Cults, Practices and Beliefs: the Symbolism of Geodiversity in Christianity

In: Sociedade & natureza: revista do Departamento de Geografia da Universidade de Uberlândia, Band 34, Heft 1

Abstract

From the expansion of monotheism, as sacred laws, symbolisms, beliefs and practices began to be produced, thus emerging the sacred books. The biblical text influenced - and still - influences the direction of Western civilization. This work aims to raise and discuss aspects related to Geodiversity, here understood as the allusion of the abiotic characteristics of nature, present in the Holly Bible, as well as its use in cults, practices and beliefs measured by symbolic elements. To carry out this survey, the texts of the King James Version Bible (KJV) were used. After the survey of the elements of Geodiversity, they were divided by typologies to facilitate interpretation, tables were made that include the name of the elements, and their geological / geographical description, their use in the Bible, when applicable. When analyzing the abiotic elements, it was perceived, initially that the elements of Geodiversity, are used as nouns, referring properly to the element, but in several situations, they are used symbolically. Science and religion are generally perceived through dichotomization, but the set of religious manifestations that are open to external analysis is still of scientific interest. In this article, we verify the importance of Geodiversity in the study of the Bible and, consequently, the analysis of the elements of Geodiversity present in the sacred books and their symbology, leads to the reflection that this approach can help in a better understanding and interpretation of biblical facts considering another perspective, giving more consistency and authenticity, whether it deals with the abiotic scenario present in the divine revelations, it is, therefore, a Geoteology.