What are the effects of ancient Pagans on modern day Religion? Namely Christianity.?

Question

For a school project, I'm researching the effects ancient pagan religions on modern day religions, namely christianity. This includes anything from symbols to concepts and traditions. I know a few, but I definatly need more. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Answer 1

If I were you I would read this article and maybe do a search for a few others if you want to have paper that really tells it from both sides.
http://www.catholic.com/library/is_catholicism_pagan.asp

Good luck.

edit: Yes, some Christian holidays were purposely placed during certain times in order to overshadow pagan holidays. Apparently the plan worked too because there is no record of pagan worship from ancient times until the 1960's.

As far as similarities in doctrine/tradition, there may be some, but to say that one influenced the other simply because of similiarities is a logical fallacy. I would keep that in mind when writing your paper. If you have a good teacher he/she will take points off for not at least mentioning that.

edit2: Mickeytopdog's response perfectly illustrates what I'm saying. To use the reasons he gives as proof that paganism affected Christianity in any way would be the pinnacle of irresponsibility. The first story he told about the god dying and being reborn every year doesn't sound anything like Christianity to me. There is no cycle of life in Christianity. You live once and you are judged accordingly. And that's Christianity at it's most basic.

If you told me that you wanted me to convert to another religion that was nothing like Christianity in it's principles, but that in order to get me to do so, or to trick me into doing so, you would incorporate Jesus into this new religion, I have a feeling that I might not buy it (note sarcasm). If I did it would mean I was probably the worst practitioner of Christianity ever to live.

Answer 2

I can cite many examples of how ancient paganism affected modern day Christianity. but where do I start.

In principles:

The pagans belive in a cycle of rebirth which is represented in the seasons where as During The winter soltice (around Dec 22) The great God is born starting the road towards spring. but by midsummer he ages and losses strengh until he is finall sacrificed starting the road towards winter. During this time though he has inpregnated the Goddess with his seed to be reborn again. this story coinsides with the changes of the seasons and the changes of how many hours of sunlight we have vs the of daylight we have. as the winter soltice Dec 22 is the day that amount of daylight is at its least. and june 22 is the day in which we have the most daylight.

Notice the simularity to Christs Birth Death and reseraction.

Anouther example of pagan simularities to Christians is the pagan is where Theegyptia goddess gives birth to the egytian God Horus baring a striking simblence to The madonna(Virgin Mary) having given birth to Christ.

In Chritianities infancy they had worked hard trying to eliminate the beliefs of the pagans. But some beliefs were so ingrained that the only way to change the pagans minds were to incorporate them into christianity. for example In Ireland The pagans had a very ingraned belif in a triple Goddess known as Brid,Breed, Bhrigid, The church could not eliminate this figure from the common belief so the church just demoted her from a Goddess into a saint. such is the origin of Saint Brigett in catholic belief.

Also notice the triune here In the pagan beliefs this triune was reated to the cycles of life as a Virgin Goddess, Maiden(Mother Goddess) and Crone(The wise elderly Goddess) this of course is simular to the Christians Father, Son, And Holy Ghost.

There are many other examples I can give but would rather not write a book so if you need more feel free to e-mail me.

Answer 3

SO many. The ancient Christians, back when Christianity was first beginning, had to make their religion palatable to other people, most of whom were pagan, in order to gain converts. They did this by taking elements of paganism and putting them in the traditions of Christianity. For instance, Christ was most likely born in springtime. During much of the early Medieval times, people celebrated christmas as often as 25 times a year! But they were also celebrating Winter Solstice, a pagan holiday. The Pope set the date of Christmas in order to overshadow Winter Solstice. In Christmas tradition, the christmas tree, the yule log, and the misletoe are all examples of pagan traditions that have been brought into christianity. The halos that are often portrayed as being around the heads of divine entities are taken from pagan traditions of sun worship. The date for easter was set to overshadow the spring equinox. The immaculate conception is a story that is present in hundreds of pre-Christian religions (religions Christianity was trying to lure converts from). Even the idea of sacraficing a virgin to appease the sins of everybody else was old before Christ. The list goes on and on.

Answer 4

First rename your project. Ancient pagans have no effect on modern anything. They, in their chronological context, had influence and contribution.

Normally pagan practices sparked Christians to either adopt and "reclaim them for God" or produce new traditions in response to them.

For example: Christmas and Easter (These are easy targets)
For Symbols (see link)

As a Christian man I understand the pagan influence of many rituals and symbols. However, as a Christian man I understand their pagan beginnings have no power over me or my use of them.

I'm still working some of that out in my head so I won't comment beyond this.

Good Luck
God Bless

Answer 5

All I know is that most Christian holidays are derived from ancient Pagan rituals and the like: Hallowe'en, Christmas, April Fool's Day...most of them. And I think that the cross was originally a Pagan symbol, but I can't be sure.

Answer 6

Well, Halloween and Christmas and Easter all have pagan roots.

And then there's parts of the Bible which are clearly taken from early pagan religions, such as Noah's flood vs. the Epic of Gilgamesh. (And the paralells between the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Ten Commandments...)

But one could also look at the common themes between birth-death-rebirth savior gods such as Jesus, Krishna, Horus and Mithras...

A quick Google should give you all the information on these subjects that you need.

Answer 7

Christianity that is light in this dark world?

Or nominal Christianity.

edit:

That is the distinction that would probably get you and your project thrown out of your school if you were to try to get it across.

Answer 8

also some Christian sacraments such as marriage take some of there elements from pagan rituals.

Answer 9

Taween has a great answer.
Fireball, get a life.

Answer 10

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/syncretism.html