begin with questions. Who was the author of the following statements?
"Think about what condition the body and soul should you bring death and how short life is, how cavernous eternity, past and future, how fragile all matter!"
and further:
".. . the actor is removed from the scene praetor, who received him. "But I did not play five instruments, only three!" - Okay. But in life the three acts constitute the entire piece. Because when you have finished, determined that those who composed the team before, and now dissolved. But you neither one nor the other part did not you took. Go away so gently. Because it is mild and the one who releases you ... "
or in another place:
" ... What a power is the man? Do only that which deserves the praise of God, and all accept that God will use him !..."
No, there are passages of the Confessions of St. Augustine's thought, nor select any other holy Christian church. These words come from "Meditations" Roman Emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius, which Christianity had much in common that persecuting them furiously, as hostile to everything sacred cult.
The fact that many views of the Stoics - especially the Roman Stoics - is a Christian I knew a very long time. Not noticed that, unfortunately, nothing mysterious, but probably should. I also knew a long time (since a "twelfth day of the" year of life), that the celebration of Christmas was established on the pagan winter solstice holiday, that is the origin of pagan most of the props and traditions of Christmas that the story of the birth of the god in a cave-man and the virgin mother appeared in many pagan traditions, it is also the story of the resurrection, and many Easter traditions originated from the tradition of pre-Christian religions. And it bothered me at times (when it was more I wanted to be a Christian), and sometimes enjoyed (when just gathering the arguments that had me confirm the conviction that Christianity is a fairy tale.) Paganism believed then as an obvious bullshit, and the similarities may suggest the same way the creation of or indicate the true heritage of faith, to which is alternately revolted or returned to it. In addition, by faith alone made me - as I thought - to the rejection of "foreign gods" and "foreign myths", and therefore also to the rejection of her. I thought that the presence of pagan elements undermines the credibility of Christianity itself, and I had a strong feeling that these "foreign" influences may be much more. These forebodings were powerful confirmation of the spring of 2000. It started from the fact that I watched on television program devoted to Planete origins of Christianity. He spoke there a historian of religion, a professor at the University of Jerusalem (probably Hassid, judging from the clothing and impressive length pejsów), which postulated that Jesus was a religious apostate and that his science had little to do with Judaism. That he had betrayed the Mosaic religion, and - bringing the religious message of gojom - its people, for which he had to meet him die "on a tree" - because this is the death of Israel were punished when treason. Professor vehemently denied that so settled by the Harnack belief that Jesus himself was "durch und durch Jude that it was only after his death, began to accept Christianity the pagan elements. Jewish professor argued that at the time of its formation, has been steeped in the religion of Judaism foreign agents. The program that made a powerful impression on me. I felt as if someone finally opened my eyes to a truth of great importance, which is probably subconsciously sensed, but which never - even in my mind - I could not express. I knew then that "this is it, I found a topic that I must begin to explore.
few weeks have passed since then, seeing the program on the Internet when I found a book of Professor Tadeusz Zielinski called "Hellenism and Judaism." I bought it immediately. The note from the publisher found out that the author was the most famous in the world and respected among all Polish Hellenists, a professor of several universities throughout Europe (including Warsaw University, the University of St. Petersburg and the Jagiellonian University), and the book you just bought is the third volume of the "Religions of the Ancient World." Subject
influence of ancient paganism to Christianity appears in each of the six volumes of the series, however, is the third volume, aims to prove that the religion of ancient Hellas is a real Old Testament Christianity, it is the religion and philosophy of the Greeks and Romans influenced the new religion to the extent incomparably more powerful than the religion of Moses.
influence while the latter, first the impact of Hellenism on Judaism - and hence the impact, which coincides with the period from 300 BC until the beginning of our era. The most important of its effects is the appearance in Judaism, belief in a posthumous award for the righteous. Ironically, rebelling against the influence of the Greek insurgents Machabejscy expected that the reward for those who died in this battle will be just a legitimate place in paradise (maliciously I could say that the Champs-Elysees eternal peace). It was under Greek influence there is a belief that after death will be elected to commune with God. Earlier books of the Old Testament only talk about sheol "where God's power does not reach" . The second effect of Hellenistic influence was appearing then thought that the message can carry religious and other nations, and the proselyte must not be worse than someone born in the faith of Abraham and Moses. It was then that raises a permission for the conversion of the Gentiles, and many Egyptians, Syrians and Greeks adopted Judaism. But it is happening only due to contacts with the religious culture of the Greeks. Zielinski is doing an excellent summary here of the Greek and Jewish view of God: "Homeric Zeus was the god of all humanity and looked equally sympathetic and Greek, and his enemy if he deserved it, "Woe is me. My husband, whom I love, they see my eyes, as he was pursuing in the circle of walls, and my heart is sorrow pervades" - says he [Zeus] by Hector, the main enemy of the Achaeans at Troy ... ". Judaism, which was the religion of ekskluzywistyczną, under the influence is more often he was ready to accept those who praise the Lord, even though not born into a Jewish family. In the last three centuries before the beginning of our era Jews know the Greek culture, and more educated of them, including Greek philosophy. Among the Jewish diaspora, but also among Jews living in Palestine, is spreading into Koine, which at the dawn of our era is becoming one of the main Jewish languages \u200b\u200b(Hebrew and partly displacing Aramaic), translated the Greek books are Old Testament (the Septuagint .)
For Zielinski (and as I learned later, also for many other researchers - for example, for Toynbee), the key to understanding how Christianity can be born is the remarkable specificity of land called Galilee. Its very name derives from the Hebrew Zielinski Galil-haq-goim, which means land of the Gentiles (unbelievers, strangers). In the third century before Christ, it is mainly inhabited by the hellenizujący Syrians, Greeks, and of course the Jews who were a minority, however. Temples of Apollo and Zeus, there arises a lot more than any other religious shrines. Greek religion becomes almost a universal religion Galileans. As a result of the Maccabean uprising Galilee is incorporated into the Jewish state and somewhere from the early first century BC many of its inhabitants will be treated - often forced - Judaisation. Judaism is therefore - at least officially - the dominant religion in the Galilee. Formed a synagogue, but the cult of the Greek gods continues. As throughout the Hellenistic world, so in the Galilee, in the second and first century BC starts waiting for the birth of Apollo - the god (son of Zeus, the highest), which has become man to redeem his humiliation by the sins of the world, and after the redemption works "to return to his father and sit on his right hand" . It is to be the Savior of all mankind, and not - as the Jewish Messiah - someone who will give power to a single nation. Apollonian Myth is one of the most important topics, "Religions of the Ancient World." Professor Zielinski shows how the prediction of the Trojan prophetess, the incarnation Zeusowego son "in a thousand years after the destruction of the city of Priam," captured the minds of the Romans and other peoples of the Roman Empire. As expected in a special way this coming of a divine savior in the first century BC and were considered as the next national heroes of Rome (for example, the emperor Octavian Augustus.) Professor Zielinski also writes about the immense popularity of the second myth about another Zeusowym son - born of a virgin Alkmeny Heraklesie, who after a life full of sweat and anguish also sat "on the right hand of Zeus."
Writing about the religious sensitivities of other different reference Galileans, Zielinski notes filled with love - not fear - a reference to God. It is the Galileans begin to call Jehovah "daddy", which is an obvious influence of the Greek way of living relative to the sacrum.
Another aspect mentioned by Professor Zielinski is how 'Greek' was the teaching of Jesus relationship with God (as a loving, forgiving Father), with strangers (which one is your neighbor "), monogamy (a Jewish polygamy) and the mass of other examples. It also shows how deeply Hellenistic was also the way students perceive their master - after all, everyone (except Judas) Galileans. So it is natural to Zielinski, the Gospels and the Book of Revelation is full of symbolism and references to Greek poetry. Author of "Religions of the Ancient World," cites dozens of examples - of course, the prologue of the Gospel of St. Logos John, but also appears in the Revelation vision of a woman, over whose head, John sees "a crown of twelve stars" and who "has give birth to a child, which lurks a dragon" (borrowed from one of the many poetic version of Apollonian myth.) Stories about the birth of the Lord - so reminiscent of the legend of Heraklesie (only virgin was worthy to become the mother of a son of God): respect for the virginity of course, was completely alien to Jewish culture, and the idea that God could have the Son of man for them was so shocking that the high priest carrying the court hearing the words of Jesus, "I am" could only rend garments and exclaim, "He has uttered blasphemy." For quoted by Zielinski countless examples I would add the poetics of the Homeric scene of farewell to his wife and son Hector wyruszającego to war, whether his fear of attempting to fight with Achilles, who so much remind me of the word prayer in Gethsemane.
Thirdly (and here only Zielinski agrees with Harnackiem) strong was the influence of paganism and ancient philosophy on the development of Christian doctrine. However, this place has been the very beginning, when the Galileans and the Hellenized Jewish diaspora take the Good News. Here, too, is a whole bunch of examples - the effect of triad Arcadian Zeus-Hermes Pan, the birth of the doctrine of the Trinity. Adoption of the Greek doctrine of the seven Deadly Sins (Zielinski quotes Horace's poem, and refers to its own version of this issue) and the adoption of the doctrine of sin, of contamination of human nature at the moment of conception. The cult of the Virgin Mary, which Professor Zielinski considers the continuation of worship Mother Earth, Demeter, and Isis, and shows that the cult took over the whole pagan symbolism.
Zielinski points out that even Christian monotheism can hardly be considered typically Jewish heritage, as in Greek and Roman philosophy, he appeared frequently, while the Mosaic religion was originally monolatrią (admitted the existence of other gods, but weaker than the God of Israel). Also reminds us of późnorzymskiej "wielojedyności" god, expressed in the zawołaniu "gods."
Hellenistic worlds of course, was the division of heaven, purgatory and hell.
Zielinski gives a mass of rites, religious symbolism, religious art and associated with her sensitivity, which was taken over from the pagan Romans and Greeks. Not the way it all in a single post even mentioned.
course, I agree with those who put Zielinski allegation of bias, exaggerated emphases of Greek influence and simultaneously downplaying Jewish influences, which, moreover, is often attributed to a negative value (consider that a bad benefited the new religion.) Do not change the fact that his work is probably the only source of so extensive in the Polish language, describing the history of the formation of Christian religion and the role of the pagan influence on the rise.
I finished reading "Religions of the Ancient World" I felt partly heathen and understood that identity.
Finally it remains for me nothing but encourage everyone to read, "Religions of the Ancient World" - works fine, though written nearly 70 years ago. I can still recommend the development of Greek mythology, written by Professor Zielinski, the "Ancient fabulous" - it can be read to children. It is incomparably more interesting reading from the "mythology" Jan Parandowski.
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