Religions

• Polytheism and Monotheism in Ancient Times: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Jewish religion, Christianity.
• Mesopotamia: Polytheistic religion with many gods, divination as a characteristic feature, each city had its own omnipotent god.
• Egypt: Polytheistic religion with many gods, mummification as per the religious beliefs, pyramids.
• Greece: Polytheistic religion with human-shaped (anthropomorphic) gods, the battles and loves of these gods appear in Greek myths, the Greeks did not establish an intimate relationship with their gods, they revered them, offered sacrifices in their temples, expecting the fulfilment of their requests in return.
• Greece: Zeus was the king of the gods, lived on the Mount Olympus with the most distinguished gods, the human-shaped (anthropomorphic) Greek gods could assume various human forms and possessed the full range of human qualities, they could be in love, jealous, greedy, and self-sacrificing, they were immortal, nourished by ambrosia, and quenched their thirst with nectar, enabling them to perform miraculous feats, they often faced defeats in their battles, and even they could not surpass fate (Moira).
• Hermits like Saint Paul and Saint Anthony lived in complete seclusion and solitude in the Egyptian desert.
• Those who grew weary of secular life and opposed it withdrew to the Egyptian desert.
• The origin of the Monastic Movement can be traced back to the 4th century AD, when the Church had become an established institution among believers.
• Among the believers, there arose a desire to practice the principles and lifestyle of early Christianity.
• In addition to nurturing religious life, these rules also incorporated the acceptance of Christian culture.
• The monastic movement soon spread to Asia Minor, where Saint Basil outlined the basic principles of later regulations.
• The hermitage of Saint Anthony attracted followers, and a small community of hermits formed around him.
• The first monastic rule, known as the regula, originated in Egypt in the 4th century AD, credited to Saint Pachomius.
• This rule rejected the entirety of secular life, including the cultural achievements of the time.
• The fall of the Roman Empire marked a significant event in the history of the monastic movement.
• Greece:The oracle of the god Apollo at Delphi, through its ambiguous prophecies, became a significant factor in the political life of Greek city-states, it assisted in forming alliances, mediated peace and incited wars.
• Rome: Similar development to the other ancient religions, the Romans placed importance on the veneration of their ancestors within their clans, a practice that endured over time, as Rome established closer ties with the Greeks, the Roman religion began to Hellenize, they equated Roman and Greek gods with similar roles, the stories about the gods, mythology, could also be seen as tales, participation in rituals.
• Rome: The state and religious life were closely intertwined, state officials (magistrates) largely performed the ceremonies, as participation in these rituals expressed allegiance to the state, there were specifically designated priestly bodies, such as the Vestal Virgins who guarded the sacred fire day and night, providing it to anyone at any time, or various diviners, with the Etruscans highly esteemed among them.
• One tangible figure in the intertwining of Greek and Roman belief systems is Aeneas, the forefather of the Roman people, he is a descendant of Greek gods, as he was born from the love of a mortal, Anchises, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, he is also a participant in Greek history, being the cousin of Hector, the prince of Troy.
• Aeneas fled burning Troy, saving his father and family, after long adventures, he reached Italy and founded Lavinium.
• One of Aeneas's later descendants, Romulus, who also had divine origins since his father was said to be Mars (Ares), went on to establish Rome.
• Epistles (Apostolic Letters) Teaching letters written by the apostles to specific Christian communities.
• The Gospel of John provides a deeper theological interpretation of Jesus' teachings.
• The New Testament = Újszövetség Description of Jesus' actions and the teachings of Christianity found in the biblical New Testament.
• Jesus condemned the pursuit of wealth, greed, hatred, violence, and through his life, set an example for all these.
• The communal meals of the congregations also transformed: the time spent together (Mass) in the order of ceremonies, in the liturgy, retained only moments reminiscent of Christ's Last Supper (wine, bread).
• A Christian is one who believed that Jesus, promised Saviour from God, and adhered to His commandments: Universal love: love towards God and fellow humans Forgiveness Active love Heaven, the Kingdom of God, is the ultimate goal Not the adherence to laws, but internal purity is the supreme virtue.
• They lacked fixed rituals, priests, and officials.
• Components: 4 Gospels = good news, glad tidings They narrate the appearance, actions, and teachings of Jesus.
• A prominent figure in the spread of Christianity was Apostle Paul.
• Aware of the imminent judgment day, they did not accumulate wealth, had no plans for the future, and their places of worship and burial were in underground catacombs.
• Acts of the Apostles = apostle = messenger Through the lives of two central figures - Peter and Paul - it illustrates how the early church was established.
• Due to distancing from Judaism, Christianity merged with Greco-Roman culture (language, philosophy).
• Presbyter = elder: the older, more respected members of the community, forming the clergy (clergy), gradually becoming separate from the laity (laypeople).
• Diakonos = deacon: originally servers at charity banquets for the poor, later became assistants to the priests.
• Revelations of John Descriptions of visions related to the final judgment.
• The initial Christian communities were initially loosely structured, holding gatherings at night with communal meals, prayers, and singing.
• On the third day after his death, he resurrected, appeared before his disciples, and promised to come again at the end of the world to pass judgment upon humanity.
• In 48, during the Council (synod = zsinat) of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, pagan, non-Jewish Christians were recognized as full-fledged members of the church.
• His original name was Saul, hailing from the city of Tarsus in Asia Minor; he was a Roman citizen, and his parents raised him in Pharisaic teachings.