From Paul Ricoeur's Figuring the Sacred
Manifestation
The “numinous” element of the sacred has nothing to do with language (49). Another key element is theophany–not moments in the biblical narrative, but anything by which the sacred shows itself (icons, relics, holy places). This means that reality is something other than itself while remaining itself.
There is a correspondence between macrocosm and microcosm (54). This brings to mind the Luciferian “as above, so below” dictum. In short, ontologies of manifestation always focus on “reality/grace/etc” emanating from the thing or the place.
Proclamation
There is a rupture–violent in the case of the prophets’ war against Baalism–between manifestation and proclamation. The word outweighs the numinous (56). Israel’s whole theology–and identity–was formed around discourses.
Per idols and icons: “We may say that within the Hebraic domain they (hierophanies) withdraw to the extent that instruction through Torah overcomes any manifestation through an image. A Theology of the Name is opposed to any hierophany of an idol…Hearing the word has taken the place of vision of signs” (56). God’s pesel is the Ten Words. It is the only pesel he commanded.
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