Šventybės sąvokos sąsajos su krikščionybe

Abstract

Since R. Otto published his work “The Sacred” (“Das Heilige"), this concept became the main one in the definitions of religion. According to R. Otto, the Sacred is the ground and the essence of every religion. This conception connects religious and scientific discourse, because it relates rational and irrational subjects. It is impossible to express the Sacred in words: speaking about it is possible only in such case if person has experienced the Sacred in his life. The Sacred is total mystery and man can experience it only in revelation. Every revelation of the Sacred can be called mysterium tremendum et fascinans: being total otherness, the Sacred attracts and frightens at the same time. The Sacred continually appears; it is in permanent motion. The experience of faith is response tor this revelation. Religious experience is very subjective: it is personal relation with the Sacred. God cannot be understood; man can only accept His revelation, and free acceptation could be called faith. The Sacred can be recognised by recollection. The Christianity bases itself in recollection, too. Holy Eucharist is the remembrance, meditation and participation in Jesus suffering, death and resurrection.