Lane’s three approaches allow a person to understand the different kinds of sacred place. Each approach explains a different reason why an area has become sacred. The ontological, cultural, and phenomenological approaches allow for an easy comprehension why people cherish certain locations.
The ontological approach focuses on the mysticism of nature. The myths and folklore regarding geological landforms such as mountains, volcanoes and other land formations are best explained by this approach. Research regarding the history of indigenous people of an area reveals stories and beliefs that the land formations have “inherent, chthonic power and numinosity” (43).
The cultural approach is a representative of what society believes about a particular location. It views culture and religion as overlapping between one another. As a result, sacred places have had many disputes because of the claims to them by contrasting religions. Jerusalem is a prime example of the conflicts that this approach helps to explain.
The phenomenological approach is best explained by having the place participate in its own perception. The approach occurs when the divine connection separates a location from the area surrounding it. This can best be attributed to places throughout the wilderness which one can feel an inner peace spread through oneself.
These three approaches allow for us to understand the perceptions of locations. They also allow us to separate certain classifications from others and to learn the reasons for a location’s sacredness.
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