Abstract:

In this article, our aim is to show that the concept of the sacred in the tradition called phenomenology of religion has a theological and metaphysical content. In spite of this, unlike postmodernist critics, we don’t claim that we should leave the concept of the sacred. According to us, if we apply to Durkheimian concept of the sacred before Otto, we may demonstrate that sacred isn’t only numen effecting the subject in model of mana, but also is related to the concept of order. While phenomenological concept of the sacred is engaged with describing the reply to the sacred or mana as supernaturalist reality, the idea of sacred as order tries to analyse human behaviours connected with the sacred. Religion isn’t only a theological and metaphysical entity, but also a social and cultural construction. The religion isn’t only produced by society, but society is also produced by religion. As society has a religious attribution, to refer religion to society doesn’t mean to go astray positivistic reductionism. Genuine phenomenology of the sacred should analyse how sacred-profane is open to interaction in various culture. Therefore, the sacred isn’t metaphysical reference, but points to transformations and entegrations of some cultural horizons.

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