History of the Church: Foundations: Paganism and Roman Religion Gods, Demigods, Emperors and Cults Randy Broberg Grace Bible Church 2002 1
Romans 1:18-25 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. 2
Traditional Polytheism/Idolatry Polytheistic and anthropomorphic Sacrifice, respect and bargaining No necessary moral meaning No sacred writings Artemis of the Ephesians Traditional Religion Dying Out, Skeptic Public Popular literature makes fun of beliefs in traditional deities 3
Characteristics of Pagan Gods Have personalities Given human shapes (anthropomorphic) World is governed by humanlike beings Gods fight among themselves Orpheus 4
Pagan Mother of God, Mother Earth or Mother Nature Deity Isis, was the Egyptian Mother Goddess, and was often portrayed as a loving mother, nursing her baby son Horus. Magna Mater or Great Mother or Mother of God Was associated with Artemis or Cybelle. She was the mother of all living things, an earth mother, goddess of fertility and nature. 5
Notions of Virtue & Piety It was also believed that morality consists not in the love or habit of virtue but in having the strength to resist vice. Idleness was considered a virtue. The contemplative life was to be prized. Labor was to be avoided. Wealth was a virtue. Pax deorum: Religion as contract and correct ritual performance earning favor with gods. 6
Polis: Religious Pattern of Life PATRON DEITY Citizens honor patron god of the city Paid homage to the city through worship of its gods Father Time was the God Kronos or Saturnus and the god in whose honor the December Saturnalia feast was celebrated 7
2 Corinthians 6:16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? Plan of Greek Temple House of God, Not Place of Worship 8
Pagan Prayers In substance, they reflected bargaining with the gods, if you grant me this favor, I ll build an altar for you. In form, Roman prayer was orant that is, standing, with the face towards heaven and their arms outstretched with palms upwards to display their purity. This form was imitated by early Christians, as we ll see, but the Christians only extended their arms horizontally, rather than raising their ams and hands to the sky, in order to distinguish 9
1 Corinthians 10:19-20 19 Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord s table and the table of demons. Altar in Athens 10
Eating Meat Sacrificed to Idols "The principal rite of every cult was of course the rite of sacrifice,...it is important to bear in mind, however, that in a Greek or Latin context the word "sacrifice" always implies "feast". Every sacrifice was followed by a dinner in which the immoated victim was cooked on the altar and eaten. Great temples had kitchens and offered the services of their cooks to worshipers who came to sacrifice. The flesh of the victim went to the participants in the ritual, the smoke to the gods. Scraps from the meal were left on the altar, and beggars spirited them away. When sacrifice was made not on a household altar but at a temple, the custom was to pay for the priests services by leaving them a set portion of the sacrificial animal. Temples earned money by selling this meat to butchers. On feast day people invited their friends to sacrifices in their homes; such invitations were considered a greater honor than mere dinner invitations. Vapors of incense spewed forth from many houses on these great occasions... "A simpler means of sanctifying a meal...one invited the gods to dinner by removing their statuettes from the house sacred niche and placing them in the dining room during the meal, as platters of food were heaped in. History of Private Life page 194-196: Meat eaten by by priests and sacrificers Meat sold in butcher shops 11
Cultus: The worship or veneration of a deity, and correct observance of religious obligations. Roman religion was one of cultus (cult) rather than pietas (piety). For the Romans it was more important to observe the correct rituals: the gods were venerated by the strict observance of rituals to make them favorably disposed, irrespective of the ethics and morals of the worshippers. From: A Dictionary of Roman Religion Ritualistic Worship Note: The one making the sacrifice has head covered, others have uncovered heads 12
Roman Religious Practices Religious processions were common, including the carrying of standards, scepters and maces and ceremonial vessels Shallow bowls of holy water used in ritualistic washings or for pouring of libations. Priests covered their heads while praying or sacrificing, to guard against sights and sounds of ill omens Votive candles and offerings presented by worshippers at entrance to temples to accompany vows and prayers. Fingers in Benediction symbol from Jupiter Sabazius and Magna Mater rituals. 13
Emperor Worship State and Religion were unified so loyalty to state and loyalty to religion were also unified. Altar Dedicated to Emperor Vespasian, From Pompeii Rome, Altar of Peace Ara Pacis Augustae 14
Ancestor Worship & Patron Deities lares (ghosts of the dead ancestors) penates (guardians of the hearth). numina spirits of the dead A Roman patrician, carrying the busts of his ancestors 15
Roman Priests Not moral leaders, not concerned with welfare of an congregation Part time job, almost never a profession. Organized by a hierarchy of leadership, with Pontifex Maximus at top Wore Regalia The Bishop s Miter was first worn by pagan priests limit access to sacred rites to enhance power: To some of these even the common people were given access, but those which applied to sacred rites the pontiffs suppressed, largely so that they could keep the minds of the people under control through religious awe. Livy, 6.1 16
The Head of the Pagan Church : The Emperor (Pontifex Maximus) Augustus Caesar with veil while making a sacrifice Marcus Aurelius Making Sacrifice to Jupiter (also veiled) 17
Vestal Virgin How do we solve a problem like Maria? Celibacy and Purity Required Lived Cloistered Lives Considered married to gods, were put to death if they lost their chastity Precursors to Nuns? This is a bridal gown she s wearing 18
Rome s Eternal Flame 19
Death and Funeral Practices the Romans cremated their dead until burial became the custom in the early 2nd century A.D. But Jews and Greeks buried their dead Incense & candles (offered in temples for dead loved ones) Sarcophogus Roman Funeral Processions 20
Traditional Notions of Hell There is a road that slopes downhill, all gloomy with funereal yew. It leads to the underworld, through regions mute and silent. There the sluggish Styx breathes forth its mists, and by that path descend the ghosts of those newly dead, the shades of mortals duly laid to rest in their tombs. Far and wide the desolate spot is wrapped in gloomy chill. The ghosts, just lately arrived, do not know where the road lies which leads to the Stygian city, nor whether to go to find the grim palace of dusky Dis. His populous city has a thousand approaches, and gates on every side, all standing open. As the sea absorbs rivers from all over the earth, so that place receives every soul: it is never too small, however great the throng. New crowds arriving make no difference. Lifeless shadows without blood or bones wander about, some jostling in the marketplace, some round the palace of the underworld's king, while others busy themselves with the trades which they practiced in the old days, when they were alive. Others are subjected to punishment, each according to his crime. 21
More Modern Belief in Annihilation Seneca, Reflect that there are no ills to be suffered after death, that the reports that make the Lower World terrible to us are mere tales, that no darkness is in store for the dead, no prison, no blazing streams of fire, no river of Lethe, that no judgment-seats are there, nor culprits, nor in that freedom so unfettered are there a second time any tyrants. All these things are the fancies of the poets, who have harrowed us with groundless terrors. Death is a release from all our suffering, a boundary beyond which our ills cannot pass - it restores us to that peaceful state in which we lay before we were born. Wayfarer, do not pass by my epitaph, but stand and listen, and then, when you have learned the truth, proceed. There is no boat in Hades, no ferryman Charon, no Aeacus keeper of the keys, nor any dog called Cerberus. All of us who have died and gone below are bones and ashes: there is nothing else. What I have told you is true. Now withdraw, wayfarer, so that you will not think that, even though dead, I talk too much. Epitaph from a Tomb 22
Pagan Concept of Limbo The poet Virgil described the world of the dead as divided into a limbo, a hell and a heaven (Elysium). Elysium (or Elysian Fields) was vague and it was thought to be in the sky or beyond the ocean. Ideas from Greek myths (such as paying Charon to cross the river Styx to reach the god Hades) were possibly believed by the Romans, as coins were placed in the dead body s mouth. 23
Magic and the Occult Bad Luck /Evil Omens Seers, Diviners & Fortune Telling Astrology Curses Black Magic Gesundheit Black Cats Unlucky Numbers Ghosts and Shades inhabited places where dead did not receive proper burials 24
Roman attitude toward Harry Potter Romans believed there was good magic and black magic, good witches and evil witches (and warlocks). They believed witches cast spells on innocents. Romans issued laws against witches, allowing their persecutions. 25
Mystery Religions Very Popular Secret Meetings Common Meals Ecstatic Frenzies Sexual Activities Immortality Initiation Ceremonies The Egyptian Cults of Serapis and Isis Persian Mithras onal Immortality 26
What to Look For: Origins of Christian practices Liturgy ritualistic worship Need for repeated sacrifices Pontifex Maximus Ceremonial Meals Funerary Practices Celibacy, nunnery Days, Months and Years Candles, Incense Superstitions 27
Questions to Consider Has paganism or its modern equivalents influenced our practice of Christianity? Who are today s Pagans? Is our view of God too anthropomorphic? Do we rely on repeated sacrifices to appease God? How superstitious are we? 28