Ancient Greek Religion - Research Paper Example

?Ancient Greek Religion The ancient Greek religion is interconnected with the growth and development of Greek ethics, mythology, culture, and philosophy. So, ancient Greek religion should be considered as an integral part of Greek culture. Within this context, the ancient Greek religion is polytheistic, which is entirely different from monotheistic belief. In ancient Greek religion, the gods were similar to human beings, with full of human emotions and feelings. One can see that, most of the gods in ancient Greek religion can be seen in the Greek literature. The ancient Greeks were deeply interested in the portrayal of their gods as close to human beings, not as the supreme power that controls all. Thesis statement: The ancient Greek religion is entirely different from other religions because the same does not represent monotheism, but is symbolic of the unique characteristics of the different branches of Greek culture (say, Greek mythology, Greek gods and theology). Ancient Greek religion and mythology One can see that ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology are interconnected. Besides, this connection is based upon a number of mythical tales on the relationship between the gods and human beings. Walter Burkert opined that “The most important evidence for Greek religion remains the literary evidence, especially as the Greeks founded such an eminently literary culture” (4). When one goes through Greek mythology, one can see that most of the Greek heroes (say, Hercules, Odysseus etc), sought help from the Greek gods. Unlike other religions, ancient Greek religion provides less importance to cosmogony. On the other side, ancient Greek religion is not a single religion based upon a single god or the designer of all the things that can be seen in the universe. Instead, the ancient Greek religion consists of a number religious beliefs generally know as a single religion. This unique characteristic of ancient Greek religion led to different viewpoints on the creation of the universe. On the other side, most of the stories related to Greek mythology provide ample importance to warfare and the involvement of the gods in the same. For instance, the Trojan War is an important theme in Greek mythology, in which the Greek gods did extend their help to the needy. Besides, Greek mythology can be considered as the backbone of Roman literature and the origin of epic poetry. So, one cannot ignore the importance of Greek mythology and its pivotal role in the evolution of ancient Greek religion. This proves that the existence of Greek mythology is deeply indebted to the Greek gods and ancient Greek religion. Ancient Greek religion and gods As a group of religious beliefs based upon polytheism, ancient Greek religion possessed a number of gods/goddesses. Bernard Evslin stated that “The Greeks accepted the idea that there were many gods and that they were very near” (113). Besides, Mount Olympus is symbolic of the dwelling place of most of the Greek gods/goddesses. Among the Greek gods/goddesses, Zeus was most important. Still, the ultimate power and influence over the other gods/goddesses can be considered as a hereditary status inherited by Zeus from his forefathers. So, one can easily identify that ancient Greek religion provided ample importance to their gods/goddesses. Besides, the ancient Greeks provided certain human characteristics to their gods. For instance, the ultimate power was not vested upon any god/goddess. Instead, Greek gods/goddesses possessed families and their individual power represents the hierarchy of power. The ancient Greeks were interested in religious ceremonies and ritualistic practices/festivals. Within this context, they made use of altars to prove their loyalty and respect towards their gods/goddesses. In addition, the devotees were allowed to believe in any god. The devotees used to worship their gods/goddesses by presenting valuable objects. Daniel Ogden stated that “Sacrifice was the central act of Greek religion, but unlike a vase or a statue dedicated to a deity, a sacrifice was an ephemeral gift; once it was over there was no evidence that it happened” (409). So, one can see that the ancient Greek religion provided ample importance to the gods/goddesses in day to day life. From a different angle of view, religious belief in ancient Greece was related to individual choice and interest. Ancient Greek religion and theology As pointed out earlier, ancient Greek religion is based upon polytheism, which consists of a number of gods/goddesses to believe in. But all the gods that can be seen in ancient Greek religion were not with equal status and power. This peculiar characteristic of polytheism distinguishes the ancient Greek religion from monotheistic religions. Robert Parker opined that “One of the central controversies in the study of Greek religion in the nineteenth century concerned polytheism and monotheism: some held that an original monotheism had been corrupted into the polytheism that we know, others saw monotheism struggling to emerge from the polytheistic mire” (66). At the same time, the gods/goddesses that can be seen in Greek theology do not possess immense power and ultimate influence upon the human beings. Instead, the gods/goddesses were forced to undergo certain hardships which prevented them from being omnipotent. This humane characteristic (say, easy prey to fate/destiny) of the gods/goddesses in Greek religion is deeply indebted to Greek theology. To be specific, Greek theology was not based upon certain strict rules and regulations that are applicable to the believers. Instead, the theological rules and regulations were equally applicable to Greek heroes and the gods/goddesses. So, one can see that polytheism is the most important characteristic of ancient Greek religion. In short, the theological aspect of ancient Greek religion proves that religious belief was an important factor which accelerated the growth and development of theology in ancient Greece. Summing, one can see that ancient Greek religion is the byproduct of Greek culture, which provided ample importance to individual freedom. Within the context of the modern world, ancient Greek religion is important because freedom related to religious belief helped the ancient Greeks to contribute more to the different branches of Greek culture. At the same time, ancient Greek religion did not hinder individual development of the believers. In short, this peculiar characteristic of ancient Greek religion eventually led to the harmonious relationship between the same and Greek mythology, and the development of theology in Greece. In short, the development of ancient Greek religion deeply influenced the development of the different branches of Greek culture. Works Cited Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. USA: Harvard University Press, 1985. Print. Evslin, Bernard. The Greek Gods. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1995. Print. Ogden, Daniel. A Companion to Greek Religion. UK: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print. Parker, Robert. On Greek Religion. New York: Cornell University Press, 2011. Print. Read More