Fire Worship: It Just Makes Sense!

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" — Luke 12:49

The heart of the symbol of Unitarianism since 1939—the "flaming chalice"—is a flame. What are the meanings of fire?

Purification

To Zoroastrianism, fire is the most holy symbol. It is the symbol of Righteousness, the Moral Order of the Universe, and Purity. These may not be the first associations that come to mind for us, but it made perfect sense to the ancients, for they used fire to purify metals. Once a metal was purified with fire, it would reveal itself in all its glory. Purity, in this sense, is not the purity of the uncorrupted, but rather the uncorruptible essence of something.

In alchemy, the crucible in which a metal was tested became a metaphor for spiritual purification. To the impure, the fire was a tortuous, malevolent force, but once purified, the benevolent nature of fire became obvious.

This, indeed, was the metaphor used in the Zoroastrian story of the final judgement:

"both the righteous and the wicked will be purified by walking through a molten metal (Yasna 32.7, 51.9). Now all will speak with one tongue and proclaim their praise to Ahura Mazda ..." [1]

The pure, rest assured, have nothing to fear from this "trial by fire".

Transformation

Metaphorically similar to the purifying aspect of fire, yet more fundamental to its nature, is its transformational aspect. Fire, also known as combustion, is a process that alters matter. It consumes different compunds and produces other compounds, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water. Furthermore, it is not precise to say that "fire transforms", but rather we ought to say "fire is transformation".

This cannot be said for the other classical elements (earth, water, and air), for though the other elements may participate in transformation or undergo transformation, they are static in nature. In contrast, fire consumes the other elements (solid, liquid, and gas fuels, as well as oxygen), and in turn produces various gasses, sometimes including water vapor.

Change, Substance, and Energy

This transformational aspect is obviously fine fodder for metaphor. It extends quite naturally to the idea of change. Hence, Heraclitus recognized fire as the element of change, and thus, the fundamental constituent of all things. We know today that earth, water, and air are really only different states of matter, differentiated only by their levels of energy, and what is energy, but a measurement of change? What better symbol than fire, then, for energy itself?

Would it be less than true, knowing what we do from Special Relativity, to say that even matter itself is composed of energy? Hence, the substance of things can be said to be change. Score one for Heraclitus.

Change and Time

What would time be without change? How can we measure time without change? Is not time a product of change, or symbolically, fire?

Life and Rebirth

Fire can also be seen as a simple life form. Consider the dependence of fire on oxygen and fuel: fire must breathe, and fire must eat. Does fire reproduce? In the sence that fire generates heat that ignites more fire, yes, its does reproduce. Quite like ourselves, fire can reproduce itself wildly, even to the point of starvation.

Fire can kill indiscriminately, but fire can also give life to the dead. What but products of life lost are offered to fire? Dead wood, peat, and fossil fuels are classic examples. Taking dead matter and feeding it to fire gives life to both. This may also be said to be a metaphorical basis for cremation. Other ways of dispatching the dead certainly feed life forms, but none so grandly as by fire.

Love

We're all familiar with fire as a symbol of love and passion. Again, fire warms, it purifies, it transforms, and it can destroy. Recall, in this regard, that St. John the Apostle of Jesus proclaimed that "God is Love". What, then, is a better symbol for God?

Beyond Combustion

We have been addressing fire as equivalent to combustion, but it can be argued that lightening, the Sun and stars, and any source of light is a form of fire. Hence light, symbol for knowledge and good, can be easily be said to be a product of fire. Imagine the metaphorical possibilities!

<< Back

Sources & Notes

1. The Zoroastrian Faith / Tradition and Modern Research — S.A. Nigosian