Description
Book SynopsisA fascinating comparative account of sacred languages and their role in and beyond religion written for a broad, interdisciplinary audience
Sacred languages have been used for foundational texts, liturgy, and ritual for millennia, and many have remained virtually unchanged through the centuries. While the vital relationship between language and religion has been long acknowledged, new research and thinking across an array of disciplines including religious studies, sociolinguistics, sociology, linguistics, and even neurolinguistics has resulted in a renewed interest in the area. This fascinating and informative book draws on Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Judaic, and Buddhist traditions to provide a concise and accessible introduction to the phenomenon of sacred languages.
The book takes a strongly comparative, wide-ranging approach to exploring ways in which ancient religious languages, such as Latin, Pali, Church Slavonic, and Hebrew continue to shape the beliefs
Trade Review
“Bennett has done scholars of religion and of their various scriptures a great service by focusing our attention on the contemporary phenomenon of sacred languages, their variety, and their continuing power in the lives of millions of people worldwide. His book should prompt us to more self-reflection about our roles as teachers of sacred languages.” – RBL© 04/2022 by the Society of Biblical Literature
Table of ContentsPreface vi
Acknowledgments xii
1 What Exactly Is a Sacred Language? 1
2 Sacred Languages, Past and Present 21
3 Not Dead Yet: Latin as Test Case 48
4 Beliefs about Sacred Languages 77
5 Practices: Religious, Political, Artistic 102
6 Learning a Sacred Language 129
7 Communities and Controversies 155
8 Borderlines: Sacred Languages, Fundamentalism, and Globalization 183
9 Conclusion 210
Index 219
