Mithraism and Christianity[edit] Early Christian apologists noted similarities between Mithraic and Christian rituals, but nonetheless took an extremely negative view of Mithraism: they interpreted Mithraic rituals as evil copies of Christian ones.[203][204] For instance, Tertullian wrote that as a prelude to the Mithraic initiation ceremony, the initiate was given a ritual bath and at the end of the ceremony, received a mark on the forehead. He described these rites as a diabolical counterfeit of the baptism and chrismation of Christians.[205] Justin Martyr contrasted Mithraic initiation communion with the Eucharist:[206] Wherefore also the evil demons in mimicry have handed down that the same thing should be done in the Mysteries of Mithras. For that bread and a cup of water are in these mysteries set before the initiate with certain speeches you either know or can learn.[207] Ernest Renan suggested in 1882 that, under different circumstances, Mithraism might have risen to the prominence of modern-day Christianity. Renan wrote: if the growth of Christianity had been arrested by some mortal malady, the world would have been Mithraic…[208][209] However, this theory has since been contested: Leonard Boyle wrote in 1987 that too much ... has been made of the threat of Mithraism to Christianity,[210] pointing out that there are only fifty known mithraea in the entire city of Rome. J. Alvar Ezquerra holds that since the two religions did not share similar aims, there was never any real threat of Mithraism taking over the Roman world.[211] According to Mary Boyce, Mithraism was a potent enemy for Christianity in the West, though she is sceptical about its hold in the East.[212][213][214] Filippo Coarelli (1979) has tabulated forty actual or possible Mithraea and estimated that Rome would have had not less than 680–690 mithraea.[10] Lewis M. Hopfe states that more than 400 Mithraic sites have been found. These sites are spread all over the Roman empire from places as far as Dura Europos in the east, and England in the west. He too says that Mithraism may have been a rival of Christianity.[12] David Ulansey thinks Renans statement somewhat exaggerated,[215] but does consider Mithraism one of Christianitys major competitors in the Roman Empire.[215] Ulansey sees study of Mithraism as important for understanding the cultural matrix out of which the Christian religion came to birth.[215]
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:33:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015