The uses of the term ‘sacred’ and their normative content
So what does it mean when some-one says ‘this land is sacred’? Following
Wittgenstein’s dictum that meaning is use, some theologians are now exploring
the concept of the sacred in terms of its usage, giving up on the attempt at a
definition. As we will show, adopting this approach this does not necessarily
mean giving up Durkheim’s analysis, but it does recognise the heterogeneity of
moral sentiments, and give a fuller account of the ethical force of the use of the
term.