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RELIGIONS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Comparison of General Features



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

 

May 30, 2009 4:57 PM

John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu

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