Should Christianity be included when discussing ancient Greek religion in college?

Question

I had a World Religions class last semester where my instructor was a Christian minister. Her problem was that she continuously talked about Christianity when discussing other religions. I am in college, and I was wondering if when ancient Greek religion is being lectured, shouldn't the instructor discuss mythology rather than Greek philosophy and how it relates to Christianity????What is your opinion?

Ok. I already took this class. I passed with an A because I am truly interested in religion. She is a Presbyterian minister for those who wanted to know. The problem is, is that she only spent one day covering the religion of ancient Greece. Rather than discuss the mythology and religion of the ancient Greeks, she instead based her entire lecture on a few philosophers that only affected Christianity. She basically discussed Christianity. My school is not a religious based school, and the entire semester, for every religion, she went back to Christianity for every lecture. She also spent almost a third of the semester discussing Christianity by itself. I would've loved the class if she wouldn't have been the one teaching it.

Answer 1

Your are correct Greek Mythology has nothing to do with Christianity! She is wrong!

JUST play the game and get an A+ in the class, your grades are the only thing that matters when going to college!

Answer 2

I think it depends. If she was proselytizing her religion or trying to make it seem superior when she was supposed to be teaching Ancient Greek religion than she is probably in the wrong.

But if she was using examples which are likely familiar to the students and explaining how these ancient Greek ideas influenced our society and culture throughout history, then I say right on.

You see, a teacher can explain till she's blue in the face what an ancient Greek thought about something and her students may never grasp the idea. But if she uses familiar examples that the students can relate to and draws a comparison, more students will get the point.

I also think it is important whenever any subject is taught to show how it has influenced history, modern societies, cultures and religion. So I guess it comes down to whether she was preaching or teaching the subject.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian, and believe that if the professor is discussing ancient Greek religion, then she should be discussing ancient Greek religion and not Christianity. Now, if she discusses the rise of Christianity and how it affected Greco-Roman belief systems, and how Christianity was affected by ancient Greek thought, then that would be acceptable. But using a secular classroom as a forum for pushing one's own religious viewpoints is ethically questionable, in my opinion.

Answer 4

The ancient Greek religions are still around (Hellenism). If Christianity had never developed on the scale it did, most people would probably be polytheists. Though I think the Europeans would probably still be worshipping their own Gods/Goddess' mixed with the Greek/Roman Gods. Heathen

Answer 5

Yes it should, the myth of Jesus mother being a virgin while giving birth comes from greek mythology. A lot of St Pauls letters show Greek and Gnostic influences which may be a bit of parady since the early Christians and the church fathers especially did much to fight agaisnt gnostic beliefs.

Answer 6

If you were to take a test right now on Greek mythology from an ancient GREEK persepctive. Could you pass it?


If you could. Then she did her job.

If all you can do is critique based on Christian context, all you have learned is how to dissect someone else's beliefs from another belief.

Answer 7

Christianity isn't a Greek religion, but when discussing any ancient religions you should, in my opinion, discuss them all.

I'm curious if you knew which Christian denomination she was from.

Pastor Art

Answer 8

If it's a "world religions" class, then I'd say she is well within her rights as the professor to include discussions about Christianity. :-)

Answer 9

It does sound pretty slanted. I'd expect the subject of ancient Greek religion to include the mystery cults, letting the students draw their own conclusions. Spoonfed conclusions are more appropriate to elementary school.

Answer 10

Her class, her subject. Don't like it, leave.
Actually I can relate Christianity to some ancient cults, but since it did not exist back then it is a long stretch.