The Idea
This claim asserts that repetition in ritual does not merely repeat the foundational narrative as it is; it also endows it with binding force within the community. With frequent ritual use, the story shifts from a tale about origins into a reference that guides conduct, and values and customs take shape around it as though they were older than their narrative source.
Concise Formulation
Ritual repetition: turns the foundational narrative into a binding authority
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This is one of the book’s key pivots, because it explains how the narrative moves from the level of report to the level of symbolic authority. Ritual here is not merely repeated performance, but a means of producing social and religious legitimacy. Through it, the book shows that authority does not always rest on proof, but on collective entrenchment.
Why It Matters
Its importance lies in showing how certain practices become shared common sense that is difficult to question. This is crucial for understanding the formation and persistence of religious heritage. It also helps read Arkoun as concerned with how the sacred is produced within the community, not only with how it is described from outside.
Brief Evidence Passage
This passage confirms that ritual repetition does not merely repeat the foundational narrative; it grants it binding force within the community. With repeated use, the story becomes an authoritative reference that guides conduct. Around it, values and a tradition emerge that seem older than their narrative origin.
Reading Questions
- How does repetition turn a story into a binding rule?
- What is the difference between the origin of the narrative and the authority it acquires within ritual?
Documentation Level
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.