Final answer:
Clifford Geertz posits that rituals are systems of symbols that establish moods and motivations, communicate and affirm cultural values, and maintain group solidarity. Rituals combine objects, actions, and meanings to fulfill group and individual purposes within a community.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Clifford Geertz, ritual serves to enact or make visible important cultural ideas, which are inherently embedded with symbols that carry significant meanings within a religious community. Rituals are performative acts that embody a community's religious beliefs and practices. Geertz views rituals as systems of symbols that not only establish a persuasive and long-lasting mood and motivation within the practitioners but also effectively communicate conceptions of a general order of existence, clothing these conceptions with an aura of factuality. In doing so, rituals affirm, strengthen, and maintain solidarity within the group while also serving as a rite of passage for individuals, among other functions.
Rituals involve objects, actions, and meanings, playing a special role in repeating patterned action conventionally associated with specific meanings. They incorporate symbols and roles along with routinized activities such as gestures, music, and movement. Through this process, rituals bring together symbols, practices, and worldviews, accomplishing specific group or individual goals.
The symbolism found in rituals is not only a representation of cultural values but also acts to reinforce these values among the practitioners. For instance, the Christian cross symbolizes ideas about sacrifice and community, embedding deeper notions about life, suffering, and transcendence. Thus, rituals and their embedded symbols are crucial in organizing and conveying important cultural practices and beliefs.