hierophanythe

Hierophanythe is a term with no widely established meaning in scholarly religious studies. It appears to be a neologism derived from hierophany, a concept associated with the revelation of the sacred in the profane world, and augmented by a suffix that could suggest theory, study, or a particular instance. Because the word is not standardized, its intended sense varies with the author who uses it.

Hierophany, a term introduced by Mircea Eliade, denotes the manifestation of the sacred in ordinary reality—moments when the divine or holy becomes perceivable in the mundane. It is distinct from theophany, which specifically refers to a god’s explicit appearance. If hierophanythe is employed, plausible readings include a theoretical framework for analyzing hierophanies, a typology or classification of sacred manifestations, or a treated instance of a hierophany. None of these readings is universally adopted, and the term does not have an agreed methodological or terminological status.

Because there is no standard definition or usage, it is essential to consult the original source or author who employs hierophanythe to understand their intended meaning. In mainstream scholarly practice, the established term remains hierophany, used in discussions of sacred revelation, symbolism, and phenomenology of religion. As with many neologisms in religious studies, careful qualification and citation are necessary to avoid conflating it with the conventional concept of hierophany. See also hierophany, theophany, and phenomenology of religion.