- mystery religion 1) secret cerimonies,
initiation rights
2) worship of male/female deity pairs
emphisis on female - Isis & Osirus, Cybele &
Attis: Egytion/Roman
3)Story of a deity dying and returning to
life
4) fertility association- cycle of death and
rebirth in nature (esp. plants) mysticalor
symbolic significance.
-cavman days ( ice age) hunter gather clans;
animism i.e. worchip of spirits in nature
-agricultural cities; polytheism, ratified
culture, social class, division of labor,
worship of pantheon of gods (King god, major
players, minor players)
-strong agricultural societies produce
fertility worship ritualized sex storm god &
earth mother
-argument( started by frazer the golden
bough): the christian myth of jesuses death &
rez & sacriments of baptism and communion
came from pagan mystery religions
-hysslopi; the two babylons- traces belief on
virgin mary to goddess worship
(Isis/horus+mary/jesus)
-Isis& osirus; death of osirus and collection
of severed body pares
-in 1st century roman empier the traditional
pagan cult or mystery religion is at least
100a.d. (too late to influence paul ( 500
a.d.)
-cybele& attis (greco roma myth) cybele;s
early cremonies ritual castration ceremonies
-cybele- earth mother.attis-buman shepard
attis is driven insane castrater himself dies
and is brough