Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth CenturiesThe slaughter of animals for religious feasts, the tinkling of bells to ward off evil during holy rites, the custom of dancing in religious services--these and many other pagan practices persisted in the Christian church for hundreds of years after Constantine proclaimed Christianity the one official religion of Rome. In this book, Ramsay MacMullen investigates the transition from paganism to Christianity between the fourth and eighth centuries. He reassesses the triumph of Christianity, contending that it was neither tidy nor quick, and he shows that the two religious systems were both vital during an interactive period that lasted far longer than historians have previously believed. MacMullen explores the influences of paganism and Christianity upon each other. In a rich discussion of the different strengths of the two systems, he demonstrates that pagan beliefs were not eclipsed or displaced by Christianity but persisted or were transformed. The victory of the Christian church, he explains, was one not of obliteration but of widening embrace and assimilation. This fascinating book also includes new material on the Christian persecution of pagans over the centuries through methods that ranged from fines to crucifixion; the mixture of motives in conversion; the stubbornness of pagan resistance; the difficulty of satisfying the demands and expectations of new converts; and the degree of assimilation of Christianity to paganism. |
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Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries Ramsay MacMullen No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
Aelius Aristides ancient Antioch Asclepiodotus Asclepius attested Augustine Augustine's Basil belief bishops Caesarius Carm Carthage CCSL celebration chap Christian Chrysos Chrysostom church Conc Constantine conversion cult Damascius dancing deities demons described divine Dölger earlier eastern ecclesiastical Egypt emperors empire evidence example exorcism faith feasts festival Festugière fifth century fourth century Gaul gods Greek Greg Gregory Gregory of Tours Harmening 1979 healing Hist holy Homil ibid idem idols images imperial imperial cult inscriptions Italy Joannou John of Ephesus Justinian kalends later Libanius Lucius MacMullen 1981 magic Maraval martyrs MGH SRM miracles monks Nilsson non-Christian offered pagan Paris Pasquato passim Paulinus persecution Pliny Plotinus Plutarch prayers priests quoted relics religion religious rites Roman Rome rural sacred Saint Sarapis Serm sermons shrines sixth superhuman superstition surviving Symeon Syria temples texts Theodoret third century tion tomb tradition Trombley Vita western women worship