A rosary worn smooth by someone’s fingers. A statue surrounded by offerings. A candle lit before an image that has received generations of prayers.
What makes an object sacred? Is it the history it carries, the intention brought to it, or a presence someone experiences when they approach it?
For many practitioners, these encounters are intimate and deeply personal. An altar becomes a place of conversation. A devotional image becomes part of a relationship. Something made of wood, stone, or metal occupies a living place in someone’s spiritual world.
In this episode of Rooted & Wild, I’m joined by Dr. Eric Breault, a scholar of religion whose background brings together comparative cultural studies, Western philosophy, and the anthropology of religion. His research examines devotional practices, sacred imagery, and the ways people create shared meaning through their relationships with the material world.
With a particular interest in lived Catholicism and folk devotion in Latin America, Eric investigates how spiritual practices develop through history, how they bring people into community, and why some become accepted while others are condemned. His work combines historical research with fieldwork, bringing the everyday experiences of practitioners into conversations often shaped by institutional teachings.
Together, we explore the space between an object representing the divine and someone experiencing the divine as present within it. That distinction opens a larger conversation about spiritual experience, cultural understanding, and the power to decide what counts as legitimate religion.
A gesture welcomed as devotion in one setting may be condemned as magic or idolatry in another. Understanding those judgments means looking closely at the histories behind them, as well as listening to the people whose practices they describe.
In this episode, we explore:
• What makes an object sacred to the person who approaches it
• The difference between sacred symbolism and an experienced spiritual presence
• How prayer, touch, offerings, and daily attention shape relationships with devotional objects
• Icons, relics, shrines, and the material expressions of spiritual life
• How religious authority and colonization influenced the boundaries between faith, magic, and idolatry
• What it means to approach another person’s spiritual experience with curiosity and respect
Whether you tend an altar, pray with a rosary, or feel drawn to a particular sacred image, this conversation invites you to consider the relationship itself.
What do you bring to the things you hold holy? And what do you experience in their presence?
About Dr. Eric Breault
Originally from northern Illinois, Eric moved to Arizona in 2008 and graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2011 with a degree in Comparative Cultural Studies, focusing on religious studies theory and Western philosophy. His doctoral work at Arizona State University brought together material culture, lived Catholicism, and the occult. His research explores unofficial folk saints and devotional practices in Latin America, examining how sacred images and objects become part of everyday relationships and how those relationships shape communities.
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Rooted & Wild provides general information for educational and informational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Henry Hawk. The content shared on this podcast is not intended to replace individualized medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, nor should it be used to diagnose or treat any health condition. Listeners are encouraged to consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding any medical or mental health concerns.
