Religious Innovation in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods

The scholarly study of new religious movements focuses on the contemporary period, but religious innovation is nothing new. This Element explores a historical epoch characterized by a multitude of emergent religious concepts and practices ¿ the Hellenistic and Roman periods. A precondition for the intense degree of religious innovation during this time was a high level of cultural exchange. Religious elements crossed porous cultural borders and were adapted to suit new purposes. The resulting amalgams were presented in a vast corpus of texts, largely produced by a literate elite. Charismatic leaders played a particularly important role in creating new religious options and were described in genres that were infused with ideological agendas. Novel religious developments were accepted by the Roman authorities unless suspected of undermining the social order. The rise of one of the many new religions of the period, Christianity, ultimately changed the religious landscape in profound ways.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. A world of regional globalization; 3. Religious texts; 4. Holy men, charismatic leaders, and religious entrepreneurs; 5. Conflict, concord, and religious polemics; References.

Summary

This Element explores a historical epoch characterized by a multitude of emergent religious concepts and practices – the Hellenistic and Roman periods. A precondition for the intense degree of religious innovation was a high level of cultural exchange. The rise of Christianity ultimately changed the religious landscape in profound ways.

Product details

• Authors: Olav Hammer, Olav (University of Southern Denmark) Hammer, Olav (University of Southern Denmark) Roth Hammer, Hammer Olav, Mikael Rothstein, Mikael (University of Southern Denmark) Rothstein, Rothstein Mikael
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.09.2023
• EAN: 9781009015257
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0901525-7
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in New Religious Movements; Elements in New Religious Move
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; HISTORY / Ancient / Rome, PHILOSOPHY / Religious, RELIGION / History, Ancient Greece, HISTORY / Ancient / Greece, RELIGION / Philosophy, RELIGION / Ancient, History of Religion, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greek religion & mythology, Philosophy of religion, Ancient Greek religion and mythology, Roman religion and mythology, Roman religion & mythology