Fertility Religions - Worship the vegative cycle of death and rebirth.

-cyballe- Earth mother Atis - Human shepherd husband cheats on her so she makes him go insane and castrate himself. Gyballe gets sad and brings him back to life.
-Isis- Earth mother Osiris, Her husband killed by seth, comes back as god of death, or dead person (different versions)

Mystery Religions
aspects of
- Fertility aspect
- Secret nites ceremonies
- Ceremonial meals and ritual washings
- Dying and ressurrecting of gods

Tara Bullian Mysteries - person stand in room under a grate where a bull was slaughtered and the blood would spill over and cleanse you.
- people associated, ceremonial meals w/ christian communion secret notes and ceremonies associated w/ baptism.
- N.T completed 100 AD
- Mystery Religions 100+ AD

Most christian rituals and beleifs are really traceable to judaism.

-Hellenistic Jews- Jews who are culturally greek.

-Docetism- Jesus' humanity was n illusion, no human nature, no body.
-Monophytism- Jesus has body but no human nature, no human soul, god in a body.
-Nesorianism- Jesus has human nature but separate from his divine nature.
-Arianism- Human nature but not fully divine created by god, jesus in not god himself (jehovas witnesses beleive this)
-Sabellianism- Father, son, holy spirit are modes or manifestations of god (united pentacostal church)

-Apostle Creed- 2nd Century
-Nicene Creed- 4th Century

Worship/veneration of Mary influence of pagan religions later than N.T. times