Mark Cartwright: Greek Religion

The ancient Greeks with their brilliant and imaginative spirit created a complete order of things that functioned harmoniously in the infinite world that contained them. Although its exact origins are lost in time, Greek religion is thought to date from about the 2d millenium B.C., when the culture of Aryan invaders fused with those of the Aegean and Minoan peoples who had inhabited the region of Greece from Neolithic times [1]. The beginning and the genesis of this world occupied the ancient Greeks in much the same way it did the early people of every civilization. Greek religion was at the beginning a blend of Minoan, Egyptian, Asian, and other elements, but it subsequently evolved along with Greek thought.

Ancient Greece has been a religion- centered culture since the earliest period of habitation in Greece, the Pre-Mycenaean/Mycenaean period. Also through to the Dark Ages to the Classical period. It is a religiously centered civilization, and did have significant changes in the how it was incorporated into people’s daily lives. Religion is important to know about the Ancient Greeks because through it we are able to understand how they lived their lives.

In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in its citizens’ daily lives. During this time, they participated in animal sacrifices and offerings, created myths to explain the beginning of the human race and gave reverence to their gods by building temples which controlled the urban landscape. They also participated in local festivals and sporting and artistic competitions. Religion was never out of the presence of ancient Greece’s citizens. While they may have made up their own mind on the terms of their religious beliefs, some may have been completely confused if these gods actually existed. There were certain fundamental beliefs that must have been sufficiently widespread, in order for the Greek government to function. In ancient Greece, gods existed, they influenced human concerns, and they welcomed and responded to acts of godliness and worship.

Greeks went to temples to present sacrifices to please the gods or to ask for the judgment of the gods on a problem. Greeks thought the gods had control over a aspect of there life and to get help they had to please the gods. They thought that if the gods were happy good things would happen to them. the Greeks believed that the gods controlled all parts of society.

In Greco-Roman Culture, humans imagine the deities of mythology to be and act certain ways, due to the needs they must fill. People invented certain deities for reasons that align with what they needed from them. To examine how a deity has a certain purpose, one must first examine what they are like. Athena and Ares are examples of deities invented for very specific purposes. One must first look at Athena and Ares’ similarities and differences in relation to their characteristics, their sexuality and physical appearances, as well as their different powers and how they are worshipped, to discover why they were created.

The ancient Greeks thought the gods affected everything. They believed that Mount Olympus was where the gods lived, earthquakes were a message from the gods, and their first olive tree was a gift from Athena. Mount Olympus was assumed to be home to the gods because the mountain rises 9,570 feet in the air. The entrance to Olympus was a “...great gate of clouds, kept by the Seasons.” (Document 2) Another important geographic feature the Greeks made into a religious belief was the landscape and environment. Greece is “...smack-dab in the middle of a very active volcanic zone,” (Document 3) so the Greeks formed a religion called oracles, and the belief was “Oracles are the gods speaking to people, often in the form of minor earthquakes,” (Document

One of the basic themes of the book is that the thought and the art of classical Athens is full of meaning for people of later generations. It is the full of meaning for nations, cultures and societies beset by broad-scale and profound social and political change and the accompanying confusion and fear produced in the minds and souls of human beings.

In “Greek Religion”, Walter Burkert informs his readers mostly about the Greeks’ religious beliefs. In section one, Burkert begins to discuss the history of the Early Bronze Age, such as the vocabulary of Indo-European and the religion of the Minoan-Mycenaeans. He mentions the different cult places which include: caves, temples, graves, as well as peak, tree, and house sanctuaries. For example, a cult includes the Minoan Tree and Pillar Cult; the pillars and trees were sacred, however, they were not worshipped. He also goes on to explain about Minoan Deities, Mycenaean Gods and Linear B, and the ‘Dark Age’; he talks about the evidence that exists of Linear A and Linear B, such as the tablets recovered from Crete and Knossos. In section two, Burkert describes the different kinds of rituals and symbols; the bull was a type of symbol from the Hellenistic tradition, and there were festivals that celebrated the bull itself. Different kinds of rituals Burkert explains include: animal sacrifice, blood and fire rituals, gift offering and libation, votive offerings, prayer, dancing, hymns, masks, festivals, and purification. The Anthesteria Festival is described in depth, such as that it occurred in the springtime for three days; additionally, the reason for the festival is described. Burkert mentions different types of sanctuaries like the altar and the temple. Also, “Greek Religion” describes certain philosophers’ outlook toward religion. In section three, he focuses his attention

1. The key values that are shown in Chapter 1 were humanism and freedom to think. In humanism gods are superior to man, and as Zeus says, “ ‘ I am mightiest of all.’ “ (Hamilton 20) Zeus is showing the gods are mightier than the humans and Zeus, the mightiest of the gods. Also, the humans had the freedom to think and worship. “When his (Zeus) worship spread to a town where there was already a divine ruler the two were slowly fused into one.” (Hamilton 21) This shows that the Greeks freely worshiped Zeus and other gods, and their worship of one god spread from town to town based on their beliefs.

Greek Mythology is a collection of myths and teachings that originated from the ancient Greeks. Tales of Greek Mythology are usually related to gods or heroes, the nature of the world, and the significance and origin of the Greek culture and ritual practices. Greek Mythology was part of the polytheistic religion in ancient Greece. Many scholars study the myths in an attempt to understand the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization. The scholars also wanted to gain knowledge of the nature of myth-making itself. The earliest Greek myths were part of an oral tradition that began in the Bronze Age. Greek mythology is made up of several different gods and goddesses. Greek myths attempt to explain the origins

display the power and jobs of the goddesses. The Greek people lived to please the deities

On October 23, 2016, Crescent School held an exhibition called The Gallery of the Gods. Grade ten Students created very interesting displays on various greek myths to inform people about Greek Mythology. Each myth or episode entails a handout which has the outline for the myth, characters, and significance. The handout is complemented and enhanced with a visual piece, allowing the viewer to have a detailed and visualized experience of the story behind each myth or episode.

Continuously Religion has partaken and will constantly stay essential in our lives, whether we whole heartily have great faith in it or we do not. Yet, what exactly is Religion? Religion is having the certainly in a God or in a group of Gods. As well as, a structured system that takes into account strict beliefs, rituals, and guidelines that must be followed. In addition, carried out to worship a God or a group of Gods who are idolized. Today across the world there is nearly 4,200 Religions which are present. They include Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, and many more. Religions followers who remain dedicated to the Christian and Catholic faith are identified for following one God. In an Article called Incommensurability, Incomparability,

“Greek God’s and Goddess?” It is one of the most important people and it is only through history; it is how we are still living here and even before we was even born yet. They made a movie on Greek God and Goddess and it expired me to write a paper on it; the movie is “Percy Jackson - The Lighting Thief.” I think it is interchanging how the movie is

The first part of this paper will explore the mystery-religions, the reasons behind their popularity, and the Hellenistic world in which they grew that began with Alexander the Great. Next, their characteristics and connections first with Judaism and later with Christianity will be more deeply discussed. In the second part it will be shown that the mystery-religions helped to clear the pathway for the Christianization of the Greco-Roman world by men such as Paul the Apostle. Finally, the Emperor Constantine’s role in this story will be mentioned, during whose reign the mystery-religions declined and Christianity became the major religion of Europe and the near east. The paper will conclude with a brief speculation about the significance of