ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AND RELIGION Religion and Society from a Sociological Perspective.

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AND RELIGIONAND RELIGION

Religion and Society from a Religion and Society from a Sociological PerspectiveSociological Perspective

THE PRIMITIVE MENTHE PRIMITIVE MEN

Primitive men and the environment Primitive men and the environment Forces of nature and the search for Forces of nature and the search for

explanationsexplanations Interpretation of natural events and Interpretation of natural events and

beings as religious phenomenabeings as religious phenomena Towards a social life: the tribeTowards a social life: the tribe Collective labor, collective identity Collective labor, collective identity

and collective beliefand collective belief

ELEMENTARY FORMS OF ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGIONRELIGION

TOTEMISMTOTEMISM The Totem as the symbol whereby The Totem as the symbol whereby

the mystical powers surrounding the the mystical powers surrounding the members of the tribe are members of the tribe are concentrated concentrated

Mana and the totemMana and the totem

Mana, totem and tabooMana, totem and taboo

ELEMENTARY FORMS OF ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGIONRELIGION

ANIMISM ANIMISM

Worshipping the spirits of natureWorshipping the spirits of nature

Mankind as an inseparable element Mankind as an inseparable element of natureof nature

ELEMENTARY FORMS OF ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGIONRELIGION

ANCESTOR CULTANCESTOR CULT

The concept of Spirit: Death and SleepThe concept of Spirit: Death and Sleep

Worshipping the Spirits of the ancestorsWorshipping the Spirits of the ancestors

ANCIENT FORMS OF RELIGIONANCIENT FORMS OF RELIGION

From pastoral nomads (hunters-From pastoral nomads (hunters-gatherers) to settled social gatherers) to settled social communities (agrarian)communities (agrarian)

Division of labor and specializationDivision of labor and specialization Social life, social order and lawsSocial life, social order and laws Social hierarchySocial hierarchy Systematic society – systematic Systematic society – systematic

belief formsbelief forms The Pantheons (Polytheism)The Pantheons (Polytheism)

THE PANTHEONTHE PANTHEON

Personification of natural beings and Personification of natural beings and forces, even emotionsforces, even emotions

Gods and Goddesses regulating the lives Gods and Goddesses regulating the lives and social order of mankindand social order of mankind

Pantheon: sum of Gods and Goddesses in Pantheon: sum of Gods and Goddesses in any polytheist belief systemany polytheist belief system

• Different communities, different names, Different communities, different names, identical functionsidentical functions

• The Chaos-Order theme in polytheist The Chaos-Order theme in polytheist religions: Gods and pre-Godsreligions: Gods and pre-Gods

CHAOS & ORDERCHAOS & ORDER

Sumerian and Babylonian PantheonsSumerian and Babylonian Pantheons

Cosmogony: Creation of the universe and Cosmogony: Creation of the universe and its chaotic situation its chaotic situation

Chaotic cosmic forces giving birth to Gods Chaotic cosmic forces giving birth to Gods and Goddessesand Goddesses

The tale of Marduk and TiamatThe tale of Marduk and Tiamat

MARDUK AND TIAMATMARDUK AND TIAMAT

CHAOS & ORDERCHAOS & ORDER

Ancient EgyptiansAncient Egyptians

Re (Ra) and ApophisRe (Ra) and Apophis

Ancient GreeksAncient Greeks

Gods (order) rebelling against the Gods (order) rebelling against the Titans (chaos)Titans (chaos)

ZEUS & KRONOSZEUS & KRONOS

AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND AGRARIAN THEMES IN AGRARIAN THEMES IN

RELIGIONRELIGION Osiris Cult in Osiris Cult in

Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt

DEMETER AND DIONYSOS DEMETER AND DIONYSOS CULTS IN ANCIENT GREECECULTS IN ANCIENT GREECE

A NEW THEME IN POLYTHEISM: A NEW THEME IN POLYTHEISM: GOOD GODS and EVIL GODSGOOD GODS and EVIL GODS

The Zoroastrian Religion in ancient PersiaThe Zoroastrian Religion in ancient Persia

Ahuramazda (good) and Ahriman (evil) Ahuramazda (good) and Ahriman (evil)

Ancient Turks Ancient Turks

Ulgen (good) and Erlik (evil)Ulgen (good) and Erlik (evil)

TOWARDS MONOTHEIST TOWARDS MONOTHEIST RELIGIONSRELIGIONS

The Aton Cult in Ancient Egypt The Aton Cult in Ancient Egypt