A CRUZ COMO ELEMENTO SIMBÓLICO CONSTRUTOR DE SENTIDO NO MOVIMENTO DE JESUS.

Abstract

This dissertation is about the symbolism in the Jesus Movement, involving the symbolic system of this group, more specifically the cross as an aggregator of cultural meaning. The methodology adopted is the bibliography. In the first chapter we summarise the discussion of sacred symbols and, make reference to several authors to arrive at a more philosophical discussion of concepts. In assessing the various concepts established within the Science of Religion on the sacred, with the help of several authors we came to the notion of sacred symbols for the present research. In the second chapter we present the Jesus Movement and its historical reality, highlighting the value and necessity of the charismatic social group that follows along as the recognition of the same. We see the reality of domination in Palestine and the search for release from the oppression of empires, especially from the Romans, resulting in resistance and rebellion. In this chapter we also evaluated the cultural presence of three elements: Messianism, the bread and the cross bringing out a historical and social constitution of the same. In the last chapter we relate the emergence of the sacred and the symbolic systems in the Jesus Movement in an attempt to construct a plausible world in suffering. In this chapter we bring to light the significant cultural analysis of the elements of that group messianism, bread and the cross especially focusing on the cross as a symbolic element which constructs meaning.