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Sacred Symbols: Finding Meaning in Rites, Rituals and Ordinances
With in-depth examination, illustrations, and beautiful color photographs, this deluxe edition will guide you to a richer understanding of, and appreciation for, the sacred rites and symbols of the Church.
Understanding Deity can be greatly enhanced by understanding the meaning and purpose behind sacred symbols found in religious ordinances, rituals, covenants, clothing, gestures, and words. Symbolism provokes thought in those who are prone to ponder the sacred.
Learn to recognize the many ancient and modern Jewish, Christian, and Islamic practices that are similar to the symbols and practices of Latter-day Saints. Find answers to long-standing questions about the origin and significance of symbols and rituals, such as the laying on of hands, marriage rites, and sacred clothing. And discover how all rites, rituals, and ordinances of the gospel are designed to bring you closer to Christ.
Understanding Deity can be greatly enhanced by understanding the meaning and purpose behind sacred symbols found in religious ordinances, rituals, covenants, clothing, gestures, and words. Symbolism provokes thought in those who are prone to ponder the sacred.
Learn to recognize the many ancient and modern Jewish, Christian, and Islamic practices that are similar to the symbols and practices of Latter-day Saints. Find answers to long-standing questions about the origin and significance of symbols and rituals, such as the laying on of hands, marriage rites, and sacred clothing. And discover how all rites, rituals, and ordinances of the gospel are designed to bring you closer to Christ.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2011
139 people are currently reading
612 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 5, 2017
Gaskill’s Early Christian History was one of the best courses I took at BYU. He has a talent for connecting Mormonism to early Christianity and placing our rites and rituals in a context that draws us into unity with historical Christians. We often view ourselves as being outside the norm (which may be warranted) and it is refreshing to see how deep the roots of our liturgical worship really go.
July 27, 2014
When I was preparing to go to the Temple the first time, I took a "temple prep" class like most members do. Now, I don't know about the class that everyone else received, but I came away from mine with the simple concept of "temples use symbols." Yes, they certainly do, but they didn't really prepare me in any way. Instead, this book would have been a much better introduction to the temple the myriad symbols utilized within.
Alonzo Gaskill also wrote "The Lost Language of Symbolism", which I would highly recommend as well. However, that book discusses common scriptural symbols; specifically Jewish symbols that are commonly overlooked by modern readers. This book focuses more on the symbols of various ordinances, but specifically focuses in on the Temple. Now, Gaskill tries to differentiate his book from LDS apologist books that seek to establish the ancient roots of the modern Temple Endowment as being a book that seeks to explore what different aspects of modern ordinances and temples meant in antiquity. And he does that, but I think the end result is much the same. Gaskill seems to do a good job of referencing a lot of different sources and faiths and explaining what the different symbols meant to them, but I couldn't say if he cherry-picked the ones that most resonate with LDS members or not. Most of his references are Judeo-Christian from the inter-Testament writings or early Christian writings, but he does get into a few other religions as well. As in his other book, reading through the chapter footnotes is highly recommended.
Gaskill points out early on that symbolism is used in large part because, like Christ's parables, they can mean different things to different people at different times, and that's ok. What this book does, in my view, is two-fold: One, it gives a jumping off point for our own contemplation of Temple symbols. The Temple can be a little overwhelming at first, and this book helps one to see that almost everything we see and do in the Temple symbolizes something. As we consider the some of the meaning of these symbols, perhaps we can more easily relate the Temple to our own lives. Two, the book impressively shows a lot of ancient references to everything we do in the Temple, showing the LDS readers the continuity of Temple Worship from antiquity to our own era.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and would highly recommend it, especially to those preparing or who have just gone through the Temple themselves.
Alonzo Gaskill also wrote "The Lost Language of Symbolism", which I would highly recommend as well. However, that book discusses common scriptural symbols; specifically Jewish symbols that are commonly overlooked by modern readers. This book focuses more on the symbols of various ordinances, but specifically focuses in on the Temple. Now, Gaskill tries to differentiate his book from LDS apologist books that seek to establish the ancient roots of the modern Temple Endowment as being a book that seeks to explore what different aspects of modern ordinances and temples meant in antiquity. And he does that, but I think the end result is much the same. Gaskill seems to do a good job of referencing a lot of different sources and faiths and explaining what the different symbols meant to them, but I couldn't say if he cherry-picked the ones that most resonate with LDS members or not. Most of his references are Judeo-Christian from the inter-Testament writings or early Christian writings, but he does get into a few other religions as well. As in his other book, reading through the chapter footnotes is highly recommended.
Gaskill points out early on that symbolism is used in large part because, like Christ's parables, they can mean different things to different people at different times, and that's ok. What this book does, in my view, is two-fold: One, it gives a jumping off point for our own contemplation of Temple symbols. The Temple can be a little overwhelming at first, and this book helps one to see that almost everything we see and do in the Temple symbolizes something. As we consider the some of the meaning of these symbols, perhaps we can more easily relate the Temple to our own lives. Two, the book impressively shows a lot of ancient references to everything we do in the Temple, showing the LDS readers the continuity of Temple Worship from antiquity to our own era.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit and would highly recommend it, especially to those preparing or who have just gone through the Temple themselves.
January 23, 2014
I would recommend this book to all Mormons (and symbol-curious non-Mormons, I suppose). I could not put it down and learned so much! I imagine this will be my fave LDS book of 2014. Bonus: the author is a BYU professor and my dad's counselor in the stake presidency.
September 28, 2016
This was a really eye-opening read. I saw it at the right time in my life. It provided some really great jumping off places for some really great insights. It is not for everybody. But it was right for me. Right now, where I am in my life.
January 7, 2020
Very interesting! Lots to think about here.
July 26, 2022
Ho.ly. Cow.
What with the number of times I went, "Wait...what? Oh my gosh, that is so cool, I have to put that in my scriptures.", and getting through the footnotes, some of which also went into my scriptures, it sometimes took me upwards of an hour to get through 10 pages of this book. I was really, REALLY glad this book was on Bookshelf Plus, or I never would have been able to get everything I wanted into my scriptures. As it is, I feel like I copied and pasted half the book. I had my mind blown multiple times. There are things in the temple that I had no idea were so common outside of the temple.
I know I didn't get everything out of this that was there -- sometimes my mind just got too saturated, so I did something I have never done before. I added this to my list of books to read so that I will read it again. (I decided to add another one at the same time.) I have so many books to read that I don't generally have time for re-reads, but this one is worth it.
What with the number of times I went, "Wait...what? Oh my gosh, that is so cool, I have to put that in my scriptures.", and getting through the footnotes, some of which also went into my scriptures, it sometimes took me upwards of an hour to get through 10 pages of this book. I was really, REALLY glad this book was on Bookshelf Plus, or I never would have been able to get everything I wanted into my scriptures. As it is, I feel like I copied and pasted half the book. I had my mind blown multiple times. There are things in the temple that I had no idea were so common outside of the temple.
I know I didn't get everything out of this that was there -- sometimes my mind just got too saturated, so I did something I have never done before. I added this to my list of books to read so that I will read it again. (I decided to add another one at the same time.) I have so many books to read that I don't generally have time for re-reads, but this one is worth it.
April 9, 2020
Wow! I learned a lot! This is one I would read again down the road.
September 17, 2025
There are some interesting insights about temple symbols that are thought-provoking and also show relationships to a number of religions. Here are some quotes I liked:
"We Latter-day Saints 'have become an asymbolic society, and, as a result, we do not understand the power of our own rites of passage' (p. 2)."
"Rather than just participating in the ordinances, we should engage in study and contemplation over their message and their meaning (p. 2)."
"'Symbols rarely have a simple meaning' (p. 5)."
"The gospel's symbols tend to grow and evolve with us and our needs (p. 5)."
"In the Eastern Georgian rite church this same position of guarding the entrance of the sanctuary from those unworthy to enter was held by a subdeacon (p. 9)."
"The point of the porter was to have a guard or sentinel, of sorts, to insure that only the worthy entered holy or sacred ground (p. 10)."
"Porters were symbols of God's presence in the world through His servants, and symbols of the coming day of judgment (p. 11)."
"These messengers are his prophets and counselors--the current Peter, James and John of His church. As true messengers, they point the way through this mortal desert, leading us to the iron rod and the straight path up Mount Zion (p. 18)."
"Practices such as washing or baptism, clothing or naming, covenanting or ath-swearing, are common-place among the world's faiths (p. 29)."
"'The Christian ritual of baptism draws its meaning from women's work of giving birth' (p. 30)."
"The Christian baptismal rite was a multi-faceted symbolic ordiance. It reminded the participant of Christ's Atonement... along with our own eventual physical death and resurrection... Baptism is in many ways about death and rebirth (p. 31)."
"'Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half--that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost' (Joseph Smith, p. 31)."
"The laver rested upon the backs of twelve oxen. Oxen are established types for God and His righteous followers (p. 33)."
"The number twelve typically symbolizes priesthood authority, including its power and right to govern (p. 34)."
"Related to the oxen facing four directions, on commentator suggested that in ancient times the thrones of kings often sat on the back of statues of oxen or lions, which pointed in the four cardinal directions. Thus, the font's placement on the back of twelve oxen facing norht, south, east, and west implies enthronement, and the promise that those who overcome all things will be given the right to preside over all things (p. 34)."
"Ritual washings, anointings, investing with sacred articles of clothing, and naming rites have been found among branches of the ancient church (p. 35)."
"This custom of nudity was a symbol 'of a return to the state of innocence that was obtained in paradise before the Fall of Man' (p. 37)."
"What is done to the body is really done to the spirit (p. 39)."
"Atonement leads to cleansing, and cleansing leads to deification. God cleanses His people in order to make them like Him. He seeks to make them all kings and priests, just as He is a king and a priest (p. 39)."
"The anointing with oil symbolically represented communion and oneness with Christ, along with receipt of (or a right to) the blessing of Christ (p. 41)."
"When one is appointed with the consecrated olive oil, one becomes a symbol of Christ--the title Christ meaning literally 'anointed one' (p. 42)."
"Related to the symbolism of the Spirit's sanctifying power is the fact that to the ancients 'anointing denoted consecration' (p. 46)."
"The recipient's head represents the whole of his or her being. The olive oil represents the Holy Ghost (p. 47)."
"God anointed Jesus with the 'oil of gladness,' and thus He is called 'the Christ' (p. 48)."
"The practice of ritual naming and renaming stems from the earliest of times (p. 50)."
"In the esoteric ordinances of many ancient societies, there was a belief that, if one were in possession of a secret name, that name would need to be guarded with the utmost care. 'By wearing or bearing the name, one is placed under God's special protection' (p. 51)."
"In Hebrew society, parents would often choose a name, either in the hopes that the child would live up to the connotations of their name, or because of some circumstance or event surrounding his or her birth (p. 52)."
"'Formal renamings register a change in personality and signal a new phases of one's life (p. 53)."
"In many traditions ordinances performed without this authority are considered invalied. Consequently, this aspect of ritual is an important one, both in how it authorizes a rite or ordinance, but also in what those who authoritatively perform those rites represent (p. 75)."
"The New Testament seems quite clear that the laying on of hands was a ritual commonly utilized to convey or confer priesthood authority (p. 75)."
"'The priesthood holder acts in Christ's stead, doing the things the Lord would do if he were here' (p. 77)."
"Narrative, or the telling of stories, has long been part of ritual. From antiquity down to the present, certain stories have been told and retold as a means of teaching people about their own history and their personal relationship with God... Chief among those narratives employed in ancient and modern liturgies are the Creation and the Fall (p. 93)."
"Perhaps the most common symbol associated with the Creation is that of God's efforts to 're-create' you and I in His image and pattern, or after His likeness (p. 95)."
"Just as the Creation story talks of God separating the light from the darkness, we see how God can do the same in our own lives (p. 95)."
"'For most of my life, I thought the Creation story was just about the formation of the earth... But then I noticed something amazing: The creation story was about me... the story of the crfeation of heavenly beings--me, you, all of us' (James Ferrell, p. 96)."
"'As we stay in the orbit, as it were, of the light of Christ, the Spirit, and the Lord's representatives on earth, and as we observe and follow that light, do we not bring forth more abundantly? Do we not sustain and nourish all that is around us?' (p. 98)"
"The significant presence of water during the story of the Creation has been taken by some as a divine reminder of Jesus' role in the creation of all things, and of His atoning role on behalf of all things (p. 99)."
"'Whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his hands on the family, it lives' (Howard W. Hunter, p. 101)."
"All things were created 'good' by God (p. 101)."
"To become like God... is to create good rather than to create evil or to destroy good (p. 101)."
"'To use creation in liturgy is to show reverence for creation through, with, and in which the incarnate God is disclosed and discovered' (p. 102)."
"Some have seen in liturgical dipictions of the Creation a message about stewardship and accountablility (p. 102)."
"The creation story is saturated with references to fertility and... productivity (p. 103)."
"The biblical and ritual accounts of the Creation appear to be filled with subtle messages about how God desires to change us, and what He encourages us to seek to change about ourselves (p. 104)."
"It is generally understood that Adam and Eve were typological symbols for the human race. They serve as representations of each of us, and our own personal fall from grace (p. 108)."
"The story of the Fall in liturgy serves as a message about our need for obedience, the consequences of our sins, and our desperate need for a Savior to redeem us from our fallen condition (p. 109)."
"God's first command to Adam and Eve was to multiply and replenish the earth--which was really a command to be selfless (p. 110)."
"God made Adam a 'help meet.' We must remember, this is Christ's work. It is His Church. But it was not in thd design and will of the Father that He do it alone. As Eve was Adam's help and support, Christ's bride--the Church--serves as His help and support. The Church's members aided Him in the Creation, the writing of scripture, in the preaching of His message, in the administration of ordinances, and so on. Their hands are His hands. Their work is His work. Adam and Eve were commanded to be one, and in like manner, Christ and His Church are to be one (p. 111)."
"One avoids bringing pysical filth into God's house, and one must avoid bringing spiritual filth into one's own life (p. 140)."
"The changing of one's clothes, and the donning of white apparel (or liurgical clothing) meant that the individual engaging in the ceremony or ordinance was aware that he or she was about to enter into a covenant to be new or different than he or she had previously been (p. 140)."
"'We symbolically leave the world behind by changing our worldly garments. We change into clothing of white, symbolic of the Atonement cleansing, as if we were washed white in the blood of the Lamb' (p. 141)."
"'God is not whimsical, requiring some things from one person but a little more or a little less from another. That is precisely one powerful message of the temple. No one is better than another' (p. 142)."
"'In the temple, age nationality, language--even position in the Church--are of secondary significance' (Russell M. Nelson, p. 142)."
"'It is significant that the holiest spot on earth, the place where heaven and earth intersect, strongly reaffirms our equal status before God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. All are alike unto God. Temple clothing is a symbol not only of purity but also of equality' (p. 142)."
"'Putting on sacred vestments is related to putting on Christ and his holiness... When we put on Jesus Christ we accept him and his atonement, and we become like him' (p. 143)."
"The clothes of the temple and tabernacle mirrored the rightoues attributes of Christ (p. 145)."
"An 'apron' was donned during these rituals, and was said to be 'an ancient garment symbolizing purity and was uathoritzed to be worn only by the 'elect of the Lord'' (p. 146)."
"We know that anciently aprons often served as symbols for 'priesthood' and 'work' (p. 146)."
"The conscious choice to obey God and become one of His covenant people is also a conscious choice to enlist in His work of building His kingdom upon the aerth (p. 147)."
"That declaration of 'holiness to the Lord' was to influence their labors, their utterances, their thoughts and desires, adn the paths they pursued--not just in the temple, but in their daily walk (p. 149)."
"During graduation exercises the tassel is transferred from one side of the head to another. This act is seen as both a symbol of graduation (from one degree or order to a higher degree or order), and also as a symbol of the opposities that necessariliy exist in all things (p. 150)."
"The veiling of the face makes one a symbol of the bride of Christ and... should not be seen as a representation of the oppression of women by men (p. 151)."
"'Royalty is the underlying truth of the garment' referred to as 'the robe' (p. 155)."
"'The girdle is nearly always a symbol of service, the girded loins denoting readiness for action' (p. 158)."
"He who binds himself with the sash is willingly taking upon himself the role of Christ, including the obligation to suffer and sacrifice for the kingdom, and for God's children (p. 158)."
"The ancient priest who tied a bow knot on his liturgical clothing was reminded (though that act) that via the covenant process, he binds or ties himself to God which, of course, is exactly what covenants do (p. 158)."
"Because articles of priestly clothing were received as part of a call to service--particularly service in the temple or tabernacle--they are commonly understood to represent the fact that the wearer has entered into covenants with God (p. 163)."
"The 'more completely clothed' the initiate was--meaning the more priestly articles donned--the more 'priesthood power' was ceremonially being received until the initiate was in possession of 'a fullness of priesthood' or priesthood power--as found in the divinely given rites and rituals (p. 164)."
"In the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition, various promises or oaths are required of those who seek to faithfully live their religion and establish their acceptability before their God (p. 185)."
"'When we participate in covenants involving the symbol of the square, we are reaching up to God in a way that reminds us of Christ, in whose name the covenants are made' (p. 190)."
"The ceremonial act of 'filling one's hand' is a ritualistic way of saying that one is 'receiving' power or authority. The 'filling of the hand' may also symbolize the receipt of blessings, as ancient temple priests (who consecrated) had their hands filled with portions of the temple offerings--thus they were being endowed with God's gifts (each token of His sacrifice on their behalf) (p. 190)."
"Though the making of 'gestures of approach' or ritual 'signs' may seem to be exclusively the practice of ancient peoples, various faiths in modernity utilize 'signs' in the covenant-making process (p. 190)."
"Nibley suggested that such handclasps or 'tokens of recognition' were 'used extensively in regulating ancient social and religious gatherings; they are all means of identification, whose main purpose is security'... revealing one's friends and exposing one's enemies (p. 191)."
"Frequently accompanying the signs and tokens mentioned in this chapter are certain 'secret' words or phrases. They are found in specific Catholic rites, in some rare rites associated with Judaism, and even in certain branches of Islam (p. 198)."
"Prayer is a symbolic act that mirrors the participant's union--or reunion--with the divine... Anciently the altar was central to liturgical prayer (p. 215)."
"The Hebrew word for 'altar' means literally the 'place of sacrificing' (p. 216)."
"In antiquity it was common for worshippers of the God of Israel to pray standing in a circle, often surrounding one of these aforementioned holy altars (p. 217)."
"According to Cyril of Jerusalem, the intimacy of the prayer while surrounding God's altar is a 'sign that our souls are mingled together' (p. 219)."
"Praying with upraised hands has also been seen as a symbol of the practitioner's worthiness to approach God (p. 220)."
"From the wearing of the tallith [or garment] 9Symbolizing the Lamb of God) to the raised arms with spread fingers (symbolizing the crucified Christ) to the veil that opens when prayers are uttered, everything points to the Savior (p. 222)."
"What is symbolically depicted by the entrance into the sanctuary and the approach of the altar is the redemption of God's people--and their return to Him through His extended grace and mercy (p. 229)."
"'The veil of the temple is a means of revelation as well as of concealment' (p. 236)."
"The embrace... represents God taking the initiate 'to his heart' (p. 238)."
"Giving your hand to someone shows 'that a relationship was established between two persons' (p. 259)."
"The call to represent Christ and the commission to nurture as He nurtured are charges that every Saint--male and female alike--has received from the Father (p. 272)."
"Jesus is the sign. Jesus is the token. Jesus is the gesture... Jesus is the altar (p. 274)."
"We Latter-day Saints 'have become an asymbolic society, and, as a result, we do not understand the power of our own rites of passage' (p. 2)."
"Rather than just participating in the ordinances, we should engage in study and contemplation over their message and their meaning (p. 2)."
"'Symbols rarely have a simple meaning' (p. 5)."
"The gospel's symbols tend to grow and evolve with us and our needs (p. 5)."
"In the Eastern Georgian rite church this same position of guarding the entrance of the sanctuary from those unworthy to enter was held by a subdeacon (p. 9)."
"The point of the porter was to have a guard or sentinel, of sorts, to insure that only the worthy entered holy or sacred ground (p. 10)."
"Porters were symbols of God's presence in the world through His servants, and symbols of the coming day of judgment (p. 11)."
"These messengers are his prophets and counselors--the current Peter, James and John of His church. As true messengers, they point the way through this mortal desert, leading us to the iron rod and the straight path up Mount Zion (p. 18)."
"Practices such as washing or baptism, clothing or naming, covenanting or ath-swearing, are common-place among the world's faiths (p. 29)."
"'The Christian ritual of baptism draws its meaning from women's work of giving birth' (p. 30)."
"The Christian baptismal rite was a multi-faceted symbolic ordiance. It reminded the participant of Christ's Atonement... along with our own eventual physical death and resurrection... Baptism is in many ways about death and rebirth (p. 31)."
"'Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half--that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost' (Joseph Smith, p. 31)."
"The laver rested upon the backs of twelve oxen. Oxen are established types for God and His righteous followers (p. 33)."
"The number twelve typically symbolizes priesthood authority, including its power and right to govern (p. 34)."
"Related to the oxen facing four directions, on commentator suggested that in ancient times the thrones of kings often sat on the back of statues of oxen or lions, which pointed in the four cardinal directions. Thus, the font's placement on the back of twelve oxen facing norht, south, east, and west implies enthronement, and the promise that those who overcome all things will be given the right to preside over all things (p. 34)."
"Ritual washings, anointings, investing with sacred articles of clothing, and naming rites have been found among branches of the ancient church (p. 35)."
"This custom of nudity was a symbol 'of a return to the state of innocence that was obtained in paradise before the Fall of Man' (p. 37)."
"What is done to the body is really done to the spirit (p. 39)."
"Atonement leads to cleansing, and cleansing leads to deification. God cleanses His people in order to make them like Him. He seeks to make them all kings and priests, just as He is a king and a priest (p. 39)."
"The anointing with oil symbolically represented communion and oneness with Christ, along with receipt of (or a right to) the blessing of Christ (p. 41)."
"When one is appointed with the consecrated olive oil, one becomes a symbol of Christ--the title Christ meaning literally 'anointed one' (p. 42)."
"Related to the symbolism of the Spirit's sanctifying power is the fact that to the ancients 'anointing denoted consecration' (p. 46)."
"The recipient's head represents the whole of his or her being. The olive oil represents the Holy Ghost (p. 47)."
"God anointed Jesus with the 'oil of gladness,' and thus He is called 'the Christ' (p. 48)."
"The practice of ritual naming and renaming stems from the earliest of times (p. 50)."
"In the esoteric ordinances of many ancient societies, there was a belief that, if one were in possession of a secret name, that name would need to be guarded with the utmost care. 'By wearing or bearing the name, one is placed under God's special protection' (p. 51)."
"In Hebrew society, parents would often choose a name, either in the hopes that the child would live up to the connotations of their name, or because of some circumstance or event surrounding his or her birth (p. 52)."
"'Formal renamings register a change in personality and signal a new phases of one's life (p. 53)."
"In many traditions ordinances performed without this authority are considered invalied. Consequently, this aspect of ritual is an important one, both in how it authorizes a rite or ordinance, but also in what those who authoritatively perform those rites represent (p. 75)."
"The New Testament seems quite clear that the laying on of hands was a ritual commonly utilized to convey or confer priesthood authority (p. 75)."
"'The priesthood holder acts in Christ's stead, doing the things the Lord would do if he were here' (p. 77)."
"Narrative, or the telling of stories, has long been part of ritual. From antiquity down to the present, certain stories have been told and retold as a means of teaching people about their own history and their personal relationship with God... Chief among those narratives employed in ancient and modern liturgies are the Creation and the Fall (p. 93)."
"Perhaps the most common symbol associated with the Creation is that of God's efforts to 're-create' you and I in His image and pattern, or after His likeness (p. 95)."
"Just as the Creation story talks of God separating the light from the darkness, we see how God can do the same in our own lives (p. 95)."
"'For most of my life, I thought the Creation story was just about the formation of the earth... But then I noticed something amazing: The creation story was about me... the story of the crfeation of heavenly beings--me, you, all of us' (James Ferrell, p. 96)."
"'As we stay in the orbit, as it were, of the light of Christ, the Spirit, and the Lord's representatives on earth, and as we observe and follow that light, do we not bring forth more abundantly? Do we not sustain and nourish all that is around us?' (p. 98)"
"The significant presence of water during the story of the Creation has been taken by some as a divine reminder of Jesus' role in the creation of all things, and of His atoning role on behalf of all things (p. 99)."
"'Whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his hands on the family, it lives' (Howard W. Hunter, p. 101)."
"All things were created 'good' by God (p. 101)."
"To become like God... is to create good rather than to create evil or to destroy good (p. 101)."
"'To use creation in liturgy is to show reverence for creation through, with, and in which the incarnate God is disclosed and discovered' (p. 102)."
"Some have seen in liturgical dipictions of the Creation a message about stewardship and accountablility (p. 102)."
"The creation story is saturated with references to fertility and... productivity (p. 103)."
"The biblical and ritual accounts of the Creation appear to be filled with subtle messages about how God desires to change us, and what He encourages us to seek to change about ourselves (p. 104)."
"It is generally understood that Adam and Eve were typological symbols for the human race. They serve as representations of each of us, and our own personal fall from grace (p. 108)."
"The story of the Fall in liturgy serves as a message about our need for obedience, the consequences of our sins, and our desperate need for a Savior to redeem us from our fallen condition (p. 109)."
"God's first command to Adam and Eve was to multiply and replenish the earth--which was really a command to be selfless (p. 110)."
"God made Adam a 'help meet.' We must remember, this is Christ's work. It is His Church. But it was not in thd design and will of the Father that He do it alone. As Eve was Adam's help and support, Christ's bride--the Church--serves as His help and support. The Church's members aided Him in the Creation, the writing of scripture, in the preaching of His message, in the administration of ordinances, and so on. Their hands are His hands. Their work is His work. Adam and Eve were commanded to be one, and in like manner, Christ and His Church are to be one (p. 111)."
"One avoids bringing pysical filth into God's house, and one must avoid bringing spiritual filth into one's own life (p. 140)."
"The changing of one's clothes, and the donning of white apparel (or liurgical clothing) meant that the individual engaging in the ceremony or ordinance was aware that he or she was about to enter into a covenant to be new or different than he or she had previously been (p. 140)."
"'We symbolically leave the world behind by changing our worldly garments. We change into clothing of white, symbolic of the Atonement cleansing, as if we were washed white in the blood of the Lamb' (p. 141)."
"'God is not whimsical, requiring some things from one person but a little more or a little less from another. That is precisely one powerful message of the temple. No one is better than another' (p. 142)."
"'In the temple, age nationality, language--even position in the Church--are of secondary significance' (Russell M. Nelson, p. 142)."
"'It is significant that the holiest spot on earth, the place where heaven and earth intersect, strongly reaffirms our equal status before God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. All are alike unto God. Temple clothing is a symbol not only of purity but also of equality' (p. 142)."
"'Putting on sacred vestments is related to putting on Christ and his holiness... When we put on Jesus Christ we accept him and his atonement, and we become like him' (p. 143)."
"The clothes of the temple and tabernacle mirrored the rightoues attributes of Christ (p. 145)."
"An 'apron' was donned during these rituals, and was said to be 'an ancient garment symbolizing purity and was uathoritzed to be worn only by the 'elect of the Lord'' (p. 146)."
"We know that anciently aprons often served as symbols for 'priesthood' and 'work' (p. 146)."
"The conscious choice to obey God and become one of His covenant people is also a conscious choice to enlist in His work of building His kingdom upon the aerth (p. 147)."
"That declaration of 'holiness to the Lord' was to influence their labors, their utterances, their thoughts and desires, adn the paths they pursued--not just in the temple, but in their daily walk (p. 149)."
"During graduation exercises the tassel is transferred from one side of the head to another. This act is seen as both a symbol of graduation (from one degree or order to a higher degree or order), and also as a symbol of the opposities that necessariliy exist in all things (p. 150)."
"The veiling of the face makes one a symbol of the bride of Christ and... should not be seen as a representation of the oppression of women by men (p. 151)."
"'Royalty is the underlying truth of the garment' referred to as 'the robe' (p. 155)."
"'The girdle is nearly always a symbol of service, the girded loins denoting readiness for action' (p. 158)."
"He who binds himself with the sash is willingly taking upon himself the role of Christ, including the obligation to suffer and sacrifice for the kingdom, and for God's children (p. 158)."
"The ancient priest who tied a bow knot on his liturgical clothing was reminded (though that act) that via the covenant process, he binds or ties himself to God which, of course, is exactly what covenants do (p. 158)."
"Because articles of priestly clothing were received as part of a call to service--particularly service in the temple or tabernacle--they are commonly understood to represent the fact that the wearer has entered into covenants with God (p. 163)."
"The 'more completely clothed' the initiate was--meaning the more priestly articles donned--the more 'priesthood power' was ceremonially being received until the initiate was in possession of 'a fullness of priesthood' or priesthood power--as found in the divinely given rites and rituals (p. 164)."
"In the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition, various promises or oaths are required of those who seek to faithfully live their religion and establish their acceptability before their God (p. 185)."
"'When we participate in covenants involving the symbol of the square, we are reaching up to God in a way that reminds us of Christ, in whose name the covenants are made' (p. 190)."
"The ceremonial act of 'filling one's hand' is a ritualistic way of saying that one is 'receiving' power or authority. The 'filling of the hand' may also symbolize the receipt of blessings, as ancient temple priests (who consecrated) had their hands filled with portions of the temple offerings--thus they were being endowed with God's gifts (each token of His sacrifice on their behalf) (p. 190)."
"Though the making of 'gestures of approach' or ritual 'signs' may seem to be exclusively the practice of ancient peoples, various faiths in modernity utilize 'signs' in the covenant-making process (p. 190)."
"Nibley suggested that such handclasps or 'tokens of recognition' were 'used extensively in regulating ancient social and religious gatherings; they are all means of identification, whose main purpose is security'... revealing one's friends and exposing one's enemies (p. 191)."
"Frequently accompanying the signs and tokens mentioned in this chapter are certain 'secret' words or phrases. They are found in specific Catholic rites, in some rare rites associated with Judaism, and even in certain branches of Islam (p. 198)."
"Prayer is a symbolic act that mirrors the participant's union--or reunion--with the divine... Anciently the altar was central to liturgical prayer (p. 215)."
"The Hebrew word for 'altar' means literally the 'place of sacrificing' (p. 216)."
"In antiquity it was common for worshippers of the God of Israel to pray standing in a circle, often surrounding one of these aforementioned holy altars (p. 217)."
"According to Cyril of Jerusalem, the intimacy of the prayer while surrounding God's altar is a 'sign that our souls are mingled together' (p. 219)."
"Praying with upraised hands has also been seen as a symbol of the practitioner's worthiness to approach God (p. 220)."
"From the wearing of the tallith [or garment] 9Symbolizing the Lamb of God) to the raised arms with spread fingers (symbolizing the crucified Christ) to the veil that opens when prayers are uttered, everything points to the Savior (p. 222)."
"What is symbolically depicted by the entrance into the sanctuary and the approach of the altar is the redemption of God's people--and their return to Him through His extended grace and mercy (p. 229)."
"'The veil of the temple is a means of revelation as well as of concealment' (p. 236)."
"The embrace... represents God taking the initiate 'to his heart' (p. 238)."
"Giving your hand to someone shows 'that a relationship was established between two persons' (p. 259)."
"The call to represent Christ and the commission to nurture as He nurtured are charges that every Saint--male and female alike--has received from the Father (p. 272)."
"Jesus is the sign. Jesus is the token. Jesus is the gesture... Jesus is the altar (p. 274)."
January 14, 2021
A Comprehensive Catalog of Religious Symbols
This book will be most helpful for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints who make covenants in the LDS temples. The ordinance of the Sacrament is one of the few symbol laden events a member may experience in an LDS chapel, so it is often confusing for LDS members who are not used to the layering of meaning through symbols to find covenant making in an LDS temple replete with symbols. The author shows world-wide, modern and ancient patterns of most of the rites and rituals practiced in the LDS temples enriching meaning and tying them to the ancient temple practices.
This book will be most helpful for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints who make covenants in the LDS temples. The ordinance of the Sacrament is one of the few symbol laden events a member may experience in an LDS chapel, so it is often confusing for LDS members who are not used to the layering of meaning through symbols to find covenant making in an LDS temple replete with symbols. The author shows world-wide, modern and ancient patterns of most of the rites and rituals practiced in the LDS temples enriching meaning and tying them to the ancient temple practices.
December 24, 2014
I am absolutely amazed at the research that went into this book! The reference section at the end of each chapter is almost as big as the chapter itself! I keep going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. The information is definitely worth four stars, but this book required a great deal of concentration to read. It's like reading the scientific version instead of the lay-man version. There was wonderful insight provided on various symbols from throughout time. It wasn't specific to LDS temple symbols, yet it applied directly and taught lots that can help the reader gain more from temploe ordinances. I would definitely recommend reading this book to anyone who is able to focus on the reading - definitely will enrich your life and temple experience!
September 5, 2018
I know Alonzo, and he is a wonderful and captivating speaker. He is an even better person. I didn't personally love this book because it's just not an area of interest for me, but I think members of the Church of Jesus Christ would enjoy learning more about symbolism in their religion and the history of that symbolism both historically and religiously.
October 23, 2012
Wow!!! Amazing research and context. If you wonder what things mean in the temple and want to enrich your experience, this book will do it!! Gaskill is a member of the Seventy and his delicate approach to the topic of temple worship is wonderful. This one is on my top ten!
September 26, 2020
I was recommended this book as a means of better understanding how to understand and talk about the temple more simply, especially to an audience of the un-, soon-to-be, or recently initiated. In some ways, it is hard to imagine all but those belonging to the last group really benefitting from the ideas presented here, but perhaps I am selling my imagined younger self and others short. I do think this provides a deeper and more useful dive into the common refrain for people preparing to receive their temple endowment that "the temple is all symbolic, much more so than other aspects of the Latter-day Saint faith and culture." In my experience, this was the virtual end of the preparation for something that is indeed highly symbolic in presentation and meaning. This book offers numerous examples of how symbols can teach us, and how symbolic languages have operated via religious rites, rituals, and ordinances for millennia across numerous faith traditions. This is an interesting strategy to avoid the discomfort in violating the command to not talk about certain aspects of the Latter-day Saint endowment in much detail. Instead, Gaskill thoroughly uses examples from other Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and a handful of other religious traditions to set the stage for better understanding or at least contemplating the Latter-day Saint endowment. Organized by chapters on rituals with the focus on symbolic people, initiations, ordinations, narratives, clothing, covenant-making, prayer/threshold, and marriage, it will be ever so apparent with those "with eyes to see" to understand how this structure benefits a further contemplation, appreciation, and understanding of the Latter-day Saint temple endowment ceremony (and all the adjacent temple and non-temple ceremonies). Pacing-wise, there is a lot to digest--I read a chapter one day, the chapter footnotes the next, and so on and so forth. I enjoyed reading about these topics and how to become a better student of learning through symbol and ritual.
While the intro clearly states the book's intention not to encourage "parallelmania," it definitely seems adjacent if not inviting to this end. Nevertheless, there is value in merely trying to better understand other socioreligious practices past and present, if we can actively refrain from trying to understand it all in reference to direct parallels to our lived socioreligious experiences. I am all for finding common ground and rejoicing in shared methods of connecting with the Divine and communing with our fellowman/woman. But we need not read every religious experience as comparable to our own. There is plenty of awe and admiration to be held for difference too.
While the intro clearly states the book's intention not to encourage "parallelmania," it definitely seems adjacent if not inviting to this end. Nevertheless, there is value in merely trying to better understand other socioreligious practices past and present, if we can actively refrain from trying to understand it all in reference to direct parallels to our lived socioreligious experiences. I am all for finding common ground and rejoicing in shared methods of connecting with the Divine and communing with our fellowman/woman. But we need not read every religious experience as comparable to our own. There is plenty of awe and admiration to be held for difference too.
January 18, 2025
4.5 stars. This book on temple symbolism is dense with information and truth—I will need to reread because there was too much to take in. Symbolism can seem illusive and frustrating, but Gaskill did a great job of opening my eyes of understanding, revealing some of the richness and depth of truth that can be found when we take time to seek. I loved all the connections to ancient temple ceremonies and rituals. While it makes sense, I had no idea how much of our modern temple rituals are found in ancient religious ceremonies. So fascinating. I also liked the discussion on the female attributes of God (and the connection with deaconess/goddess). I love that the more meaning we find in symbols, the more understanding and connection we find in Christ.
Chapters:
People in Ritual
Initiation Rituals
Ordination Rituals
Narrative Rituals
Clothing Rituals
Covenant-making Rituals
Prayer and Threshold Rituals
Marriage Rituals
Chapters:
People in Ritual
Initiation Rituals
Ordination Rituals
Narrative Rituals
Clothing Rituals
Covenant-making Rituals
Prayer and Threshold Rituals
Marriage Rituals
January 27, 2019
I remember sitting in my high school and college English classes when the discussion would turn to symbolism. The teacher would ask, "And what symbolism did you see in this book?" My mind would go blank. Symbolism? What symbolism?
Several students would eagerly raise their hands and begin sharing their insights. I wondered why I didn't see that.
Obviously, symbolism and I are not good friends. This is one reason why I loved this book so much! I have a greater understanding of the symbolism found in the temple. This book does not focus specifically on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies but rather religious rituals around the world. Yet, I can understand our temple symbolism a lot better as a result of this book.
Several students would eagerly raise their hands and begin sharing their insights. I wondered why I didn't see that.
Obviously, symbolism and I are not good friends. This is one reason why I loved this book so much! I have a greater understanding of the symbolism found in the temple. This book does not focus specifically on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies but rather religious rituals around the world. Yet, I can understand our temple symbolism a lot better as a result of this book.
August 30, 2018
I was able to listen to this fabulous book on audible. I have read other books by this author and loved them so I grabbed this one when it became available.
I’m not in favor of authors reading their own books, but Gaskill does a pretty good job. The thing that really bugged me was all the “quote” “end quote” things. He did his best to minimize the distraction, but there for a while my skin was crawling! However the content overcame the discomfort. I can’t wait to get to the temple and look for all these symbols and more. It is a fascinating subject!
I’m not in favor of authors reading their own books, but Gaskill does a pretty good job. The thing that really bugged me was all the “quote” “end quote” things. He did his best to minimize the distraction, but there for a while my skin was crawling! However the content overcame the discomfort. I can’t wait to get to the temple and look for all these symbols and more. It is a fascinating subject!
June 21, 2023
One of the more insightful considerations of ancient rituals and ordinances that I've read. Gaskill has clearly done his research. I found this book both inspiring and helpful for me in considering my own promises that I've made with deity. Rather than focusing on the Latter-Day Saint perspective of rituals and ordinances, he dives into the rites that other religions (as well as ancient Christianity) have passed down through history. By doing so, he provides valuable insights on what happens within Latter-Day Saint temples and the lessons we can learn about our own worship from that of others.
July 23, 2018
This book had so many fascinating insights into symbols. Written from an LDS perspective, but using scholarly research from the rites of many religions, I found particular fascination in the similarities of rituals and appreciated the additional insight provided from other religious scholars on meaning. One of the best chapters is on people as symbols, and looking at Adam and Eve as symbols of the bride (the church) and the bridegroom (Christ). It really opens up so much understanding.
February 26, 2020
Do you understand the symbols that lie within the rituals and ceremonies of the church you go? This book is an eyeopening for mostly Christian churchgoers, but it als has some insights on symbolisms found in non-christian faiths. I was particularly amazed with the symbols related to the Tian Tan Buddha, to Adam and Eve, and to the ancient temples. Being written by an academic, the text is sometimes too wordy to get to a point, and often repetitive. At the end of each chapter there are extensive notes and references to sources that could be added to the end of the books, and some additional insights on symbols, that could be brough into the chapters. If you're a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like me and the author, you will find additional insights on the practice of our religion and increase your understanding and faith in the Savior Jesus Christ. Happy reading!
Read
July 16, 2021*Very* cool. Gaskill was my world religions professor at BYU and really put us to work while also teaching us many incredible things about other religions. In this book, he uses his expertise to show commonalities in ancient and modern religions and cultures when it comes to symbolism. This brings new meaning to symbols with which members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are familiar. Definitely an academic angle.
January 20, 2023
This book did so much for me. It brought clarity to the symbols so prevalent in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but also gave me a greater appreciation for the many similarities shared between various Judeo-Christian beliefs. I feel a greater kinship with those of other faiths because I understand our similarities better. I feel like this answers a lot of questions I've had and I've heard others express. Just so good.
December 18, 2019
This book fascinated me beginning to end. Also, I’m for sure going to have to listen to it again. It was like drinking from a fire hose! It was revelatory for me and I treasure many insights I gained from it. I’m looking forward to reading more of Brother Gaskill’s work. I won’t see my worship in LDS temples the same way ever again. Loved this one!
June 14, 2020
Not a quick, easy read but so much information from historical research. I found the ancient Old Testament examples interesting as well as those from Catholicism, Hindu, or Muslim rituals. A book I will reference again as my understanding increases and I want further insight.
July 27, 2020
I found this book to be a valuable introduction to the meaning of clothing, washing, hand gestures, and storytelling in religious rituals. It's written for Latter-day Saints, and it gave me a meaningful context for the LDS temple rituals.
February 15, 2021
I find symbolism an important part of my religious belief. On the other hand, it can be so vague that often you will see symbols for whatever you are looking for. Interesting to read about some historic symbolism in Christianity.
June 20, 2023
This is an excellent book. It contains eye-opening lessons about creation, sacred clothing, altars, marriage, and more. It is not the smoothest/simplest read sometimes, perhaps due to the massive amount of footnotes. It could benefit from an anecdote or two in my opinion.
July 21, 2024
Sacred Symbols
As a Latter-day Saint who serves in the Provo Utah City Center Temple this book helped me understand the sacred symbols and rites performed in the temple more completely. I highly recommend this book.
As a Latter-day Saint who serves in the Provo Utah City Center Temple this book helped me understand the sacred symbols and rites performed in the temple more completely. I highly recommend this book.
November 25, 2024
I love the way symbols are taught in this book and the history it shares. Added more depth, understanding and increased desire to further grow in my understanding of the symbols I’m exposed to. Excellent!
January 21, 2019
Another fantastic book I will read and refer to the rest of my life. I have been looking for a book that informs me in these subjects for 20 years.
February 14, 2019
A fascinating book! And it just scratches the surface on the subject of religious symbolism.
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