4/ Sacred and Profane articles

The following two articles both reflect at least some part of religious meaning.

Article 1- Talks about how Christians only limit their time to being christian on Sundays and not every other day. It talks about how we as humans are trying to fit God into our time, our space and our lives. When we should be Fitting into God's.

Article 2- Raises the issue of athletics coaches allowing the athletes to race whilst still committing to their Muslim religion. Even though other people don't believe in it religion. Juashaunna Kelly was asked to remove her head gear right before she was about to run a race. Eventually she decided to put on a full piece sports body suit.


(link to article 1)http://www.heartlight.org/articles/201001/20100111_thesacred.html
(link to article 2) http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=67297

Similarities:
In both articles it states that the world only has some time for religion. It can't be all the time, not for a race and not weekdays. Both articles raise an issue of being angry with religion and how it can cause lots of problems. for example: Why are people only following christian ways on Sundays and not every day? Should people of other religions have to respect it and allow things to happen in the different religion. Or should they have to adapt to our culture?
Also for both articles it expresses how sacred space is being consumed by having a busy day or by doing something else which takes up your time.

5/ My Values

My friends, my family, my faith and myself are a major part of my values.
My friends are a huge part of my life. There are 4 of my friends who attend the same church, youth and k-nect as I do. We share so much of our faith together and we value each other very much. Many of our values are the same because we all believe in the same things.

My faith, I would be lost without it. To not value my faith would be underestimating the relationship I have with God. I put my whole life in His hands it's impossible to not value my faith.

Even though I find it hard I do try to value myself. Because God created me and says that we are more valuable than anything else he created in this world. Anything that God values I want to try hard to value to.

My family. All I can say is that I love and value them very much.

My sacred space would be when I'm praying to God in my room or at church/youth. I always include my values in my prayers. Praying for each individual one. At school I attepmted to meditate but it didn't really work fo rme because I was too distracted by my thoughts of people watching me. I did try focus, feel calm and I tried saying 'YHWH' over and over but it felt stupid. For the remainder of the 20mins I just walked around and prayed instead of meditating. I defineatley think it would've helped more if I was in my room or at church/youth. Altogther it was worth a try.

3/ Hillsong- To Know Your Name

Through watching this video I could tell from the first second of the song that there was sacred space because there were hands raised and people praising God. Something that really helps create the sacred space is the lyrics of the song. The instruments are also a major part in helping the atmosphere of sacred space thrive through the church in that song or where ever the DVD is being played which could be at home.

The Idea of watching the lighting in this song shows how it can effect or create a mood. When the lights are shining through peoples hands in the audience it omits a sense of stretching out to God or the chaos.

The fact that you can buy or watch for free a worship song doesn't really make it that spiritual or religious
than if you were to actually attend the church and experience the atmosphere for yourself.

Things like the stage, instruments, chairs, screens, microphones and the actual DVD itself are profane. They have no real religious meaning they are materails: ordinary objects.

To me after listening to this song I feel a spiritual connection because it is one of my favourite songs.

2/ Loan Cathedral

2/ Laon Cathedral - France.

The first piece of architecture that stood out to me was the colour of the stone. Most cathedrals have white or off white coloured stone which leads me to my first point of how the architecture can help create sacred space.

To me the colour white portrays purity, I think in this case the colour of the stone omits a sense of remembering that your slate is clean after repenting in the cathedral. Although if it was black, you would get a feeling of darkness and evil and guilt.

There is a gate in the cathedral which reminds me of the tabernacle. It separates the holy place with the most holy place. Only the high priests can go in there. So inside the cathedral you get an image of the two separate worlds of the cosmos and the chaos.

The height of the cathedral also adds to finding sacred space. It acts as an axis mundi, something reaching out towards the chaos. The whole cathedral is huge, It's so much bigger than we are which could be a reflection of how big God is compared to us.

The interior/exterior of the cathedral looks like a cross from a birds eye view, it has two wings and a long corridor which make up the cross. It has a West tower and a Southwest tower.

The profane objects in the cathedral are: the pews, the floor, the gate and the stain glass window. Even though the window may be telling a religious story the window itself is not sacred.

1/ Sacred space



What I regard as sacred space is a place physically, mentally, emotinally and interlectually where you can encounter or talk to God. Because I've been brought up in a christian family and have been going to church for a long time I've adapted to the ways of a christian life. Although know i'm old enough I decide weather I want to continue going to church which I do. I frequently go to church servies.
examples being: I go to church on sundays and attend youth on fridays. I have learnt the Lords prayer and I say amen after every prayer. My family and I celebrate easter and christmas. At school we say prayers before some classes and follow specific rules about our actions and how we talk to one another.


Sacred Space doesn't nessisacrily have to be a formal place like a church. It can often be places where one feels alone and calm and can make that connection with the "chaos", for example: a bedroom. Or for some people they find their sacred space through doing the things they love.


Sacred space exists when theres a connection from the cosmos (humans)to the chaos (God/other gods).