Explanation of M. Eliade's Religious Studies Concepts

Abstract

The article examines the key religious studies concepts of Mircea Eliade, their role, and
significance in contemporary scholarship. The research conducted by this historian of religions represents
fundamental works in the field of religious studies, and their analysis highlights the relevance of his
theoretical positions. We draw the reader’s attention to the concepts of the "sacred and the profane,"
"hierophany," "archaic consciousness," "myth," "symbol," "religious universalism," and "time," exploring
their influence on the formation of religious consciousness and offering a new interpretation.
Eliade’s ideas reveal the universal patterns of religious experience and its impact on cultural
and spiritual processes. He views religion not only as a system of beliefs but also as a unique way of
understanding the world. The article defines the place of his views on myths and symbols in religious
worldview and their role in human spiritual life. The relevance of his theories in modern religious studies
is examined, along with the significance of myths and symbols for society.
As a result of this research, a new assessment of Eliade’s contribution to the phenomenology of religion
is presented, and the importance of his concepts for contemporary academic studies is substantiated.
His ideas provide deeper insights into the role of religion in human life, as well as the functions of myths
and rituals in social processes.