Religions 2: What is Greek Religions 2: What is Greek Religion?Religion?

- Recap of last class (questions)Recap of last class (questions)- Compare Greek religion with Christianity in the Compare Greek religion with Christianity in the modern West (say, Canada); what are the modern West (say, Canada); what are the differences? Are these differences found in other differences? Are these differences found in other religions today? religions today? - Theory Chapter 1 + Oriental influencesTheory Chapter 1 + Oriental influences

Characteristics Greek Characteristics Greek religionreligion

Not monolithic > dynamic, i.e. changes in Not monolithic > dynamic, i.e. changes in place and timeplace and time

1.1. Embeddedness in societyEmbeddedness in society

2.2. PolytheismPolytheism

3.3. Gods interconnectedGods interconnected

4.4. Here and nowHere and now

5.5. OralOral

6.6. PatriarchalPatriarchal

7.7. No important religious classNo important religious class

Ad 1: embeddenessAd 1: embeddeness- Returned in all segments of society- Returned in all segments of society

- No division between Church and state- No division between Church and state

- No division between ‘sacred’ and ‘profane’- No division between ‘sacred’ and ‘profane’- Both private and public (most of it communal)Both private and public (most of it communal)

ERGO > no word for ‘religion’!ERGO > no word for ‘religion’!

No word for ‘atheist’ (someone who does not believe in No word for ‘atheist’ (someone who does not believe in god): gods are everywhere, so irrelevantgod): gods are everywhere, so irrelevant

55thth century BCE: century BCE: atheos atheos = ‘one who does not respect the = ‘one who does not respect the gods/who does not revere the gods in the proper way’gods/who does not revere the gods in the proper way’

Words that cover the Words that cover the ‘sacred’‘sacred’

HierosHieros: everything that has to do with god and : everything that has to do with god and sanctuaries; e.g. sanctuaries; e.g. hieron hieron = temple; = temple; hiereus hiereus = = priestpriest

HagnosHagnos: gods: awesomeness; men: ritual purity: gods: awesomeness; men: ritual purity HosiosHosios: ‘permitted or pleasing to the gods’, : ‘permitted or pleasing to the gods’,

could also have moral meaning: ‘morally could also have moral meaning: ‘morally permitted’permitted’

HagiosHagios: not delimitating (like : not delimitating (like hieroshieros): used for ): used for temples, rites and mysteries temples, rites and mysteries

E.g. E.g. hiera kai hosia hiera kai hosia ‘correct ritual behaviour and ‘correct ritual behaviour and (moral) treatment of other people’ (moral) treatment of other people’

Ad 2: polytheismAd 2: polytheism

Religious system in which each deity had its Religious system in which each deity had its role: all gods needed to be reveredrole: all gods needed to be revered

No worship of one god: e.g. HippolytosNo worship of one god: e.g. Hippolytos No conversion No conversion Greek term for piety = Greek term for piety = eusebeiaeusebeia, ‘revere in a , ‘revere in a

good way’; good way’; asebeiaasebeia: breaking ancestral rites, : breaking ancestral rites, e.g. temple robbery; killing; holding improper e.g. temple robbery; killing; holding improper ideas (e.g. Socrates); closer to ‘impiety’ideas (e.g. Socrates); closer to ‘impiety’

Ancient religions inclusive, but were not Ancient religions inclusive, but were not necessarily more tolerant than monotheistic necessarily more tolerant than monotheistic ones!ones!

Ad 3: interconnectedAd 3: interconnected

Gods always close by, so if you Gods always close by, so if you overstep boundaries you will be overstep boundaries you will be punished (e.g. Aktaion)punished (e.g. Aktaion)

Overstepping of boundaries = Overstepping of boundaries = pollution; e.g. incest (e.g. Oedipus), pollution; e.g. incest (e.g. Oedipus), cannibalism; needs purificationcannibalism; needs purification

Systematic thinking about life after Systematic thinking about life after death becomes only central among death becomes only central among Christian theologiansChristian theologians

Ad 4: here and nowAd 4: here and now

‘‘underworld’ (Tartaros, Elysian underworld’ (Tartaros, Elysian Fields) existed from early on and Fields) existed from early on and philosophers speculated about deathphilosophers speculated about death

Long development > II-III p. mystery Long development > II-III p. mystery cults promise ‘salvation’cults promise ‘salvation’

Ad 5: oralAd 5: oral

No sacred book, no credo, No sacred book, no credo, commandments etc.commandments etc.

Traditions transmitted orallyTraditions transmitted orally Explains centrality of religious Explains centrality of religious

practices, ‘rituals’, which are practices, ‘rituals’, which are accompanied from wordsaccompanied from words

Ad 6: patriarchalAd 6: patriarchal

Male dominatedMale dominated Males had dominant position in Males had dominant position in

religious realm (unless female religious realm (unless female priest); participation in festivals only priest); participation in festivals only under guidance of maleunder guidance of male

Ad 7: no religious classAd 7: no religious class

No institution ‘Greek priesthood’ No institution ‘Greek priesthood’ (only perhaps priests at major (only perhaps priests at major sanctuaries); priests attached to sanctuaries); priests attached to individual cultsindividual cults

Cf. imams, rabbis, Christian priests; Cf. imams, rabbis, Christian priests; no caste (Hinduism/Buddhism)no caste (Hinduism/Buddhism)

Religious specialists: priests, seers Religious specialists: priests, seers (divination), poets (divine inspiration)(divination), poets (divine inspiration)