ABSTRACT
An old but good introduction to Social Anthropology suggests that symbolism is a distinguishing feature of religion. Expression may be an end in itself, or at least a crucial concomitant of the instrumental function of magical or religious activity. Most medievalists find the schema relatively inapplicable to their material, and the scientific/symbolic dichotomy misleading if religion are to be stuffed into the 'symbolic' pigeon-hole. Medieval intellectual life was less 'scientific' than that of the past few centuries in one sense: it was relatively weak on the empirical front. Medieval religion cannot be reduced to symbolism. Still symbolism was a crucial aspect of it. Symbolism was a form of aesthetic and synthetic thought, helping Haymo and his listeners or readers to keep much of their world-view before their minds at any time. Probably this style of religious thought was as important as any other in the lives of Carolingian monks.
