Rites of passage: celebrating life's milestones in pagan traditions

The final pagan generation refers to a period in history when paganism was prevalent before its decline and eventual replacement by Christianity. This period primarily encompasses the late Roman Empire and the early Middle Ages, spanning from the 4th to the 7th century AD. During this time, the Roman Empire was in turmoil, undergoing significant changes politically, socially, and religiously. The traditional Roman religion, which had evolved over centuries, was deeply ingrained in Roman society, with numerous gods and goddesses worshipped. However, as the Roman Empire expanded and encountered different cultures, new religious practices and beliefs were assimilated into the Roman pantheon, leading to a diverse and syncretic religious landscape. The prominence of paganism began to decline in the 4th century AD with the rise of Christianity as a powerful and influential religion.

A compelling history of radical transformation in the fourth-century--when Christianity decimated the practices of traditional pagan religion in the Roman Empire.

Watts traces their experiences of living through the fourth century s dramatic religious and political changes, when heated confrontations saw the Christian establishment legislate against pagan practices as mobs attacked pagan holy sites and temples. Notice that they didn t abandon the larger church structures, but rather set up smaller groups outside the bigger institutional structures, to support each other in discipleship.

The prominence of paganism began to decline in the 4th century AD with the rise of Christianity as a powerful and influential religion. The conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in 312 AD marked a turning point, as Christianity gradually gained favor and became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire. It was during this time that the final generation of pagans emerged.

The Final Pagan Generation

The Final Pagan Generation shows how the generation of Romans born in the 310s adapted to their changing religious and political environments. The included chapter introduces the religious landscape of the Roman world of the early fourth century and sets the stage for their story.

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The Idea of Rome in Late Antiquity

The aim of this research is to approach and analyse the manifestation and evolution of the idea of Rome as an expression of Roman patriotism and as an (urban) archetype of utopia in late Roman thought in a period extending from AD 357 to 417. Within this period of about a human lifetime, the concept of Rome and Romanitas was reshaped and used for various ideological causes. This research is unfolding through a selection of sources that represent the patterns and diversity of this ideological process. The theme of Rome as a personified and anthropomorphic figure and as an epitomized notion ‘applied’ on the urban landscape of the city would become part of the identity of the Romans of Rome highlighting a sense of cultural uniqueness in comparison to the inhabitants of other cities. Towards the end of the chronological limits set in this thesis various versions of Romanitas would emerge indicating new physical and spiritual potentials.

(111) ABSTRACT: The subject touches on both ancient and modern history. Discusssion can most conveniently separate the two, beginning with the practice in question, ancestor worship, emphasizing its grand proportions while leaving detail to notes and Appendix. The proportions themselves, however, present a striking contrast to the modern treatment, better called neglect, that the cultural phenomenon has received. This contrast invites explanation.

This is a chapter in the forthcoming volume, Reconceiving Religious Conflict. New Views from the Formative Centuries of Christianity Edited by Wendy Mayer, Chris L. De Wet. © 2017 – Routledge. This essay focuses on a particular perspective on religious violence, namely those cases in which religious symbols are destroyed through acts of violence. The argument pursued in this essay is that these acts of ‘symbolic violence’ should be understood as a kind of purity discourse. The interpretive framework from which this phenomenon is interpreted derives from an understanding of the social function of millennialist discourse on purity as the ‘unmixing’ of the blend of light and darkness, moral and immoral, good and bad in proto-apocalyptic traditions. It is a discourse that erects stark dualities that are interpreted in moral categories but serve a highly socio-political rhetoric. The effective history and longevity of this kind of rhetoric of religious symbolic violence is illuminated starkly in four case studies: the destruction of colonial era symbols in South Africa in the #RhodesMustFall campaign; the Spanish Civil War; the removal of the Altar of Victory in Rome, the despolation of the Ephesian Artemision, and the destruction of the Serapeum in Alexandria; and the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan and the tomb of Jonah, in the way in which ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) portrays their own programme as one of the ‘eradication of the grey zone.’

This thesis addresses an intriguing question concerning the death of emperor Julian, known throughout history as “the Apostate.” Although Julian ruled for less than two years, his reign and death were the center of debate for centuries. Ancient writers composed different death narratives for the last “pagan” emperor, elaborating upon certain details in the narratives and adding portions, probably fictionalized, of the story where they thought necessary. It is my view that these different death narratives were used as literary loci to discuss the growing power of the church and the relations between church and state. Analysis of these narratives, written by Gregory Nazianzus, Libanius, Ammianus Marcellinus, and the ecclesiastical historians of the fifth century (Socrates of Constantinople, Sozomen of Gaza, and Theodoret of Cyrrhus) allows the historians a more nuanced view of the religious and political history of late antiquity, specifically concerning Christianization in the empire and relations between bishop and emperor, church and state. This thesis will argue that the narratives of Julian’s death, written in the fourth and fifth centuries, were colored by these two political and religious concerns of the period.

Construction of Christian identity in Egypt proceeded in pace with construction of the Egyptian pagan “Other” between the second and sixth centuries. Apologies, martyrdoms, apocalypses, histories, sermons, hagiographies, and magical texts provide several different vantage points from which to view the Christian construction of the Egyptian pagan “Other”: as the agent of anti-Christian violence, as an intellectual rival, as an object of anti-pagan violence, as an obstacle to salvation, and—perhaps most dangerously—as but another participant in a shared religious experience. The recent work of social scientists on identity, deviance, violence, social/cultural memory, and religiosity provides insight into the strategies by which construction of the “Other” was part of a larger project of fashioning a “proper” Christian religious domain. Egyptian religious developments should be contextualized within the overall Greco-Roman milieu. However, a focus on Egypt is justified insofar as Egypt held so much interest for the ruling Roman elite and Egyptian patriarchs stood at the forefront of Empire-wide polemical debates. Yet Egypt also deserves attention in light of its valence as a place of “difference”: its religious practices were often admired for their antiquity, its part-animal deities inspired disgust even among pagans, it was thought to be associated with esoteric religious practices and magic, and tales of the Exodus cast Egypt as the embodiment of incorrect religion and arch-sin. Ultimately, the notion of “Egypt” was distorted by Greco-Roman pagan and Christian rivalry (and inner-Christian rivalry), as each side sought alternatively to identify with and to distance itself from Egypt. This negotiation in and of itself served as a confirmation of identity.

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What’s interesting about this is that even though daily religious realities for most Romans were not very different than they had ever been, this hid from most people the massive changes that were actually taking place. This seems contemporary to me. Liberals may well see Trump as a Julian the Apostate figure, trying to roll back the progressive Sexual Revolution. And there are certainly conservatives who regard Trump that way, and love that about him. But the cultural changes that have overtaken America, and that are continuing to do so, are fundamental, and aren’t going to be undone by government policy.

The final pagan generation can be seen as a period characterized by a clash between traditional pagan beliefs and the growing influence of Christianity. Pagans faced increasing pressure to convert to Christianity, as the new religion gained institutional support and spread its message throughout the empire. Yet, many pagans held on to their beliefs and resisted conversion, leading to conflicts and tensions within society. The pagan aristocracy and intellectuals played a significant role in this final generation, as they tried to preserve and uphold the traditions and values of paganism. Despite the presence of Christianity, pagan intellectuals continued to write and engage in philosophical debates, highlighting the resilience and persistence of pagan thought. However, by the 6th and 7th centuries, the final generation of pagans began to dwindle. The old pagan temples were either abandoned or converted into Christian churches, and pagan rituals gradually faded away. The full adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire by Emperor Theodosius I in 380 AD further accelerated the decline of paganism. In conclusion, the final pagan generation refers to a period in history when paganism experienced its last stand against the rising influence of Christianity. This period was marked by conflicts, tensions, and the gradual decline of pagan beliefs and rituals. Despite the efforts of pagan intellectuals and aristocracy, Christianity ultimately prevailed, leading to the transformation of the religious and cultural landscape of the Roman Empire..

Reviews for "Exploring pagan cosmology: from gods and goddesses to nature and energy"

1. John: 2/5 - I was really excited to read "The Final Pagan Generation" as I'm a history enthusiast, especially when it comes to ancient religious practices. However, I found this book to be incredibly dry and lacking in depth. The author seemed to jump from one topic to another without providing much context or analysis. It felt like I was just reading a series of disconnected anecdotes rather than a cohesive narrative. Overall, I was disappointed with the book and didn't feel like I gained much knowledge or understanding of the final pagan generation.

2. Sarah: 1/5 - I couldn't finish "The Final Pagan Generation" because it was just too boring. The writing style was so dull and dry, and it felt like the author was just regurgitating information from other sources without adding any fresh insights. I was hoping to learn more about the final days of paganism and how it transitioned into Christianity, but instead, I was left with a book that felt repetitive and uninspiring. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and informative read.

3. Michael: 2/5 - As someone who has a general interest in ancient history, I was looking forward to delving into "The Final Pagan Generation." However, I found the writing to be overly academic and inaccessible. The author seemed more concerned with showcasing their knowledge and writing in a complex manner rather than making the information accessible to a broader audience. Additionally, the pacing of the book was off, with certain sections dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, I felt disconnected from the material and struggled to find any enjoyment in reading this book.

The spirituality of the final pagann generation