Religious Symbolism

This maieutics effected with the aid of religious symbolism would also help to rescue modern man from his cultural provincialism and, above all, from his historical and existentialist relativism. For, as we shall see, man is opposing himself to history even when he sets out to make history, and even when he pretends to be nothing but "history". And in so far as man surpasses his historic moment and gives free course to his desire to relive the archetypes, he realizes himself as a whole and universal being. In so far as he opposes himself to history, modern man rediscovers the archetypal positions. Even his sleep, even his orgiastic tendencies are charged with spiritual significance. By the simple fact that, at the heart of his being, he rediscovers the cosmic rhythms -the alternations of day and night, for instance, or of winter and summer-he comes to a more complete knowledge of his own destiny and significance.

To grasp the authentic structures and functions of symbols, one must turn to the inexhaustible indices of the history of religions; and yet even here, one must know how to choose; for our documents are in many cases decadent in form, aberrant, or frankly second-rate. If we want to arrive at an adequate understanding of archaic religious symbolism we are obliged to make a selection, just as, in order to gain some idea of a foreign literature, we must not take at hazard the first ten or the first hundred books to be found in the nearest public library. It is to be hoped that one day the historians of religion will make a hierarchic assessment of their documents according to the value and the condition of each, as do their colleagues, the historians of literature. But here again, we are only at the beginning of things.

Archetypal images keep their metaphysical valencies intact in spite of later "concrete" re-valorizations: the commercial value of the pearl in no way abolishes its religious symbolism; this is continually being rediscovered, reintegrated and enriched. Let us recall, indeed, the considerable part played by the pearl in Iranian speculation, in Christianity and in Gnosticism. A tradition of Eastern origin explains the birth of the pearl as the child of lightning penetrating into a mussel; the pearl thus being the result of union between Fire and Water. St Ephrem makes use of this ancient myth to illustrate the Immaculate Conception as well as the spiritual birth of the Christ in the baptism of Fire.

The influence exerted by religion in the development of American culture and institutions manifests itself in the contemporary religious symbolism that pervades our society. Communities throughout the nation have recognized this influence in monuments, murals, seals, names, and ceremonies. Public parks contain statues commemorating Roger Williams, William Penn, Isaac Backus, Lord Baltimore, and Martin Luther King, Jr.; city halls and courthouses display monuments inscribed with the Ten Commandments; public buildings are etched with Biblical verses; and public funds are expended to restore famous religious landmarks, to erect crosses as war memorials, and to provide grave monuments with religious symbols for veterans.

Unless one believes that the Framers drafted the Constitution as a static document, incapable of adaptation to meet new challenges, the definitional task is an area where original intent affords no complete solution. The Founders' theistic understanding of religion proves inadequate in twentieth-century America because it is underinclusive, failing to account for nontheistic religions such as Buddhism and Taoism. Consequently, in contrast to issues such as equal access and religious symbolism, the animating principles identified earlier can provide courts with only limited guidance in defining religion.