Criterion: |
Greek Polis Cults |
Roman State Cults |
Magic |
Philosophy |
Isis Cult |
Mithraism |
Judaism |
Christianity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AUTHORITY: Roman State? |
YES | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | to 70 A.D. | not until 313 |
|
Municipal authorities? |
YES | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO |
|
Public/ Private? |
PUB | PUB | PRIV | PRIV | PRIV | PRIV |
PUB (in Judaea) |
PRIV (to 313) |
|
CLERGY: Professionals? |
NO | NO | ? | ? | YES | NO | YES | YES |
|
Mode appointed: |
elect purchase inherit |
elect appoint |
appren- tice |
none | coopt | coopt | inherit |
elect appoint |
| Initiation? | NO | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES |
|
Special powers? |
NO | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | NO | YES |
|
Moral/ ethical advisors? |
NO | NO | NO | (YES) | (YES) | NO | NO | YES |
|
Organization/ hierarchy? |
NO | (NO) | NO | (NO) | NO | NO | YES | YES |
|
MEMBERS: gender qualification? |
(YES) | NO | NO | NO | NO | MALES | (MALES) | NO |
|
Legal status: a citizen? |
YES | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO | ethnic | NO |
|
common worship (congregation) |
NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES | YES | YES |
|
Need for personal committment? |
NO | NO | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Initiation? | NO | OATHS | YES | NO | YES | YES |
circum- cision |
baptism |
|
GUIDANCE: a holy book/code? |
NO | NO | Various | NO | several | NO |
Hebrew scriptures |
Old & New Testaments |
John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu