Materiality And Religion

Discuss the attitude toward materiality and material culture of a religious tradition of your choice

Material culture is an exceedingly prominent part of modern day society, and can be seen almost everywhere one goes. Material culture can be categorised in four ways: ‘artefacts, landscapes, architecture, and art’; our attachment to each category interacting and influencing the others. As we have developed as human beings, our dependence on objects has steadily increased, both physically and psychologically. This reliance on the material world has expanded to all areas of life and society, including religion. Religious figures, statues, artwork, books, and buildings are a standard feature across the globe, and this has been the case for many
Individuals can specifically choose to own items that they feel best represent themselves, and therefore can sculpt how they are viewed by community and outsiders. Religious identity is an important aspect of the self, so over the ages humans have manufactured objects in order for this recognition to take place. Often, the religion of a person can be identified through their material belongings, including clothes, books, and household decorations. Not only does this ownership hold importance in identity, but ‘people build religion into the landscape, they make and buy pious images for their homes, and they wear special reminders of their faith next to their bodies’ in order to feel closer, and display commitment, to God. Items, therefore, have multiple functions and purposes - a cross pendant worn by an individual not only identifies them as a Christian, but also is a constant reminder to them of their faith and closeness to the
Of course, the Bible was originally held in high esteem because it held the teachings and word of God, but this further developed into admiration of the physical book. In Victorian times, the Bible took special centre place within the family home, and was seen as a holy object in its own right. More than just a source of guidance and law, the Victorian Christians in America used the Bible to represent the family, placing it in the most important room of the house with ‘places for photographs’ and inscriptions of the births and deaths of family members. The Christian attitude toward materiality changed the Bible from a profane item of necessity into a sacred ornament and