Paganism and Christianism Research Papers (original) (raw)

Oi Christianoi - Sezione antica, n. 26 ----- Su Ipazia di Alessandria e su Sinesio di Cirene molti hanno già scritto: Ipazia, una nota antica scienziata e filosofia, Sinesio, un nobile, suo allievo e poi vescovo cristiano; Ipazia, da alcuni presa in considerazione unicamente come vessillo del femminismo, Sinesio, spesso trascurato a fronte di più famosi Padri della Chiesa. La peculiarità del libro, che è frutto di un accurato studio critico delle relative fonti primarie e secondarie, consiste nel tipo di approccio: le due figure e le loro opere sono esaminate sullo sfondo dei differenti ambiti culturali in cui si sono sviluppate le vicende della loro vita, pur nella contemporaneità: la differenza di ambiti culturali consente di evidenziare di questa donna e di questo uomo non solo la validità del loro lungo rapporto amicale, testimoniate da alcune lettere di Sinesio a noi pervenute, ma anche l'alto valore interculturale di tale rapporto.

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- Christianity, History, Ancient History, Women's Studies

Traduction introduite et annotée d’Ibn Taymiyya, « al-Jawāb al-ṣaḥīḥ li-man baddala dīn al-Masīḥ », édition BIN NĀṢIR, AL-‘ASKAR, & AL-ḤAMDĀN, t. I, p. 340-383. Réfutation de la thèse de la non-universalité de la mission du Prophète... more

- by Yahya M Michot
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- Kalam (Islamic Theology), Islamic Studies, Tafsir, Quranic Exegesis

Analysis of the evolution of the use of the words Hellene, gentile, and pagan, when combined with the study of a few representative figures in Roman history, illuminates how notions of personal and group identity shifted from blood relations to civic relations and then to religious identification. The etymological analysis supporting this view is presented in the first half of the essay. The second half connects linguistic evolution to the confluence of Greek philosophy and Eastern mysticism, as exemplified in the beliefs of emperors Marcus Aurelius and Julian the Apostate.

- by Marcus Johnson
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- Etymology, Pagan Studies, Paganism, Classical philology

Рассматриваются имена, которыми в календарном обрядовом фольклоре обозначается Масленица, воспринимаемая антропоморфно. Оба основных имени – Авдотья (Дуня) и Прасковея – восходят к календарным олицетворениям христианских святых: св. Евдокии и св. Параскевы-Пятницы. В простонародном восприятии Евдокия, Параскева-Пятница, Масленица имеют много общего.

- by Vladimir Korshunkov
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- Christianity, Mythology And Folklore, Russian Studies, Folklore

Some scholarly works have been recently published on the Gospel in Hebrew found in the book Eben Bohan, by S.T. Ibn Shaprut (Tudela-Navarre XIVth C.). They study its antiquity and the parallels with the N.T., or later. This article shows, from the analysis of words irrelevant to the sacred language, that the writer was a Catalan, who expressed himself in his own idiom, and was not translating the Vulgate. Further, we found some glosses, incipits and a vocabulary common to Bibles in Provençal and Catalan from the XIIIth C. The convergence of these analyses gives evidence that the Vorlage of the Hebrew translation was a Romance language Bible. The writer was probably a convert to Christianity; we envisage the possibility that he worked in the Schools for Foreign Languages which existed in Catalonia during the Middle Ages.

- by jose vicente Niclos
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- Judaism, Paganism and Christianism, Middle Aged

It is the first translation of Contra gentes into Polish. The introduction brings attention on the dependence of the work of former Christian apologetics, on rational justification of Christian faith and on opinions of the author on the sources of polytheism, reflecting ancient ‘science of religion’. The main topics ofContra gentes are: the origin of evil (nos. 1-7), sources of false, idolatrous religion (8-29), philosophical and biblical foundations of monotheism (30-47). The translation is fairly litteral. The text is commented in 400 footnotes.

- by Michael Wojciechowski
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- Christian Apologetics, Athanasius, Apologetics, Paganism and Christianism

Oi Christianoi - Sezione antica, n. 21 ----- «Gli stimoli provenienti a una società sempre più cosmopolita e policroma, qual è quella in cui viviamo oggi, potranno probabilmente mettere in condizione i giovani studiosi di apprezzare i “cristianesimi” dell’antichità, nelle loro diverse declinazioni e caratterizzazioni culturali meglio di quanto non sia avvenuto nei decenni scorsi, quando si era persuasi di separare con l’accetta bianco e nero, verità ed errore, ortodossia ed eresia, e ciò a discapito dei chiaroscuri di cui è fatta la storia e la vita stessa, anche quella degli antichi cristiani» (G. Rinaldi).
Questo libro intende offrire ai lettori un panorama il più completo possibile delle fonti utili per studiare le correnti del cristianesimo antico che sarebbero state poi definite “ereticali”. Lo studio non comprende solo le fonti letterarie ma anche quelle documentarie: archeologia, iscrizioni, papiri. Inoltre, per la prima volta, sono presentate le testimonianze dei pagani sulle eresie e sulle lotte interne tra cristiani. Il repertorio include un elenco completo delle leggi dei secoli IV-V miranti a reprimere il dissenso religioso e le eresie.

- by Istituto di Storia del Cristianesimo "Cataldo Naro" and +1
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- Christianity, Ancient History, History of Christianity, Early Church

В статье на примере сенаторской семьи Цейониев Руфиев рассматриваются нормы воспитания, принятые у язычников и христиан. Автор приходит к выводу, что воспитательные практики не противоречили друг другу, сосуществуя даже в пределах одной семьи. Позднеримская языческая воспитательная парадигма (благородное происхождение, религиозность, нравственные добродетели, умеренность в бытовых привычках, образованность и прохождение cursus honorum) сохраняла свое значение. Христианские интеллектуалы лишь дополнили ее новыми требованиями, такими как необходимость аскетизма в повседневной жизни и постоянного приобщения как к умственной, так и физической деятельности. Отдельно наставники, в частности Иероним, оговаривали, что христианским девам не стоит принимать участия в общественной жизни. Изменился и корпус текстов, на основании которых христиане получали образование. Классических языческих авторов заменили произведения христианских апологетов и каноническая литература. Сенаторские семьи не всегда следовали этому воспитательному идеалу в повседневной жизни. Иногда аристократы не оставляли светской карьеры или обращались к переводу и комментированию языческих авторов начала империи. Такая ситуация была возможна, поскольку многие проповедники сами были воспитаны в рамках языческой традиции. Эта же причина позволяла христианским и языческим идеалам воспитания некоторое время сосуществовать в пределах одной семьи, не противореча друг другу. Однако постепенно языческие идеалы воспитания растворялись в набирающей силу христианской традиции.

- by Evgeniya Zaitseva
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- Roman History, Education, Christian Education, Late Antiquity
- by Eser Kortanoğlu
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- Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Architecture, Anatolian Studies
- by Gianmario Cattaneo
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- Greek Literature, Latin Literature, Emperor Julian, Late Antiquity

Guido von List (1848-1919) è stato uno studioso, poeta, giornalista, scrittore e alpinista tedesco. Il suo lavoro di ricerca sulle origini delle religioni pagane dell'antica Europa, e in particolar modo le sue intuizioni volte a decifrare i significati più esoterici dell'intero complesso mitico degli antichi popoli germanici, costituisce tuttora un'occasione imprescindibile per chiunque volesse approfondire l'argomento, al punto che Marcello De Martino lo definisce "l'antesignano della teoria duméziliana" della tripartizione indoeuropea, nonché "l'esatto omologo di George Dumézil in ambito occultistico".

- by Marco Maculotti
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- Religion, Comparative Religion, Mythology And Folklore, Mythology

The paper examines the final years of the Roman sun god Sol invictus in imperial representation, c. 310 to 325 AD. The cessation of explicit references to Sol marks a decisive step in the Christianisation of the Roman monarchy. A close analysis of Sol imagery in the Constantinian coinage allows for a reassessment of this process. The minting patterns make it necessary to differentiate between billon and gold coinage: In the billon coinage, references to Sol invictus were ended abruptly in the course of a currency reform in the year 318 AD (no new Sol coins were minted, and the reform drove out from circulation the existing Sol billon coinage quickly). On the gold coinage, however, Sol survived up until 325 AD. The different patterns imply an awareness on the part of the central administration of the diverging functions of billon and gold coinage as media of imperial representation. The paper shows how the termination of Sol invictus was operated with care and counterbalanced by innovations in other fields of imperial representation, such as the ruler portrait.

- by Francesco Massa
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- History of Religion, Early Christianity, Ancient Greek Religion, Mystery cult
- by Mikhail Vedeshkin
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- Emperor Julian, Paganism, Late Roman Empire, Late Roman Army

Las creencias celtas y la cristianización en Galicia La zona geográfica que conocemos como Galicia, España, estuvo habitada por diversas culturas desde tiempos prehistóricos. Los celtas llegaron en el IV a.C. y los romanos ocuparon el territorio en el año 183 a.C., dejando una organización territorial, un idioma y una nueva religión. A la caída de los romanos, llegaron los suevos en el siglo V y aceptaron el sistema administrativo romano, siendo arrianos desde el punto de vista religioso y un siglo después bajo la influencia de San Martín de Braga se hicieron católicos 1. Los visigodos llegaron en el siglo VIII. En 711 los árabes conquistaron el territorio. En 714, Don Pelayo rey de Asturias inició la reconquista. La ocupación de todos estos pueblos dejó una herencia cultural importante en la zona. En 813 se descubrieron los restos del apóstol Santiago en Iria Flavia lo que convirtió a Galicia en un destino de peregrinaje y la comunicó con toda Europa a través del Camino de Santiago. Galicia tuvo un pasado celta y la instauración del cristianismo fue complicada pues la planeación del proceso de cristianización fue principalmente urbana y en Galicia población era básicamente rural. La iglesia luchó contra las creencias precristianas que siempre se mantuvieron en el sustrato de la cultura popular. En un inicio de la expansión cristiana, el porcentaje de fieles fue minoritario y creció lentamente. Para la época del edicto de Milán, Roma ya tenía un 20% de cristianos, pero la población campesina en general seguía siendo pagana. Encontramos referencia a las costumbres paganas en el II concilio de Braga de 572 y los concilios de Toledo III, XII, XIII XVI y XVII de 589, 681, 683 y 693 y de las 1 Fernando Alonso Romero. "La barca de piedra de San Juan de la Misarela: Características, paralelos y origen de una embarcación legendaria". p. 249.

- by Rebeca Mata
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- Religion, Christianity, Celtic religion, Paganism and Christianism

Il libro di Cloe Taddei Ferretti verte sul rapporto interculturale tra due personaggi di spicco della tarda antichità: Ipazia di Alessandria, insigne filosofa pagana, e Sinesio di Cirene, suo allievo poi divenuto vescovo cristiano. Da questo rapporto straordinario tra esponenti di culture a quel tempo in aspro conflitto scaturisce, per il nostro presente, un'utile lezione di convivenza armonica nella diversità.

Julian the Apostate in Johannes Antiochenus. Uncorrected draft of a paper forthcoming in A. Marcone (ed.), L'imperatore Giuliano. Realtà storica e rappresentazione. Firenze: Le Monnier, 2015. This paper anticipates a few conclusions of... more

Julian the Apostate in Johannes Antiochenus.
Uncorrected draft of a paper forthcoming in A. Marcone (ed.), L'imperatore Giuliano. Realtà storica e rappresentazione. Firenze: Le Monnier, 2015. This paper anticipates a few conclusions of the book "Antieroe dai molti volti: Giuliano l'Apostata nel Medioevo bizantino", published in 2014.

- by Stefano Trovato
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- History, Ancient History, Greek Literature, Roman History

Η σύνδεση του αριστοτελισμού με την ορθόδοξη θεολογία είναι προϊόν της σύγχρονης νεοελληνικής ανάγκης να δομηθεί ένας «ελληνοχριστιανικός» λόγος που να γεφυρώνει ή, ακόμη καλύτερα, να εκμηδενίζει την απόσταση ανάμεσα στην «νεορθοδοξία», την πρόσληψη του Αριστοτέλη κατά τους βυζαντινούς χρόνους, και την φιλοσοφία του ίδιου του Αριστοτέλη.
Το επιχείρημά μου είναι ότι υπάρχει ένα σοβαρό πρόβλημα με τον
ενδιάμεσο κρίκο αυτής της κατασκευής. Το πρόβλημα είναι ότι ο ίδιος ο Γρηγόριος Παλαμάς και οι οπαδοί του θα ήταν αρνητικοί
στην οικειοποίηση του Αριστοτέλη προκειμένου να καταδειχθεί μια
όποια «ελληνοχριστιανική» συνέχεια. Για την ακρίβεια, θα ήταν
αρνητικοί σε κάθε «ελληνοχριστιανική» σύνθεση, όπως εννοούν
αυτήν ο Λορεντζάτος και ο Γιανναράς.
Ο Παλαμάς αποσύνδεσε την αριστοτελική ορολογία από την
αριστοτελική φιλοσοφία. Όμως, η αποσύνδεση αυτή είναι δείγμα
εννοιολογικής ασυνέχειας παρά συνέχειας. Στην παλαμική εκδοχή της Ορθοδοξίας δεν γίνεται πουθενά λόγος για εννοιολογική συνέχεια, τουναντίον, καταγγέλλονται οι πειραματισμοί με την ελληνική οντολογία και γνωσιολογία.
[...] Άρα, πώς μπορεί κάποιος σήμερα να μιλά για «ελληνοχριστιανική» συνέχεια, χωρίς να υποπίπτει αφενός μεν σε μιαν ακόμα χριστιανική αίρεση, αφετέρου δε (και αυτό ενδιαφέρει τον γράφοντα) σε μιαν αναχρονιστική ιστορικοφιλοσοφική contradictio in adiecto;

- by Niketas Siniossoglou
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- Aristotle, Émmanuel Lévinas, Byzantine Studies, Modern Greek History

Our vision of the Vikings is ripe with clichés devoid of historical substance. Reproduced and disseminated across various forms of artistic expressions (painting, literature, cinema, music), these perceptions and misperceptions tend to cast the Vikings as strong, proud, ideal manly warriors. Interestingly enough, the values expressed in these perceptions of the Vikings – pride, rectitude, etc – have been transmitted by metal music since the Seventies, and today through the folk metal movement. Folk metal's basic message has been one of protest against modern society, described as an alienating force that isolates individuals from their peers and generates violence. Instead, they promote a romantic view of the past – mostly their own country's past. In this message, the Viking becomes an « antimodel » of the contemporary man. As such, « viking metal » appears as more than an escapist fantasy: a worldwide antimodern protest movement emerging as the product of a modern society it aims to criticize.

- by Nadege Benard
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- Sociology of Religion, History of Religion, Paganism and Christianism, Metal Music

Sommario: Definizioni generali. Pagano, paganesimo, paganitas – Religione tradizionale romana – La religione degli imperatori – Res publica e persecuzione dell’alterità religiosa ▭ Costantino e le ambiguità del potere. Il paganesimo come religione dopo il 313 – Imperatore, pontefice massimo, convertito – Costantino ‘religioso’ fra paganesimo e cristianesimo – Costantino persecutore del paganesimo ▭ La reazione pagana. Legislazione antipagana dopo Costantino – Giuliano imperatore – I sacrifici – I maestri cristiani ▭ Il paganesimo perseguitato. L’altare della Vittoria – Teodosio – Apostasia e limite della religione – Sopravvivenze

- by Alessandro Saggioro
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- Paganism, Constantine, Paganism and Christianism, Costantino il Grande

The late Antique mosaic of Orpheus decorated a small room, approximately 18 m2 in area, connected with two even smaller ones, in 4 m2 and the other 2 m2 in area, belonging most likely to a small funerary chapel (or tomb) discovered in the ancient necropolis by the Damascene Gate in Jerusalem; it was discovered in 1901 by H. Vincent.
The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographic program of the Orpheus myth used by wealthy Christians in a sepulchral context (see Olszewski M.T. «Orphée endeuillé de la mosaïque funéraire de Jérusalem», in Rey Mimoso-Ruiz, B. ed., Actes du colloque «Orphée entre Soleil et ombre», à l’Institut Catholique de Toulouse du 16 au 17 novembre 2007, Inter Lignes, numéros spécial – mars 2008, pp. 205-214, 226). He also proposes a new interpretation of the role Orpheus played in Roman funerary art, concentrating on the importance of the play on words and the visual and textual punning that was popular in ancient art and especially in funerary art. He rejects the popular interpretation of Orpheus as Christ in the Roman catacombs and proposes to interpret the image as that of Orpheus, bard of the departed souls, without any ahistorical connection with Christ. The program of the mosaic from Jerusalem is thus explained as a play on the words Orpheus-orphanos and Chiron (Chi-Rho) and Pan [Παν(τοκράτωρ)].The frequently used Christian funerary formula of resting in peace, Christ or the Lord corresponds
perfectly with the mood created around the mythical bard.
Orpheus’ universal role as singer and musician moving even the most stony of hearts, extolling the beloved departed, is absolutely justified in the context of a 6th-century Christian tomb. Orpheus is a popular and neutral figure, meaning that in effect it does not constitute a threat to Christian theology and can be tolerated by the educated Christians of Jerusalem.

This paper questions how prevalent Christianity was in Sweden by the time the King of the Swedes officially converted in c. 1008, using mortuary evidence. Burials are used as evidence for practice rather than identity. I summarise and identify five major characteristics for identifying Christian burial practice, and use these characteristics as a method for determine the proportion of Christian practice in Sweden. The paper uses two case studies, a rural cemetery on Gotland, and a wic cemetery at Birka.

Сегодня в России активно строятся православные храмы, СМИ рассказывают о церковных праздниках, представители духовенства часто принимают участие в"разных официальных мероприятиях. Много говорится о торжестве православия, о «православном ренессансе». Парадоксально, но вместе с тем можно говорить и о возрождении славянского язычества. Его исповедуют некоторые известные персоны, языческие персонажи проникают на страницы художественных книг, в кино, живопись, тексты песен. Языческие волхвы проводят обряды, языческие талисманы продаются в сувенирных магазинах, именами славянских богов предприниматели называют свои фирмы. Почему это происходит и что вообще известно науке о язычестве восточных славян? Ответы на подобные вопросы вы найдёте в этой книге.
Today in Russia, Orthodox temples are actively being built, the mass media covers church holidays, and clergy often participate in public ceremonies and national events. Recently, there has been much talk about the triumph of Russian Orthodoxy. It is ironic that we can talk about the revival of Slavic Paganism at the same time that we are discussing
the triumph of the so-called Orthodox Renaissance in contemporary Russia. In the midst of this Orthodox Renaissance, celebrities are openly professing their conviction in pagan beliefs, pagan characters, symbols, and images are featuring prominentley in films, paintings, and lyrics, pagan priests are practicing their respective rituals, pagan talismans are being sold in gift shops, and entrepreneurs are naming their companies
after Slavic gods. Why is this happening and what do we really know about East Slavic Paganism? This book aims to answer these very questions.

- by Андрей Бесков
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- Pagan Studies, Paganism, Neopaganism, Modern Paganisms

More than 20 years after presenting his first interpretation of the mosaic from the House of Aion in a paper entitled “Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr)” (Meander 9/10, 1987, p. 421-438, in Polish, and translated to English: « The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory [in Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from the “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus]»), where he proposed reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis, the author now enhances his initial interpretation with numerous reflections concerning the historical context of this work of art, created in the years 320-360.
If, according to the author, the mosaic is a “Hymn” in honour of the pagan gods, Man (his soul) and his place in the (pagan) universe, then at the same time it polemicises with the Christian faith and its God, Jesus Christ.
The author puts forward numerous new solutions relating to the mosaic’s iconography and iconology. Analysis of the mosaic also leads him to propose a solution to the as-yet unanswered question regarding the absence of images of the crucified Christ in Christian art of the 3rd and 4th centuries, up until 420/430, when the first images of Christ on the cross appear.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
1. Research to-date (recap)
2. Description of mosaic (recap)
2.1. Composition of five mythological scenes
2.2. Brief iconographic description of mythological panels
2.3. Outline of individual iconographic elements and their respective roles
2.4. The pagan gods’ air of majesty and dignity as an expression of piety
3. A few words about the pagan reaction
4. An apology of pious human life according to pagan principles and a polemic on the Christian model of Man and his theological idol, Jesus Christ
4.1. Divine intervention in the act of human conception (allusion to/polemic on the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary)
4.2. The Epiphany of Dionysus (an allusion to the Epiphany of Christ – Theou Pais)
4.3. The procession and dissemination of Dionysian order (allusion to/polemic on Christ’s entry into Jerusalem)
4.4. The error of Marsyas (polemic on/allusion to the error of Jesus the Messiah): arrest, sentencing for arrogance and lack of piety (asebeia) and condemnation to a martyr’s death
4.5. The anabasis (or anagoge psyches) of a ‘beautiful soul’ (allusion to/polemic on the Ascension of Christ)
5. A few words on the mosaic programme prior to final conclusions
Final conclusions

The Council of Ephesus in 431 declared Mary the Mother of God. This doctrine is rooted in the Christian faith in the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and God himself. But one has long wondered if it had not been influenced by the worship of mother goddesses in paganism. Several indices seriously indeed make a plausible link between the epithet "Mother of God" granted to Isis in Egypt and the title Theotokos assigned to the Virgin Mary.

This innovative study uses one well-documented moment of violence as a starting point for a wide-ranging examination of the ideas and interactions of pagan philosophers, Christian ascetics, and bishops from the fourth to the early seventh century. Edward J. Watts reconstructs a riot that erupted in Alexandria in 486 when a group of students attacked a Christian adolescent who had publicly insulted the students' teachers. Pagan students, Christians affiliated with a local monastery, and the Alexandrian ecclesiastical leaders all cast the incident in a different light, and each group tried with that interpretation to influence subsequent events. Watts, drawing on Greek, Latin, Coptic, and Syriac sources, shows how historical traditions and notions of a shared past shaped the interactions and behavior of these high-profile communities. Connecting oral and written texts to the personal relationships that gave them meaning and to the actions that gave them form, Riot in Alexandria draws new attention to the understudied social and cultural history of the later fifth-century Roman world and at the same time opens a new window on late antique intellectual life.

- by Edward Watts
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- Plato, Neoplatonism and late antique philosophy, Patristics, Asceticism

Jak kochali dawni Słowianie? Krótki opis obyczajów seksualnych naszych przodków.

- by Tomasz J . Kosinski
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- Gender and Sexuality, Pagan Studies, Culture, Paganism

The custom of sacrificing animals on St. Martin’s Eve (November 10), or ‘spilling blood for St. Martin’, was known in a large part of Ireland until recently. This ritual offering has played an important role in the religious calendar of Christian communities in Western Europe for many centuries. Numerous authors over the last two hundred years have explored ideas about ancient pagan survivals being involved in the festival. Billy Mag Fhloinn addresses this situation, offering both an account and an analysis of the folk manifestation of the cult of St. Martin in the 19th and 20th centuries. In Blood Rite: The Feast of St. Martin in Ireland, Mag Fhloinn presents theories on the origin, meaning and function of traditions and narratives associated with the cult, which has existed in Ireland since at least the seventh century. Bill Mag Fhloinn is an adjunct lecturer in Irish studies at the University of Limerick, and the Sacred Heart University Centre for Irish Cultural Studies. He was awarded a PhD in Irish Folklore from University College Dublin 2013. His area of research interest includes folk religion, ritual, and calendar customs.

- by Folklore Fellows Communications
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- Irish Studies, Folklore, Cultural Heritage, Irish History
- by Victoria Leonard
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- Christianity, Ancient History, Cartography, Late Antique and Byzantine History

This drafts gives an overview over major steps in the shift of use of society-building pagan concepts as displayed in Insular Celtic literature to their oppressive abuse by Norman-Christian conquerors. The re-interpretation of pagan concepts as expressed in literary motifs formed part of the ideological discourse to ensure the establishment of a much more hierarchical feudal society..

This essay is the abridged English version of my article on the religious history of this chapel in German, published in the journal Herdfeuer, no. 39 (2/2014), pp. 4 – 46 entitled: „Die Schäferkapelle in Rasch – ein Heiligtum des Wotan, der Gefjon und des Ing? Zu Ikonographie, Baugeschichte und Kulttradition eines heidnischen Tempels“
The integration of testimonies of mission history, cultural history and of local traditions about names and sites, with iconographic and architectural features of the chapel and the adjacent church reveal a remarkably consistent image of a Pagan sanctuary in the time of the early Christian mission. Issues of method in the reconstruction of the original dedication of the sanctuary are taken into consideration.

- by Ullrich R . Kleinhempel
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- Cultural History, Pagan Studies, Mission Studies, Syncretism
- by Nazan Yıldız Çiçekçi
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- Old English Literature, Pagan Studies, Heroism, Paganism

Paganism, like every religion, is a complex mixture of concepts that can be used to either rationalize environmental neglect or encourage ecological harmony. Rather than characterizing Paganism, or any other religion, as “green” or “not green,” we might rather speak about the “greening of religions,” an ongoing, never-to-be-complete process. In this way, we can understand the history of contemporary Paganism as a “greening,” one that is still going on, and A Pagan Community Statement on the Environment, as one small but valuable part of that process.

- by John Halstead
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- Environmental Science, Pagan Studies, Ecology, Paganism

Remarks on the present state of investigations concerning
Slavic pagan cult on Polish territory
Summary
The article includes the survey of the resource base used in researching early–medieval
places of pagan cult in Poland. Several dozen of such places have been described; all of
these were subject of archeological investigation. The value of the resource base is relatively
low due to a usually restricted scope of investigations and unsatisfactory state of
the publications. Furthermore, the text presents many places potentially linked to the cult,
based on many prerequisites, primarily falling into the scope of ethnology, toponomastics
and topography. Aspects regarding holy stones and springs have been analyzed separately.
Practical methods of identifying sacred places have been discussed as well as the attempts
of using objective criteria, based primarily on Colpe’s method. The summary includes
recommendations indicating the necessity of conducting verifying works on at least several
sites and the signiÞ cance of working out the catalogue of requests that would result in
working out research model and publication of the list of sacred sites that would facilitate
their interpretation based on interdisciplinary studies.