How Do We Explain the Quiet Demise of Graeco-Roman Religion? An Essay
Abstract Until now, the relatively quiet transition from traditional Graeco-Roman religion to Christianity has gone unexplained. In dialogue with James Rives and Jörg Rüpke, I argue that Christianity made better use than its religious competition of long-term trends in the Roman Empire, such as expa...
| Published in: | Numen |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Brill
2021
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| In: |
Numen
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Roman Empire
/ Religion
/ Decline
/ Christianization
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| RelBib Classification: | AA Study of religion AD Sociology of religion; religious policy AG Religious life; material religion BE Greco-Roman religions CC Christianity and Non-Christian religion; Inter-religious relations |
| Further subjects: | B
importance of gods
B Christianization B “superlativism” B Urban Religion B regional differentiation B Sacrifice B Graeco-Roman religion B Literacy B demise of religions |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Abstract Until now, the relatively quiet transition from traditional Graeco-Roman religion to Christianity has gone unexplained. In dialogue with James Rives and Jörg Rüpke, I argue that Christianity made better use than its religious competition of long-term trends in the Roman Empire, such as expanding literacy, the rejection of sacrifice, the movement toward monotheism, and the closing of the distance between gods and their faithful. The growing skepticism within the city elites regarding the credibility of its traditional religion, the decrease in investments in its material side, and the strength of the Christian organizations were additional factors together with contingent events, such as Constantine’s victory and his long rule. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5276 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Numen
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685276-12341622 |