History 2401E Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Manichaeism, Ancient Greek Philosophy, Gnosticism

• School: Western University
• Department: History
• Course: History 2401E
• Professor: Craig Simpson

Document Summary

Histo(cid:396)ia(cid:374)s" app(cid:396)oa(cid:272)hes to religio(cid:374: religion = the beliefs and practices that surround a supernatural being; theological; everyday beliefs and practices. Study religion to understand mentalities of members and their society. Study religion to comprehend how it might influence its followers and thus society: can be a conflict between theology and what people believe and practice. Shift from polytheism to monotheism in empire: mystery cults with resurrection myth (mithra, isis, cybele) flourish, greek philosophies move to monotheisim: stoicism (logos) and neoplatonism. First polytheism, then they concentrated on one god shift to monotheism. Possibly people expressing a more direct connection with one god, want reassurance and hope. Seeking more direct access to the divine with all the (cid:272)haos a(cid:396)ou(cid:374)d the(cid:373). People who joined were a(cid:271)le to (cid:272)li(cid:373)(cid:271) the (cid:396)a(cid:374)ks i(cid:374) a (cid:449)a(cid:455) that the(cid:455) (cid:272)ould(cid:374)"t i(cid:374) dio(cid:272)letia(cid:374)"s ti(cid:373)e, a(cid:374)d fou(cid:374)d a (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)it(cid:455) when the bigger community around them was disintegrating: greeks incorporate some pagan philosophies (scholars) into christiantiy.