Christian Beginnings, Wed. May 29th

*Mystery Religions
1. Secret Ceremonies (ritual washings, ceremonial meals), initiation rights (impart gnosis).
2. Worship of male and female diety pairs, emphasis on female, e.g. Isis & Osirus, and Cybele & Attis.
3. Story of a diety dying and returning to life.
4. Fertility association-cycle of death and rebirth in nature, (esp. plants) has mystical, symbolic significance.

Caveman days-Hunter gatherer clans:
~Animism - worship of spirit in nature, (trees, wind, plants, rocks, etc.) could turn the gods of these things against each other, and could also bargain with them.

Agriculture Cities-stratified culture, social class, type of fertility worship (storm god and earth mother).
~Polytheism - worship of pantheon of gods, King of gods / major gods / minor gods (hierarchy)

Isis & Osirus - Egyptian, and
Cybele & Attis - Roman, both started as fertility related

Argument-started by James Frazer, The Golden Bough (book) ~ Christian myth of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the sacraments of baptism and communion came from pagan mystery religions. (Frazers view, he'd probably side with Crossan).

Isis was the wife of her husband Osirus, the story says: Osirus killed and buried in the Nile, Isis finds and brings him back to Egypt, Brother dismembers his body into 14 pieces, Isis finds his pieces then from there the story varies-
1. some versions say he becomes god of the dead (the under world0
2. Other say he comes back to life

Isis & Osirus in 1st Century Roman Empire, were the traditional pagan cult, the mystery religion dates at the least 100 A.D. (too late to influence the Apostle Paul who wrote in the 50's A.D.).

Cybele (the Earth Mother) & Attis (the human shepherd) were Greco-Roman. Ritual Castration ceremonies involved.
Story says: Attis is driven insane, castrates self, dies and then is brought back to life by Cybele(the one who drove him insane).
~comatose-hair grows, finger twitches
~evergreen tree (he becomes)

Argument - Christianity grew out of nomadic sky god worship (anti fertility)
e.g. genocide against canaanites.

We will finish this topic on Friday