Introduction
Since the dawn of civilization, religion has played a fundamental role in human existence. Many have resorted to religion to cope with life’s hardships, find consolation and comfort, and learn the meaning and purpose of existence. According to Mircea Eliade, a Romanian historian of religion, the significance of human existence is connected to religion.
Eliade claims that religion transcends the commonplace and everyday features of human existence by giving people a sense of meaning and purpose. Because they offer a distinctive viewpoint on how religion enables individuals to construct purpose and importance in their lives, Eliade’s opinions on the place of religion in human existence are significant. Exploring Eliade’s perspective on religion and human life gives insights into how individuals develop a sense of transcendence and appreciation for the world surrounding them.
Eliade’s Views of Religion
Religion as the Primary Path of Human Society to Transcendence
According to Eliade, religion is the primary means of attaining transcendence and a key component of human society. According to Eliade, religion offers a framework for comprehending the world and one’s position. Eliade believes that religion’s primary goals are to make the holy visible in everyday life and to establish a link with the divine. The sacred, which stands for the divine or supernatural domain, is that which is separated from the profane (Schiopu, 2020).
Eliade highlights that the holy is where meaning and purpose come from and what gives human existence significance. Notably, Eliade’s idea of human nature and religion are intertwined. He thinks that people have an innate desire for the sacred and that this desire manifests in religious behaviors and beliefs. Human existence is meaningful and gives us a sense of direction because of this propensity toward the Holy. Ultimately, Eliade was convinced that the experience of the Holy is an essential component of human consciousness and is shared by all people.
Drawing from Eliade, the holy experience gives life purpose and meaning. He held that the yearning to transcend the bounds of the physical world and connect with something higher than oneself is a basic urge shared by all living things. He contends that religion connects to a broader historical and cultural context and serves as a source of identity and purpose that transcends the individual. Eliade claims that religion offers a means for people to satisfy their urge for transcendence by giving them a connection to the Holy. Religion ties people to their cultural and historical history and connects them with the past.
Religion as a Perspective on the Universe Beyond Mere Belief
Eliade claimed that religion is a method of perceiving the universe rather than merely a question of belief. He thought that when people come into contact with the holy, they develop a sense of awe and wonder that is a part of religious experience. As people understand the strength and grandeur of the holy, sentiments of regard, respect, and humility are necessary (Schiopu, 2020).
According to Eliade, the idea of the everlasting return is how religion elevates human existence’s value. According to the everlasting return theory, everything in the world—including people—experiences a cyclical cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Through our involvement in this cycle, which is viewed as a holy pattern that occurs repeatedly throughout time, we might experience transcendence and immortality.
The Role of Religion in Providing Structure and Order to Human Existence
Eliade also contends that religion brings a sense of structure and order to human existence. A framework for comprehending the world and one’s role in it is provided by religion. It gives a system for setting the world in order and giving human existence a sense of structure and order.
People can discover purpose and importance in their lives by using Eliade’s idea of the holy (Gligor, 2019). People may view the world differently once they acknowledge the intrinsic worth and significance of the Holy. They can realize the grandeur and might of the universe and the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
The Relevance and Critique of Eliade’s Perspective
Eliade’s opinions on the importance of religion are especially pertinent now since so many people are searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. Many people feel cut off from the spiritual side of life in an increasingly secular and commercial environment. According to Eliade, religion offers a solution to the issue of pain and evil (Schiopu, 2020). Humans must face the realities of evil and suffering, which may cause pessimism and despair. Eliade claims that people who struggle to find meaning in their lives may feel emptiness and despair due to this separation.
However, Eliade’s perspective on religion is criticized for being Eurocentric and having the propensity to idealize old, pre-modern countries. According to Handaric (2021), Eliade’s perspective on religion is criticized for romanticizing and ignoring modern religious traditions’ complexity and diversity. In addition, some opponents contend that Eliade’s emphasis on the holy and the everlasting return is too mystical and disregards the mundane realities of human existence. Eliade was a member of a generation that struggled with the decline of traditional religious rituals and beliefs in Europe (Gligor, 2019). It is possible to interpret his focus on the holy and the everlasting return as a reaction to the spiritual crises of his day.
Conclusion
To conclude, a thorough grasp of the function of religion in human society may be found in Eliade’s view of religion as connected to the sense of what makes a human existence important. Eliade claims that religion gives people a feeling of meaning and purpose that goes beyond life’s commonplace and routine features. People can receive eternal salvation and a connection to something bigger than themselves via sacred experiences. Eliade’s theories on the importance of religion provide a distinctive viewpoint on how people might find meaning and purpose in their lives. These views can also aid people in navigating the complexity of the modern world.
References
Gligor, M. (2019). On Mircea Eliade and “the terror of history”. Polish Academy of Sciences, 17(18), 211–220. Web.
Handaric, M. (2021). Aspects Related to the Influence of Christianity on the Society. Randwick International of Social Science Journal, 2(2), 58–66. Web.
Schiopu, M. T. (2020). The Sublime in Mircea Eliade’s Fiction. Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, 43(2), 82-91. Web.