1. The Language of the Sacred
The Sacred Quest, chapter 4

2. Language and Sacred Reality
What are the limits of our language in describing religious experience?
Example: Nirvana
Why do we teach children through stories?
How does hearing a religious story affect you differently than studying a doctrine?
Story of Buddha vs. doctrines of impermanence, no-self, nirvana

3. Narrative Used in religion:
To reveal
To teach memorably, personally
To alter relationships
“Religion is my story being shaped by another story” (p. 62)
Life itself has a narrative quality
Certain stories are paradigms, like the Exodus or story of Buddha
Applying the story to one’s life distinguishes mere history from an experience of the sacred

4. Passover Seder
How does this bring the narrative of the Exodus to life?
In the [modern] text recited by the participants
In the rituals
How is the Seder a story not just about the past (Israelites in Egypt) but the present (Jews today)?
How is the story a paradigm for Jewish experience?
How is it a story about present identity: of God, of Jews, of their relationship?
Does it reveal? Teach? Alter relationships?

5. Types of religious language
Myth
Universal: expresses fundamental beliefs about relation of sacred reality to humanity and natural world
“Disclose ultimate truth about crucial human questions” (SQ 59)
“Historical” narratives (“stories” in SQ)
particular
Parables
Moral point
Specific, relatable, yet can be applied more broadly
Theology
“second order” reflection on “first order” experience

6. Myth One type of narrative
Answers questions about how people relate to sacred reality and to their world
Universal in scope
Does NOT mean “not true”
actually, it discloses an ultimate truth about the world and its relationship to the sacred
Its meaning is not primarily about history (particular time and place) but what is true universally (at all times and places)

7. Scriptures Why do most religions have scriptures?
Unites the community (its story is my story)
Compare: American stories, e.g., pilgrims
Privileged disclosure of the sacred
Revelation from God
Must be recognized by the community, given their past experience
Sustain and nourish religious traditions
“Provide a framework for the religious life of the believer” (p 67)

8. Theology All religious people are theologians
Reflect on/talk about their experiences of sacred reality
Theology is “second-level discourse”
One step removed from primary experience
“First-level discourse” is language of scripture, prayer, liturgy: directly communicates with sacred reality
Doctrine is also second-level discourse
guides people in thinking about primary experiences
Example: how is Jesus encountered in the eucharist?