The role of symbolism in religion

 Religious symbolism contains a purposeful and existential element that connects ultimate reality, social reality, and the human yearning for salvation, which is innate in the human condition and supports all faiths in some way. Religious symbols transcend these restrictions and give meaning to an otherwise chaotic reality by encapsulating the limitations posed by human biological, psychological, and social life, as well as death.

Cosmology:

Religion, according to anthropologist Clifford Geertz, is "a system of symbols" that is used to "clarify the universe and eradicate disorder." Natural events, such as the biblical deluge and Noah's ark, can reflect deity's anger. Some people may consider the environment as an abode for the gods, as many old pagan faiths did. Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, was thought to be the tallest mountain in Greece by the ancient Greeks. Mayas thought that their tall, pyramid-shaped temples represented the actual mountains from which all life arose.

Ritual:

Most religions around the world have rituals that entail actions that represent divine time and sacred territory. Symbols are the basic molecules from which the meanings of religious rituals are created, according to anthropologist Victor Turner, who is well-known for his studies of religious rituals all around the world. A Christian liturgy, for example, can include a Holy Communion, in which Christians symbolically reenact the Last Supper by consuming bread and wine to symbolize Christ's soul, reaffirming the value of Christ's physical presence on earth.

Society:

Turner also argues that ritual symbols have numerous meanings, or are multivocal. Some of these interpretations have to do with social or authoritative systems as well as religious beliefs. Religious rituals, he continues, help to cement social structures by bringing people together to show respect to an authoritative figure: their religious leaders. Another anthropologist, Mary Douglas, claims that religion is crucial in strengthening social institutions because one of its goals is to enlighten individuals about their place in the world. Religious symbolism is more widespread in organizations with weak social borders than in cultures with a rigid social hierarchy, according to Douglas.