Time- or Place-Based Religions – Annika Meunier
“Place-based” and “time-based” religion are terms used to describe different aspects of religious beliefs and schemas.
Time-based religions are centered around events in time that hold significance, and usually have a chronological, linear conception of their history and temporality. For instance, Abrahamic religions interact heavily with time. Islam marks the month of Ramadan as significant, and Judaism celebrates holidays like Passover and Hanukkah, which commemorate events from Jewish history. Notably, Christianity has influenced Julian and Gregorian calendars through its use of B.C. (Before Christ) to refer to years before the birth of Jesus and A.D. (Anno Domini) to refer to years after. Essentially, time-based religions place great significance on specific moments and events in their belief, rather than places or spatiality.
Place-based religions, on the other hand, place greater religious significance on important locations to their belief. Indigenous religions are a great example of place-based religion, as many indigenous cultures have sacred sites such as mountains or rivers that are central to their practices. Tribal religions are complexes of attitudes, beliefs, and practices intended to harmonize with the lands on which the people live – for example, the Hopi people, living in the arid and dry climate of northern Arizona, ensured their success in agriculture through a rain dance. In this instance, the spatial world is heavily intertwined with religious beliefs. Furthermore, since many Native cultures employ oral history, artifacts, and performance to illustrate their history, it follows that their religious practices are spatial rather than heavily involved with chronological temporality.
References:
Deloria, V. (1994). God is Red: A Native View of Religion. Fulcrum.
Encyclopedia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Times and places of worship. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/worship/Times-and-places-of-worship
Rifkin, M. (2017). Beyond settler time: Temporal sovereignty and indigenous self-determination. Duke University Press.
Encyclopedia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Times and places of worship. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/worship/Times-and-places-of-worship
Rifkin, M. (2017). Beyond settler time: Temporal sovereignty and indigenous self-determination. Duke University Press.
