Οι Θρησκείες της Ελληνιστικής Εποχής

by Luther H. Martin

Το 1987 κυκλοφόρησε το βιβλίο του L. H. Martin που πραγματεύεται τις "θρησκείες της ελληνιστικής εποχής". Την ίδια χρονική περίοδο εκδίδεται και το βιβλίο του W. Burkert με τίτλο "Μυστηριακές λατρείες της αρχαιότητας". Τα δύο παραπάνω βιβλία προορίζονταν -αρχικά τουλάχιστον- για το αμερικανικό κοινό. Το πρώτο γράφτηκε ως μια εισαγωγική μελέτη για τη θρησκεία και τη θρησκευτικότητα των ανθρώπων του ελληνιστικού κόσμου, ενώ το δεύτερο βασίζεται σε τέσσερις διαλέξεις που δόθηκαν στο Πανεπιστήμιο του Harvard. Η παρουσίασή τους γίνεται σε μια εποχή όπου κυριαρχεί στην έρευνα -κυρίως σε ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο- η μεθοδολογία της λεγόμενης "ιταλικής Σχολής", που εκπροσωπείται από τον αείμνηστο U. Bianchi και τους μαθητές του. [...]

ΠΡΟΛΕΓΟΜΕΝΑ ΣΤΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΤΩΝ ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΕΠΟΧΗΣ
ΠΡΟΛΟΓΟΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΚΔΟΣΗ
ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ
Η ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΕΠΟΧΗ
Ο ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΟΣ ΚΟΣΜΟΣ
Η ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΑ ΣΤΟΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΟ ΚΟΣΜΟ
1) Ο ΔΑΙΔΑΛΩΔΗΣ ΚΟΣΜΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΧΡΥΣΟΥ ΓΑΪΔΑΡΟΥ
2) Η ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΕΥΣΕΒΕΙΑ
ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΙΑΚΗ ΕΥΣΕΒΕΙΑ
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΟΡΘΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΤΑΞΗ ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΩΝ
3) ΤΑ ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑ ΚΑΙ Η ΚΥΡΙΑΡΧΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΘΗΛΥΚΟΥ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΟΥ
ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑΚΕΣ ΘΕΟΤΗΤΕΣ
ΤΑ ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑ
ΤΑ ΕΛΕΥΣΙΝΙΑ ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΑ
4) ΜΕΤΑΡΡΥΘΜΙΣΕΙΣ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΙΝΟΤΟΜΙΕΣ
ΜΕΤΑΡΡΥΘΜΙΣΕΙΣ
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
5) ΥΣΤΕΡΗ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΓΝΩΣΗ
ΚΟΣΜΙΚΗ ΕΠΑΝΑΞΙΟΛΟΓΗΣΗ
ΓΝΩΣΤΙΚΙΣΜΟΣ
ΕΠΙΛΟΓΟΣ:
Η ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΘΡΗΣΚΕΙΑ ΩΣ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑ
ΕΥΡΕΤΗΡΙΟ

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, History

412 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Josiah DeGraaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative read. It has a bit of a tendency to get bogged down in details and stories in a way that makes it hard to form a clear picture of what Hellenistic mystery religions looked like in the pre-Christian era, so I don't know how helpful this was for me personally as a teacher of ancient literature. However, there were certainly several interesting parts of this book. I will say, though, that the connections this author tried to draw between Hellenistic mystery religions and early Christianity were rather lacking. Paul's use of "mystery" in his epistles to describe Christ really is not the same thing as the Hellenistic gnostic mysteries and likewise with the use of "freedom" in Paul's epistles. Martin's familiarity with the Pauline epistles seemed to be more of a surface reading than one well-informed by consultation with biblical scholars. Aside from that, though, the book was informative and interesting, even if the forest gets lost for the trees.

Rating: 3-3.5 Stars (Fairly Good).

[Spencer Clevenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good synopsis of the Greek as well as Minoan religion.

[Dorian · Rating 5 out of 5]

maybe Im biased because I love the topic but I think this is a good relatively simple summary of various hellenistic religions and the structures they're informed by

this book genuinely makes me miss writing my capstone and I wish I was rereading it when I was because I could have cited it sooo many times lol

[Christopher Nilsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gnosticism chapter went over my head. Other than that, it was a good read!

[Belle Meade School]

291.0938

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hellenistic age can be dated from roughly the time of Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE) to the fourth century CE, during which The Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in 313, the imperial decrees of Theodosius I founded the orthodox Christian state in 380, and paganism was prohibited in 391. The world became much more cosmopolitan in Hellenistic times and many different people suddenly became aware of each other, causing syncretistic religions and cults to arise, where universal (rather than local) gods and goddesses were worshiped. The Ptolemaic cosmological revolution occurred in this period as well, leading to a completely revised understanding of the place of the human being in the world. Rather than viewing the world in terms of a threefold hierarchy of heaven, earth, and the underworld, Ptolomy proposed that the earth was in the center of a solar system with seven separate planets orbiting the earth and a distant realm of fixed stars. This extension of the celestial realm was reflected in religious thought as the gods became further removed, not residing in terrestrial realms any longer, but inhabiting a more remote celestial abode. Many cults and new religions arose during this time period, with similar features (e.g., born of virgins, turning water into wine). Christianity was just one among many, though with perhaps slightly more creditability than some of the other new cults, because Christianity drew upon ancient Jewish tradition to substantiate itself. In the end, for whatever reason, Christianity triumphed over the other religions that emerged in this time period, and we've all but forgotten that the others even existed.

[Noémi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit difficult, but brilliant. Martin's explanations of the origins and the development of the hellenistic worldview was one of the best parts, still relevant to our worldview today, I would say. The book also includes an interesting "review" of Apuleius' The Golden Ass, just to mention some of what made this book a great read for me.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a remarkabley good source book. It has done what it says on the cover and given a comprehensive overall view of topic. At least in terms of topics covered particularly when one considers how short the book is.

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually written by my professor. I liked the book although I wouldn't read it again.