Korean Religious Texts in Iconic and Performative Rituals (Comparative Research on Iconic and Performative Texts)

This book examines the ways in which scriptures are accepted and appropriated by religious people in Korea. It explores how sacred texts in various religions, including Protestantism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shamanism, attain their sacred status and power. It also delves into how the performative aspect of scriptures is often intrinsically linked to their iconic status. The book highlights the close relationship between the performative use and the iconic nature of these scriptures, showing how they are ritualized and performed in religious practices. In Korea, a distinct mix of religions coexists, each contributing to the country's religious diversity. Christianity, as the largest religion, represents a significant portion of the population, yet Buddhism, as Korea's major traditional religion, holds a comparable influence. Confucianism, with its deep historical roots and impact on Korean customs and values, continues to shape the society, particularly through ancestral rites and customs that prioritize elders. Many contemporary Koreans still resort to shamanic rituals and divinations, which have prevailed among the common people for thousands of years. Examples from these religions in Korea vividly illustrate that the iconic and performative dimensions of scriptures are generally witnessed in religions that recognize sacred texts. The interplay and complementary functions of these dimensions in the lives of the religious are also examined. The book presents compelling examples showing how the content, physical form, recitations, written characters, and imagery of scriptures are ritualized to exert sacred power

Yohan Yoo is a Professor of Comparative Religion at Seoul National University. His previous publications include three books in Korean: Myths of Our Era (2012), Understanding Religious Studies (2020), and Understanding Religious Symbolism (2021). He has also co-authored Cosmologies of Pure Realms and the Rhetoric of Pollution (Routledge, 2021) and co-edited Books as Bodies and as Sacred Beings (Equinox, 2021) with James W. Watts.