atorii is a traditional japanese gate typically painted brilliant red and found at the entrance of shinto shrines and japanese buddhist temples devoted to particular gods. adherents to those religions believe it marks the point where one leaves the secular world and enters the holy. a large and famous torii stands off the shore of miyajima island in the hiroshima prefecture of japan. visitors are informed it’s “sacred” space.
sacred sites are common in most religions. hindus trek to varanasi, located on the banks of the ganges river; muslims make their pilgrimage to mecca, neopagans to stonehenge. a sacred space is where God, gods, or spiritual power is thought to be unusually present.
to the greeks of athens, the apostle paul(of the new testament) stood on sacred ground as he spoke to them on the areopagus(mars hill). with its links to the gods mars and ares, the hill also stands a stone’s throw away from the parthenon—the temple of the goddess athena. among a plethora of gods, paul had seized an opportunity to talk about another “unknown” God. this God, paul explained, was Creator and Lord of the whole world—rather than parts of it, like the greek gods. greece’s gods had limited powers, but this God knew the destiny of each individual on the planet. greece’s gods had limited spheres of influence, but this God was literally everywhere.
if indeed paul’s message is true, if there is one true God that is present everywhere, then it follows that anywhere can be a sacred space. therefore, we all have the power to create our own version of this space and christen it Holy; be it our workplace, campus, and/or home.
(special thanks to sheridan voysey for contributing to today's blog)
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