A TUTORIAL FOR STUDENTS IN 12 SOR
RITUALS IN RELIGION
Religions put together three important ideas to provide the adherents with a
sense of order and belonging.



Religions have a systematically ordered set of beliefs and code of behavior.
Religions offer people a place of worship and when people come together
there they experience a sense of belonging.
Religions have particular practices or rituals that are performed in the
place of worship and are a physical expression of the belief system.
When adherents participate in a religious ritual they have a religious experience
that confirms their beliefs and their place in the religious community.
There are many different types of ritual that an adherent might participate in:




Initiation ceremonies to mark entry and membership of the community
Rites of passage that celebrate the significant point of the life cycle
Rites of healing that are meant to restore relationships with gods and
ensure physical health
Rituals of celebration performed throughout the year to mark particular
festivals
No matter what type of ritual is being performed students of religion can apply
models of analysis to understand the significance of a particular ritual for both
the individual and the community.
The first model of analysis referred to in the textbook was created by Arnold van
Gennep (1873 – 1957). Van Gennep focused his research on rites of passage –
rituals that mark the significant change points in human life.
If you use van Gennep’s model you must be able to discuss in detail the three
phases of liminality. ‘Liminality’ has its word origin in a Latin word meaning
‘threshold’. So van Gennep used the word to describe times in the life of the
individual when they are on the threshold of change, or a new beginning.
The three phases of liminality are:
1. pre-liminal – the time when the individual separates from their previous life
and prepares for the new one. An example of this from the rite of marriage would
be the engagement period when a couple prepare for their wedding. In the
Catholic Church the couple are required to attend marriage preparation courses
in the parish.
2. liminal – this is the process of transition that takes place within the ritual. To
an extent the identity of the individual dissolves and is recreated in a new form.
The participants are expected to say certain words and perform certain actions
to show the transition taking place. In the Catholic wedding ritual this is
demonstrated by the answers given to certain questions, the declaration of vows
and the exchange of rings.
3. post-liminal – after the transitions has taken place the participants of the ritual
are changed. In particular, their social status or recognition within the
community has changed and there is an expectation that the participant’s
behavior will change. The obvious example of this in the rite of marriage is that
two single people emerge from the ceremony as part of one unit. They are
committed to one another, have promised to remain faithful and have pledged to
accept children freely from God to continue in his creative work.
EXERCISE:
If you have chosen a rite of passage other than marriage try to apply the three
phases of van Gennep’s model to it.
THE LIMITATIONS OF VAN GENNEP’S MODEL
The focus of this model of analysis is on the experience of the participants of the
ritual. Using this model of analysis does not encourage you to look at the
symbolism of the ritual. If you have chosen this model it is strongly suggested
that you do in-depth research on the symbols used in the ceremony and the
significance of these symbols. You might investigate the history of the symbol
within the religious tradition, the multiple meanings of the symbol, whether the
symbol is used in other rituals with that tradition, what the symbol means to the
participants of the ritual. You should devote part of your report to this area of
investigation.
The second model of analysis in the textbook is one that was developed by Victor
Turner (1920 – 1983) who was an anthropologist. Turner further developed the
concept of liminality that had been created by van Gennep. He added the concept
of “communitas”. Turner used this word to describe the sense of sharing and
intimacy that develops among adherents who participate in the ritual. His
emphasis is on the use of rituals as a way of maintaining the sense of belonging
and security that an adherent has with the rest of the religious community. This
model of analysis, in particular, looks at the symbolic and emotive impact of
rituals. If you use this model of analysis you should be able to discuss the
meaning and significance of symbols in religious rituals. You would structure
your report around the three levels of meaning that Turner suggests which are:


Exegetical meaning – the person performing the ritual (such as a priest or
minister) may speak during the ceremony about the meaning and
purpose of the ritual
Operational meaning – people who watch the ceremony would observe
the words and actions of the participants. An outsider would, therefore,
be able to make some meaning of the ceremony without having it

explained. This level of meaning also implies that the ritual, such as
marriage, may have a meaning for the wider society, not just the religious
group.
Positional meaning – the symbols used in the ceremony will have specific
meanings at a particular time. However, the hidden meanings of symbols
may change over time or lose their significance, such as the white bridal
gown. In this level you would discuss the literal and hidden meanings of
the symbols used in your ritual.
The third model of analysis presented in the textbook is based on the ideas of
Terence Lovatt, who in 1995 developed a five step approach to rituals. Lovatt is
an Australian educator who developed this model specifically for use in the
analysis of religious rituals. It could be applied to the Catholic mass and the
Sacrament of the Eucharist. It would also be a satisfactory way of analyzing a
wedding ceremony.
If you use this model you would have to explain all five steps as follows:
1. Entry into the ritual - the step examines the actions and words that are
used to help the individual separate from their everyday or previous life.
In the Mass this is the opening rite and in a wedding this step would be
represented by the bride walking to the altar and being handed over to
her prospective husband by her father.
2. Preparation – before the adherent can participate in the climax of the
ritual they need to be prepared spiritually for the action. For example,
you would look for rituals of purification or the reading of sacred texts.
3. Climax – this is the high point of the ceremony. For example, in the
Catholic mass this would be the consecration where the bread and wine
are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. There are many important
ritual actions and words that are associated with this section.
4. Celebration – here the adherents collectively celebrate. This might be
through the reception of the Eucharist or through applause as the married
couple is presented to the congregation.
5. Return – this is the final phase where the participants return to their
everyday life but they have been changed in some way. For example, at
the end of the Mass the priest invites the people to “Go and live in the
peace of Christ”. There is an expectation that the congregation will have
experienced peace within the ritual and it will be in this frame of mind
that they conduct themselves in the coming week. In the wedding the
couple will return to everyday life as married people who are no longer
single but part of a committed relationship.
The final method of analysis offered to you in the textbook is only recommended
for use if you are happy with no more than C as a result on the assignment.
However, table 2.1 on page 27 is a useful tool to help you develop your focus
questions that you need to use to conduct research.