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[German Version] I. Religious Studies – II. Old Testament – III. New Testament I. Religious Studies Light and darkness, day and night, the rising and setting of the life-giving sun determine the vital rhythm of nature and human beings; they find expression in feelings, in language and thought, in symbols and myths. Light is on the side of the gods, the sphere of the divine, the spirit. As a religious symbol, light represents life, salvation, and bliss. Darkness is ambiguous: it can ¶ signify death, perdition, and woe, but it can also represent protective concealment (hell, etymologically “place of concealment”). In the cult, (divine) light illuminates darkness. A sudden blaze of light at the climax of cultic mysteries marks a divine epiphany that enlightens the participants, leading to divinization, rebirth, or the like. Light and fire drive away the powers of darkness (Demons) and bring purification. Bearers of light include the sun, moon, and stars (Constellations), repre…