Knowledge And The Sacred
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''Knowledge and the Sacred'' is a 1981 book by the Iranian philosopher
Seyyed Hossein Nasr Seyyed Hossein Nasr (born April 7, 1933) is an Iranian Americans, Iranian-American academic, philosophy, philosopher, theology, theologian, and Ulama, Islamic scholar. He is University Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University. ...
. It was originally presented as his
Gifford Lectures The Gifford Lectures () are an annual series of lectures which were established in 1887 by the will of Adam Gifford, Lord Gifford at the four ancient universities of Scotland: St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Their purpose is to "pro ...
, which he delivered in 1981. The book is an exposition of
perennial philosophy The perennial philosophy (), also referred to as perennialism and perennial wisdom, is a school of thought in philosophy and spirituality that posits that the recurrence of common themes across world religions illuminates universal truths about ...
and has been described as a ''summa'' of the traditional perspective. It reflects Nasr's desire to revive what he refers to as the sacred quality of knowledge as opposed to knowledge based on sense perception and
reason Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing valid conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, religion, scien ...
.


History

Nasr was the first Muslim and the first non-Westerner to deliver the Gifford Lectures. He received his invitation to deliver the lectures immediately before the
Iranian revolution of 1979 Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...
. However, Nasr was forced into exile as a result of the revolution, and he lost both his prepared lecture notes and his library. He first feared he would have to cancel the event, but he chose to honor his commitment and in four months produced the substance of his lectures. Nasr eventually delivered the lectures at the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
in 1981, which were published by Edinburgh University Press the same year as ''Knowledge and the Sacred''.


Content

The book opens with a chapter on what Nasr refers to as the
desacralization of knowledge In traditionalist philosophy, desacralization of knowledge or secularization of knowledge is the process of separation of knowledge from its perceived divine source—God or the Ultimate Reality. The process reflects a paradigm shift in modern c ...
, arguing that knowledge has become cut off from its divine source—God—and that there is a need for its
resacralization Resacralization is the process of reviving religion or restoring spiritual meanings to various domains of life and thought. It has been termed as the "alter ego" of secularization, which is "a theory claiming that religion loses its holds in moder ...
. The next chapter deals with the idea of
Tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...
from the viewpoint of
perennial philosophy The perennial philosophy (), also referred to as perennialism and perennial wisdom, is a school of thought in philosophy and spirituality that posits that the recurrence of common themes across world religions illuminates universal truths about ...
, defining it as "truths or principles of a divine origin, revealed or unveiled to mankind... through various figures envisaged as messengers, prophets, avataras, the Logos, or other transmitting agencies, along with all the ramifications and applications of these principles in different realms, including law and social structure, art, symbolism, the sciences, and embracing of course Supreme Knowledge along with the means of its attainment." The third chapter of the book concentrates on the West's rediscovery of the sacred and revival of tradition. In the following chapter, Nasr develops his notion of ''
scientia sacra In perennial philosophy, ''scientia sacra'' or sacred science is a form of spiritual knowledge that lies at the heart of both divine revelations and traditional sciences, embodying the very essence of every sacred tradition. It recognizes source ...
'', defining it as “that sacred knowledge which lies at the heart of every revelation”. Scientia sacra or sacred science draws on two very distinct sources, revelation and intellection, in contrast to the sciences based on sense perception and reason. Nasr shifts his focus in the fifth chapter to what he refers to as the
pontifical and Promethean man In traditionalist philosophy, pontifical man is a divine representative ( vicegerent of God) who serves as a bridge between heaven and earth. Promethean man, on the other hand, sees himself as an earthly being who has rebelled against God and has ...
, positing two opposing conceptions of man. Pontifical man, for Nasr, is a divine representative who acts as a link between heaven and earth. Promethean man, on the other hand, represents an earthly being who has forgotten his divine purpose. In the chapter titled ''The Cosmos as Theophany'', Nasr describes the cosmos as "a manifestation of the Ultimate Reality", and “a theatre in which are reflected the Divine Names and Qualities”, saying that the cosmos is “a crypt through which man must journey to reach the Reality beyond cosmic manifestation”. He says that modern science embraces the idea of a "single level of reality" and calls for the restoration of traditional cosmology, which maintains a hierarchy of levels of existence and provides "spiritual maps" that "relate as much to man's inner being as they do to his outside world". Nasr turns to concepts of time and eternity in the seventh chapter, offering various perspectives on the relationship between time and eternity. In chapter eight, Nasr discusses traditional art, describing it as "a source of both knowledge and grace". Traditional art, in Nasr's words, “forges and forms an ambiance in which its truths are reflected everywhere, in which men breathe and live in a universe of meaning in conformity with the reality of the tradition in question”. Chapter Nine of the book offers a comparative study of different religious traditions. In the final chapter of the book, ''Knowledge of the Sacred as Deliverance'', Nasr places his emphasis on "realized knowledge" as opposed to theoretical knowledge. According to Nasr, realized knowledge "concerns not only the intelligence but also the will and the whole psyche", and its attainment “requires the acquisition of spiritual virtues, which is the manner in which man participates in that truth which is itself suprahuman”.


Themes

According to Nicholas Heer, the main argument Nasr makes in these lectures, which he explores in great length, is that while sciences based on sense perception and reason may be utilized to learn about physical reality, knowledge of the ultimate reality or God can only be obtained through what he refers to as
scientia sacra In perennial philosophy, ''scientia sacra'' or sacred science is a form of spiritual knowledge that lies at the heart of both divine revelations and traditional sciences, embodying the very essence of every sacred tradition. It recognizes source ...
or sacred knowledge. For Gai Eaton, ''Knowledge and the Sacred'' can be "described as a Summa of the “traditional” perspective as it relates to the modern “desacralization” of knowledge, the rediscovery of the Sacred, Scientia sacra, man as ''khalifatullāh'' contrasted with man as usurper, the cosmos regarded as a theophany, eternity and the temporal order, traditional art, the “multiplicity of sacred forms” and, finally, knowledge of the Sacred as the path to “deliverance”."


Reception

According to the
Dictionary of Literary Biography The ''Dictionary of Biography in literature, Literary Biography'' is a specialist biographical dictionary dedicated to literature. Published by Gale (Cengage), Gale, the 375-volume setRogers, 106. covers a wide variety of literary topics, periods ...
, Nasr's Gifford Lectures "signalled one of the first recognitions of traditional philosophy by mainstream academia". In the volume of the
Library of Living Philosophers The ''Library of Living Philosophers'' is a series of books conceived of and started by Paul Arthur Schilpp in 1939; Schilpp remained editor until 1981. The series has since been edited by Lewis Edwin Hahn (1981–2001), Randall Auxier (2001–20 ...
devoted to Nasr's life and thought,
Wolfgang Smith Wolfgang Smith (February 18, 1930 – July 19, 2024) was an Austrian mathematician, physicist, philosopher of science, metaphysician, and member of the Traditionalist School. He wrote extensively in the field of differential geometry, as a critic ...
writes: "For the first time in modern history, I would venture to say, the undistorted and unadulterated voice of the perennial and universal tradition could be heard within the prestigious halls of academe." Other academics, the
Dictionary of Literary Biography The ''Dictionary of Biography in literature, Literary Biography'' is a specialist biographical dictionary dedicated to literature. Published by Gale (Cengage), Gale, the 375-volume setRogers, 106. covers a wide variety of literary topics, periods ...
notes, have not always responded favourably to that voice. The book drew criticism from advocates of rationalism and empiricism. According to
Ioan Petru Culianu Ioan Petru Culianu or Couliano (5 January 1950 – 21 May 1991) was a Romanian historian of religion, culture, and ideas, a philosopher and political essayist, and a short story writer. He served as professor of the history of religions at t ...
, the thesis it relies on "cannot be validated (or falsified) in any way," adding that it is "meant for a pious public already convinced of the truth and importance of Nasr's message" and that "it remains a conviction only for those of us who are not spoiled by “rationalism and empiricism” to such an extent as to need some form of demonstration." Thomas Dean states in a review of the book that traditionalism, upon which its thesis is built, presents a "methodological impasse." The criticism of its thesis, in Dean's opinion, may be dismissed as "that modern rebellion against tradition". Because, according to Nasr, individuals who lack intellectual intuition are unable to evaluate the merit of such work. The same criticism is made by
Mehdi Aminrazavi Mehdi Aminrazavi (born September 22, 1957) is an Iranian scholar of philosophy and mysticism. He is the Kurt Leidecker Chair in Asian Studies and a professor of philosophy and religion as well as director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies Pr ...
, who argues, referring to Nasr's critics, that his thesis is "non-verifiable" in that it presents "esoteric truth claims", adding that the system it relies upon is "self-referential" because "its truth value depend upon the system itself". For this, Aminrazavi claims that Nasr's "opponents" believe it is difficult to have a meaningful philosophical dialogue with Nasr. The work, on the other hand, was highly praised by those who favor spiritual knowledge. Nicholas Heer, for example, writes: " aders, imbued with modern values and modern points of view, may find in these lectures doctrines which may to them appear novel, strange, and even bizarre and outlandish, worthy only of outright rejection. Regardless of what one’s reaction to these lectures may be, they constitute without question a learned and eloquent vindication and apology for a point of view that has long been in disfavor."
Adnan Aslan Adnan Aslan (born 1963) is a Turkish Islamic scholar. Biography Aslan was born in Kayseri in central Turkey in 1963 and received his education in both Turkey and England. He completed his BA in theology from Erciyes University in Turkey and rece ...
echoed the same view, saying that "This ''magnum opus'' when properly understood and assimilated, is indeed able to evoke an intellectual transformation. It means more than it says directly: it is written in a fashion which communicates not only the domain of reason but also of ‘spirit’. Hence it is not surprising to see that those who are not accustomed to communicate at such a level often fail to grasp the message of the book."
Huston Smith Huston Cummings Smith (May 31, 1919 – December 30, 2016) was a scholar of religious studies in the United States, He authored at least thirteen books on world's religions and philosophy, and his book about comparative religion, ''The World's R ...
, an influential scholar of religious studies, writes: Gai Eaton, in a similar vein, writes:
Victor Danner Victor Danner (October 22, 1926 – October 28, 1990) was a Mexican-American author, researcher, and translator specializing in comparative religion and Islamic mysticism. Biography Victor Danner was born on October 22, 1926, in Mexico to Mexican ...
writes in a review of the book that "It is a work with magnificent sweep both in a philosophical and historical sense, revealing a universality of thought that only a handful of contemporary thinkers of the East or the West have mastered". According to Gerald Largo, Nasr "has contributed an indispensable unified effort to retrieve the sapiential perspective which he articulates so brilliantly and clearly. The copious footnotes and the index invite us to study this book and to rethink the landscape of religious studies from the perspective of the sapiential view which lies at its heart."


See also

*
The Need for a Sacred Science ''The Need for a Sacred Science'' is a 1993 book by the Iranian philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr. See also * ''Knowledge and the Sacred ''Knowledge and the Sacred'' is a 1981 book by the Iranian philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr. It was originall ...
*
Religion and the Order of the Nature Religion and the Order of Nature is a 1996 book by the Iranian philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr Seyyed Hossein Nasr (born April 7, 1933) is an Iranian Americans, Iranian-American academic, philosophy, philosopher, theology, theologian, and Ulama ...


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * {{Seyyed Hossein Nasr Gifford Lectures books Seyyed Hossein Nasr Traditionalist School Metaphysics books