Well selected, well organized, and a fine cast of scholarly contributors.” (Garry W. Trompf, Emeritus Professor in the History of Ideas, University of Sydney, Australia)

 

“The contributors to this book provide valuable theoretical and practical knowledge of specific sites of interest to religious communities, to pilgrims or simply tourists, thereby helping the reader reflect critically on what makes a location ‘sacred.’” (James L. Cox, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, University of Edinburgh, UK

 

“An enlightening multi-disciplinary exploration of sacred sites, primarily in Asia, and how they are utilized for rituals, for constructing sacred histories, for political legitimation, and for recreation.” (Donald L. Baker, Professor in Korean History and Civilization, University of British Columbia, Canada)

 

“David W. Kim’s book provides an excellent transcultural overview of sacred sites and this collection of essays encapsulate the inter-relatedness of theory and praxis, where religion is experienced and transmitted in a multitude of ways.” (Kevin Cawley, Editor for the Irish Journal of Asian Studies, University College Cork, Ireland)

 

"What sets this volume apart from previous efforts is its careful attention to what makes people, places, and things sacred' as well as its authors' scrupulous attention to processes of sanctification.  The chapters analyze the religious beliefs of local peoples with special attention to iconography, syncretism, and material culture. Collectively, these chapters facilitate the understanding of multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities in Asia, the Mediterranean, Australia, and the United States. An impressive, meticulously researched collection."  (Stephen D. Glazier, Research Anthropologist, Yale University, USA)