Greece and Babylon : A comparative sketch of Mesopotamian, Anatolian and…
"Greece and Babylon: A Comparative Sketch of Mesopotamian, Anatolian and Hellenic Religions" by Lewis R. Farnell is a scholarly historical account written in the early 20th century. This work delves into the religious systems of ancient Greece, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia, examining their similarities and differences in beliefs, rituals, and the evolution of deities. Farnell seeks to unpack the interconnections between these cultures, highlighting the complexities of their spiritual practices and the influence
of one on another. The opening of the book serves as an inaugural lecture by Farnell as the first Wilde Lecturer in Natural and Comparative Religion, where he outlines his intended exploration of these ancient religions. He emphasizes the importance of establishing a methodological framework to investigate how Hellenic religion may have borrowed from or interacted with Mesopotamian and Anatolian beliefs. Farnell acknowledges the vastness of this subject, discusses the necessity of comparative study, and proposes a focus on specific elements like the nature of divinity, morality, and ritual practices across these cultures, setting the stage for a nuanced comparative analysis throughout the text. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Greece and Babylon : A comparative sketch of Mesopotamian, Anatolian and Hellenic religions
Original Publication
Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1911.
Contents
Inaugural lecture -- Statement of the problem and the evidence -- Morphology of the compared religions -- Anthropomorphism and theriomorphism in Anatolia and the Mediterranean -- Predominance of the goddess -- The deities as nature-powers -- The deities as social-powers -- Religion and morality -- Purity a divine attribute -- Concept of divine power and ancient cosmogonies -- The religious temperament of the Eastern and Western peoples -- Eschatologic ideas of East and West -- Comparison of the ritual -- Summary of results.
Credits
an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 55.0 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
