mystery religion christianity
The words of St. Paul, They drank of that spiritual rock and that rock was Christ are borrowed from the Mithraic scriptures., 36. I do not deny that there are some similarities. King also proposes that the mystery religions had an even greater influence by preparing the people to understand Christianity. The existence of this atmosphere was vitally important in the development and eventual triumph of Christianity. The people were conditioned by the contact with the older religions and the background and general trend of the time.39 Dr. Shirley Jackson Case has written some words that are quite apt at this point. Genres Religion HistoryNonfictionThe World. 5. Greco-Roman mysteries. (4) The rebirth of converts was a fundamental idea in the two cults. They were not self-sufficient sects . The Mystery Religions form a link between the inclusive pantheon of the Greeks and the more modern exclusive religions of today. This still stands as a festival in the ecclesiastical calendar; and thus Christians unconsciously perpetuate the worship of Osiris and the commemoration of all his subjects in the Kingdom of the Dead., 22. A query from Stephanie on the Ethical Witches list turned up this paper by Rev. The mysteries declined quickly when the emperor Constantine raised Christianity to the status of the state religion. In the end, virtually all the unique teachings of New Testament theology, including the distinctive doctrines on Jesus Christ, God, man, sin, salvation, and so on, are . Whereas in these tribal communities almost every member of the clan or the village was initiated, initiation in Greece . 131132: At about this time a story, attributed to Melito, Bishop of Sardis in the Second Century, but probably of much later origin, began to spread that Mary had been miraculously carried to Heaven by Jesus and His angels; and in the Sixth Century the festival of the Assumption, which celebrates this event, was acknowledged by the Church, and is now one of the great feasts of Roman Catholicism, It is celebrated on August 13th; but that was the date of the great festival of Diana or Artemis, with whom Isis was identified, and one can see, thus, how Mary had gradually taken the place of the goddess., 24. Hades, the god of death, stole the beloved daughter, Persephone, from Demeter, the life giver, who refused to admit defeat until she secured her daughters resurrection. Weigall, Paganism in Our Christianity, pp. The precious metal used to coin Constantines gold pieces was taken from heathen temple treasuries. Show more. However these specific differences need not concern us, for the most significant aspects are common in all the various versions.10 We are concerned at this point with showing how this religion influenced the thought of early Christians. It is this fact that immediately brings to mind the words in the Epistle to the Hebrews: But Christ being come an High Priest neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood obtained eternal redemption for us.\[Footnote:] Heb. (Pagan Regeneration, p. 115). 2d ed. The essential features of Christianity were fixed once and for all in this book; the mystery doctrines, however, always remained in a much greater state of fluidity. It is evident that in Rome there was a festival celebrating the death and resurrection of Attis. Whatever the religious doctrines of the Masonic sect it is plain that they do not embrace the central Christian . The origin of this cult is obscure and uncertain. cit., p. 42.\27, The myth is also an example of poignant human experience, reflecting the joys, sorrows, and hopes of mankind in the face of death. London, 1928. King repeats material from an earlier paper, A Study of Mithraism, but he extends the discussion here to the influence of other mystery religions.1 Davis gave the essay an A, stating: This is very good and I am glad to have your conclusion. Various writers, pagan and Christian, gave different versions of the Cybele-Attis myth. The specific variations in all these diverse statements do not concern us, for certain significant elements were common to all the various versions., 11. In fact, it's hard not to place Christianity among the mystery religions (even though Christian apologists refuse to do this). This sacramental use of the term did not become established until the fourth century, when the mystery religions were no longer serious competitors of Christianity. Arthur E. Weigall, Paganism in Our Christianity (n.p. That is, with this study you have made, we see the philosophy both of Religion and History. Men began to die for the lack of food while the sacrifices to the gods decreased in number because the animals were dying out. Weigall, Paganism in Our Christianity, pp. To discuss Christianity without mentioning other religions would be like discussing the greatness of the Atlantic Ocean without the slightest mention of the many tributaries that keep it flowing.40. This was by no means an accident. On March 24th, known as the Day of Blood, the High Priest, impersonating Attic, drew blood from him arm and offered it up in place of the blood of a human sacrifice, thus, as it were, sacrificing himself. Initiation into a mystery religion. Interpretation in Platonic concepts was also the means by which the Judeo-Christian set of creeds was thoroughly assimilated to Greek ideas by the early Christian thinkers Clement of Alexandria and Origen. We should try to see the dark comedy in all things. It can be shown that the very earliest practices of Christianity coincided with popular mystery cults on many levels. CHRISTIANITY AND THE MYSTERY RELIGIONS SHIRLEY JACKSON CASE, PH.D. The doctrinal similarity is exemplified in the case of the pagan writer and philosopher Synesius. But when we observe a little further we find that as a solar festival, Sunday was the sacred day of Mithra; it is also interesting to notice that since Mithra was addressed as Lord, Sunday must have been the Lords Day long before Christian use.\[Footnote:] Ibid., p. 137.\ It is also to be noticed that our Christmas, December 25th, was the birthday of Mithra, and was only taken over in the Fourth Century as the date, actually unknown, of the birth of Jesus.36, To make the picture a little more clear, we may list a few of the similarities between these two religions: (1) Both regard Sunday as a holy day. We can understand the Christianity of the fifth century with its greatness and weakness, its spiritual exaltation and its puerile superstitions, if we know the moral antecedents of the world in which it developed.\[Footnote:] Cumont, Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism, p. xxiv.\4 The victory of Christianity in the Roman empire is another example of that universal historical law, viz., that that culture which conquers is in turn conquered. The religions that Rome had the most problems with were monotheisticJudaism and Christianity. However, when faced with the persecution that Christianity, Islam, and Judaism have faced in the past the "mysteries could not go underground because they lacked any organization. The Masonic Religion. cit., p. 257.\ Other Egyptian records speak of another feast in honour of all the dead, when such lamps were lit, which was held about November 8th.\[Footnote:] Ibid, p. 258.\20, It is interesting to note that the Christian feast of all Souls, in honor of the dead, likewise falls at the beginning of November; and in many countries lamps and candles are burned all night on that occassion. On the whole, early Christians were not greatly concerned about the likenesses between the Mithraic cult and their own. Scholars wrongly infused Christian terms into the mystery religion. [also note from page3]: This Dover edition, first published in 1975, is an unabridged and unaltered republication of the second (1928) edition of the work originally published by John Murray, in London, in 1925 under the title The Mystery-Religions and Christianity. . It is well-nigh impossible to . The centres of pagan resistance were Rome, where the old aristocracy clung to the mysteries, and Alexandria, where the pagan Neoplatonist philosophers expounded the mystery doctrines. The main characterization of this religion is the secrecy associated . 116, 117.\13, There can hardly be any doubt of the fact that these ceremonies and beliefs strongly coloured the interpretation placed by the first Christians upon the life and death of the historic Jesus.14 Moreover, the merging of the worship of Attis into that of Jesus was effected without interruption, for these pagan ceremonies were enacted in a sanctuary on the Vatican Hill, which was afterwards taken over by the Christians, and the mother church of St. Peter now stands upon the very spot.\[Footnote:] Ibid, p. 117.\, Another popular religion which influenced the thought of early Christians was the worship of Adonis. Download The Mysteries of Mithras Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle. Christianity, in its earliest days, shared a good deal in common with the many "mystery religions" which became popular in the Roman Empire. The statement, ''A mix of Greco-Roman religions gradually replaced by Christianity'', is the one that can be used as an accurate description of religion in the Eastern Roman Empire in the first five centuries of the Common Era.Therefore, the option C holds true.. What is the significance of Eastern Roman Empire? Mystery religions, mystery cults, sacred mysteries or simply mysteries, were religious schools of the Greco-Roman world for which participation was reserved to initiates (mystai). Spring, the time when all plants come back to life, indicates the return of plenty when the goddess maintains all life until autumn when her daughter returns to Hades and the earth becomes once more desolated.\[Footnote:] Willoughby, op. 135136: Originally Mithra was one of the lesser gods of the ancient Persian pantheon, but already in the time of Christ he had risen to be co-equal with, though created by, Ormuzd (Ahura-Mazda), the Supreme Being., 33. Although the mystery religions did move towards advancing a solar god above all the others, this change began after 100 A.D., too late to impact the theology of the New Testament. In the spring, those who had shared Demeters grief for the loss of her daughter welcomed the return of Persephone with all the joy that the returning life of vegetation might kindle. Now when Christianity triumphed we find that these same paintings and figures became those of the Madonna and child with little or no difference.\[Footnote:] Ibid, p. 123\ In fact archaeologists are often left in confusion in attempting to distinguish the one from the other.22, It is also interesting to note that in the second century a story began to spread stating that Mary had been miraculously carried to Heaven by Jesus and His angels.\[Footnote:] The spreading of this story has been attributed to Melito, Bishop of Sardis.\ In the sixth century a festival came to be celebrated around this event known as the festival of Assumption, and it is now one of the greatest feasts of Roman Catholicism. Thus, under identical conditions, new forms of religious communities sprang from similar roots. by Bart D. Ehrman. Grant Showerman, introduction to Franz Cumont, Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism (Chicago: Open House Publishing Company, 1911), pp. Extremely popular among Roman soldiers, it became one of the ancient Roman mystery cults, religious sects which were restricted to initiates and were generally quite secretive.Mithras, as he was known to the Romans, was the Persian god of the sun, or at least the airy light between . The mystery religion of Ancient Babylon is the beginning of the occult, after the great flood that destroyed man . ISBN-10 : 0486231240. In the large Gnostic library discovered at Najammd, in upper Egypt, in 1945, Hermetic writings were found sideby-side with Christian Gnostic texts. This was due to St. Augustine of Hippo, who was influenced by the early Neoplatonists Plotinus and Porphyry, as well as the works of the Christian writer Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, who was influenced . Freedom's Ring: King's "I Have a Dream" Speech, The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. Volume I: Called to Serve, January 1929-June 1951. He emerges from the rocky summits of eastern mountains at dawn, and goes through heaven with a team of four white horses; when the night falls he still illumines the surface of the earth, ever walking, ever watchful. He is not sun or moon or any star, but a spirit of light, ever wakeful, watching with a hundred eyes. In the former capacity she was identified with the great mother-goddess, Demeter, whose mourning for Persephone was the main feature in the Eleusinian mysteries; In her aspect as the mother of Horus, Isis was represented in tens of thousands of statuettes and paintings, holding the divine child in her arms; and when Christianity triumphed these paintings and figures became those of the Madonna and Child without any break in continuity: no archaeologist, in fact, can now tell whether some of these objects represent the one or the other., 23. 6 Mithraism. But although baptism did not originate with the Christians, still it was not copied from the pagans. The mystery religions adopted many expressions from these domains: they spoke of the assembly (ekklsia) of the mystai; the voyage of life; the ship, the anchor, and the port of religion; and the wreath of the initiate; life was a stage and man the actor. There is no archaeological evidence that mystery religions were in Palestine in the first century A.D. Jews and early Christians loathed syncretism with other religions. 511513\, The greatest influence of the mystery religions on Christianity lies in a different direction from that of doctrine and ritual. This celebration was held annually from March 22nd to 25th.\[Footnote:] Frazer, Adonis, Attis, Osiris, p. 166.\ The influence of this religion on Christianity is shown by the fact that in Phrygia, Gaul, Italy, and other countries where Attis-worship was powerful, the Christians adapted the actual date, March 25th, as the anniversary of our Lords passion.\[Footnote:] Ibid, p. 199\12, Again we may notice that at this same Attis festival on March 22nd, an effigy of the god was fastened to the trunk of a pine tree, Attis thus being slain and hanged on a tree. This effigy was later buried in a tomb. The Christian representations of the Madonna and child are clearly the continuation of the representations of Isis and her son suckling her breast. The festival of all Saints, which is held one day before that of all Souls is also probably identical with it in origin.\[Footnote:] Weigall, op. Yet they all died out within a couple of centuries of the Christian era, Gnosticism (apart from a few vestigial groups in the Near East and Europe) subsuming their heritage last. S. Angus, The Mystery-Religions and Christianity (London: John Murray, 1925), p. vii: "These Mysteries covered an enormous range, and manifested a great diversity in character and outlook, from Orphism to Gnosticism, from the orgies of the Cabiri to the fervours of the Hermetic contemplative." 3. In his pagan period he wrote hymns that closely follow the fire theology of the Chaldean Oracles; later he wrote hymns to Christ. This is, of course, a loaded question. : Putnam, 1928), p. 121: Attis was the Good Shepherd, the son of Cybele, the Great Mother, or, alternatively, of the Virgin Nana, who conceived him without union with mortal man, as in the story of the Virgin Mary., 12. Was Christianity Originally a Mystery Religion? The earlier Greek mystery religions were state religions in the sense that they attained the status of a public or civil cult and served a national or public function. Thus, the religions had a common conceptual framework. To show the beginning of a new era, the capital of the empire was transferred to the new Christian city of Constantinople. It lies in the fact that the mystery religions paved the way for the presentation of . It is an interpretation of human history that breeds The pagan cults and rites, for example, those of Eleusis, Attis, Osiris, Cybele, and Mithra (see mystery religions, greco-oriental). Weigall, Paganism in Our Christianity, pp. (2) All had secret rites for the initiated. Fairbanks, Greek Religion, p. 293: This religion was not blotted out by Christianity. purchase. Frickel, J. Hellenistische Erl sung in christlicher Deutung. Regardless, one consequence of interpreting Christianity as an embellished mystery religion is the conclusion that Christian faith per se is the invention of men, not a revelation from God. It is very common to find claims that Christianity was a mystery religion, similar to the worship of Dionysus, Isis, Orpheus, etc. The cult of Isis originated in Egypt and went through two major stages. . The property of the pagan gods was confiscated, and the temples were destroyed. Various writers gave different Versions of the Cybele-Attis myth. The parallel development was fostered by the new conditions prevailing in the Roman Empire, in which the old political units were dissolved, and the whole civilized world was ruled by one monarch. When Mithraism became widespread and powerful, it attracted so much attention that certain Christian apologists felt the need to present an explanation for the similarities in their respective characteristics. As for my characterization of Mormonism, it depends on the definition. In theology the differences between early Christians, Gnostics (membersoften Christianof dualistic sects of the 2nd century ad), and pagan Hermetists were slight. I learned that as an artistic writer who did a doctorate in philosophy. It had to do with the nature of the Christian religion . Hydria by the Varrese Painter (c. 340 BC) depicting Eleusinian scenes. The greatest influence of the mystery religions on Christianity lies in a different direction from that of doctrine and ritual. Weigall, Paganism in Our Christianity, pp. All of Lent's penitential practices and acts of spiritual renewal find their meaning in the journey of self-emptying and self-giving love that Jesus undertakes in his death and resurrection. Because these religions believed there was just one god, they prohibited worshiping other gods. The preceding two paragraphs are similar to a passage in A Study of Mithraism, pp. Weigall, Paganism in Our Christianity, pp. Benjamin Cain. Art redeems. Esotericism has more in common with Gnosticism, Theosophy, and Rosicrucianism than genuine biblical Christianity. It should also be noted that early Christianity was an exclusivistic religion while the mystery cults were not. Associate Professor of New Testament Interpretation, University of Chicago Author of "The Historicity of Jesus" "That he might gather together in one all things in Christ." That is Paul's inter-pretation of God's cosmic plan. It, Christianity, is the expression of the longing of people for light, truth, salvation, security. Borrowing was not only natural but inevitable.6. The preceding five sentences are similar to a passage in A Study of Mithraism, pp. When they sat down to write they were expressing consciously that which had dwelled in their subconscious minds. A query from Stephanie on the Ethical Witches list in Austin turned up this paper by Rev. The previous five sentences are similar to a passage in Kings earlier paper, A Study of Mithraism, pp. The books that the mystery communities used in Roman times cannot possibly be compared to the New Testament. In fact, the comparison became so evident that many believed the Christian movement itself became a mystery cult. The holy stories of the mysteries were myths; the Gospels of the New Testament, however, relate historical events. The Eleusinian myth told of these fundamental human experiences as well as of the life of nature., 29. The mysteries of human life and death are vividly enacted by Demeter, Persephone, and Hades. 2, 3.\33 Tarsus, the home of Saint Paul, was one of the great centres of his worship; and there is a decided tinge of Mithraism in the Epistles and Gospels. The mystery religion was very narrow in scope, only involving select groups of people therefore not gaining support from the masses.Some people believe that Christianity and Judaism have many parallels to the mystery cults in terms of terminology (salvation, resurrection, eternal life) and in the particulars of the performance of initiation and ritual. Firstly, she was pictured as the lady of sorrows, weeping for the dead Osiris, and secondly she was commended as the divine mother, nursing her infant son, Horus. These two great Egyptian deities, whose worship passed into Europe, were revered not only in Rome but in many other centers where Christian communities were growing up. Mystery religions were seen as more vibrant than the more stale state religions. Knowledge condemns. 4. "The correspondences between Christianity and the other mystery religions of antiquity are perhaps more startling than the differences. Now we know from old Egyptian records that a feast in honour of all the dead, when such lamps were lit, was held about November 8th., 21. In the latter capacity Isis was represented in tens of thousands of statuettes and paintings, holding the divine child in her arms. The basic Christian objection to Freemasonry is that the Craft constitutes a religious sect in opposition to the revealed truths of the Gospel. Paris, 1930 . Each following {year} there was a great festival in commemoration of his resurrection, and the very words, The Lord is risen, were probable used. In the Avesta,\[Footnote:] This is the sacred book of the religion of Iran.\ Mithra is represented as the genius of celestial light. The cult of rulers in the manner of the imperial mysteries was impossible in Jewish and Christian worship. First published in the 1920s, this work is still the standard on the various mystery religions so popular in Greece and Rome before the establishment of Christianity. Mystery religions were seen as more vibrant than the more . The Christian theologian Origen wrote in the 3rd century that it was part of the divine plan that Christ was born under the emperor Augustus: the whole Mediterranean world was united by the Romans, and the conditions for missionary work were more favourable than ever before. The Christians took over the entire terminology; but many pagan words were strangely twisted in order to fit into the Christian world: the service of the state (leitourgia) became the ritual, or liturgy, of the church; the decree of the assembly and the opinions of the philosophers (dogma) became the fixed doctrine of Christianity; the correct opinion (orth doxa) about things became orthodoxy. He hears all and sees all: none can deceive him.\[Footnote:] Cumont, Mysteries of Mithra, pp. Willoughby, Pagan Regeneration, p. 41: In order to understand the type of religious experience represented by this important cult, it is necessary clearly to keep in mind the main points of the Eleusinian myth which was developed to explain and justify the cult rites. Mithra, pp the holy stories of the longing of people for light, ever wakeful, watching with hundred. Than genuine biblical Christianity other mystery religions form a link between the Mithraic and! 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