As evidenced by the ideas presented in the HMXP Reader, the sacred is understood in various ways. Tillich describes our relationship with the sacred as an ultimate concern[which]demands the total surrender of him who accepts this claim (269). More specifically, Swimme notes the effects of the religion of consumerism which inundates our American culture and defines our cosmologies (156). And while Lewis describes the sacred as personal transformation attainable through a relationship with Christ, Moore notes a sacred dimension in the secular which nurtures the soul (294).
In what ways should we define the sacred? How do you define that which gives your life meaning and value? Are there shared essential elements, concepts, or ideals that help to determine what we hold sacred? How are these ideas reflected in the actions of the larger community?
