Premium Essay

Beliefs of Ancient Egyptians with Medieval Christians

In:

Submitted By mishafr
Words 1685
Pages 7
Beliefs of Ancient Egyptians with Medieval Christians
This paper compares and contrasts the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians with those of the medieval Christians, particularly as those beliefs found expression in the art of each time. The ritual mysticism of Egypt's worship of the sun gave way to a more egalitarian view of the present world and a less literal conception of the next. Christianity offered a broad vision of life after death, promising the possibility of salvation to commoners as well as to the kings, who could expect it as their right in Egypt. The art of this newer religion also allowed for individual expression and interpretation, giving a glimpse of the sweeping historic changes that would eventually transform the world of antiquity into a more complex dialogue between humanity and its gods.

The religion of the ancient Egyptians grew out of their connection with the earth and their surroundings. Early beliefs followed those of other peoples whose lives were dictated by the elements and the seasons; Joseph Lindon Smith (1956) describes Egypt's early religion as a "simple agricultural pantheon of earth, rain, and sky" (p. 316). More than any other developing culture of antiquity, however, the Egyptians began to concentrate their attentions on the single most prominent feature of their landscape, the sun. The religion of the builders of the pyramids became the most striking example ever seen of sun worship. Ra, the personification of the sun, was identified with the pharaohs, who ruled by the same right that the sun itself ruled the earth and the harvests.

Mircea Eliade (1958) notes that to the Egyptians "the sun's connection with the other world, with the spheres of darkness and of death, is clear" (p. 142). The monumental structures which have come to symbolize ancient Egypt's entire culture are almost entirely constructions dealing with that

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Contribution of Insurance Sectors to the Socio Economy Growth of in Nigeria

...THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE WRITTEN BY: UWEM, HOPE OKON REG NO. 08/BA/IN/022 DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SUBMITTED TO DR. MRS. DEPARTMENT OF FACULTY OF UNIVERSITY OF UYO, UYO AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA. FEBRUARY, 2012 1. INTRODUCTION All human societies have medical beliefs that provide explanations for birth, death, and disease. Throughout history, illness has been attributed to witchcraft, demons, astral influence, or the will of the gods. These ideas still retain some power, with faith healing and shrines still used in some places, although the rise of scientific medicine over the past millennium has altered or replaced mysticism in most cases. The ancient Egyptians had a system of medicine that was very advanced for its time and influenced later medical traditions. The Egyptians and Babylonians both introduced the concepts of diagnosis, prognosis, and medical examination. The Hippocratic Oath, still taken by doctors today, was written in Greece in the 5th century BCE, Horstmanshoff et al (2004:7). In the medieval era, surgical practices inherited from the ancient masters were improved and then systematized in Rogerius's The Practice of Surgery. During the Renaissance, understanding of anatomy improved, and the invention of the microscope would later lead to the germ theory of disease. These advancements, along with developments in chemistry, genetics, and lab technology (such as the x-ray) led to...

Words: 2661 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

History of Religion

...find out that prehistory of religion relates to a study of religious beliefs that existed prior to the advent of written records. It is interesting to note that the Religions were divided into stages of progression from simple to complex societies such as polytheistic to monotheistic. However, there are now claimed "that religion evolved from polytheism to monotheism has now been discredited" (p. 1763, Man, Myth & Magic, 1995) Value of Religion Organized religion emerged as a means of providing social and economic stability to large populations through the following ways: 1.) Organized religion served to justify the central authority, which in turn possessed the right to collect taxes in return for providing social and security services to the state. Example the empires of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia were theocracies’s. 2.) Organized religion emerged as means of maintaining peace between unrelated individuals (Armstrong, 1994). Neolithic Religions Humans used to live a nomadic and hunter gatherer lifestyle. We can say here that Neolithic period started when humans gave up their nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles in order to begin farming. As a result, States and Empires resulted in more specialized and developed forms of religion that were reflections of the new social and political environments. In addition, small tribes possessed supernatural beliefs. Smaller populations began with these beliefs (Armsstrong, 1994). Axial Age Historians pointed out the period from...

Words: 1104 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Final Exam Study Guide

...73 4. The earliest and most famous Greek historian was _________________. P23 5. Alexander the Great born in/from ___________________. P81,89,91-96 6. Who was the Carthaginian leader who led his troops across the Alps in the Punic Wars? _____________________________ P123-124 7. List the members of the First Triumvirate. ____________________________ P138 8. _______________ was the first Roman emperor to become a Christian. P180-183 9. Which edict legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire? __________________ P180-183 10. Cleopatra of Egypt had a romantic relationship with which two Roman rulers? ____________________________ and _______________________ P97,140-141 11. The Edict of ________________ declared the acceptance of Christianity in Rome. P182 12. ___________________ was the prophet of Islam. P206-208 13. Followers of Muhammad are called __________________. (World Religions lecture) 14. The holy book of Islam is the ___________________. (World Religions lecture) 15. The holy book of the Christians is the ____________________. (World Religions lecture) 16. The first 10 books of the bible that are most cherished by the Jews are called the ______________________. (World Religions lecture) 17. Pope _____________ II called for the Crusades. P296-297 Urban 18. ______________________ painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. P337-338 19. “Justification by faith alone” is the...

Words: 1199 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Research

...the world to Gnostic Christianity Biblical Archaeology Society Staff   •  07/01/2014 This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in March 2011. It has been updated.—Ed.   The Nag Hammadi texts were contained in 13 leather-bound volumes discovered by Egyptian farmers in 1945. Dated papyrus scraps used to strengthen the bindings of the books helped date the volumes to the mid-fourth century A.D. Photo: Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont, CA. Until the discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices in 1945, the Gnostic view of early Christianity had largely been forgotten. The teachings of Gnostic Christianity—vilified especially since they were declared heretic by orthodox Christianity in the fourth century—had been virtually erased from history by the early church fathers, their gospels banned and even burned to make room for the view of Christian theology outlined in the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But when two peasants discovered the Nag Hammadi texts, a 13-volume library of Coptic texts hidden beneath a large boulder near the town of Nag Hammadi in upper Egypt, the world was reintroduced to this long-forgotten and much-maligned branch of early Christian thought, Gnostic Christianity, from the Greek word gnosis, “knowledge.” The Nag Hammadi codices are 13 leather-bound volumes dated to the mid-fourth century that contain an unprecedented collection of more than 50 texts, including some that had been composed as early as the...

Words: 1590 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Review for Social Studies

...The least important factor for the destruction of the Roman Empire was ___. (a) the rise of self-sufficient manors. (c) the widespread use of slaves. (b) lack of orderly succession to the throne. (d) military strength of the Germanics. The Frankish leader who defeated the Moors at the Battle of Tours was ___. (a) Clovis. (c) Charlemagne. (b) Pepin. (d) Charles Martel. Areas that Charlemagne united within his empire are now part of _____. (a) France and Germany. (c) England and Spain (b) Spain and Portugal. (d) Austria and Russia. An important result of Clovis’ conquests was the _____. (a) spread of Christianity in Europe (b) union of the Western and Eastern Roman empires (c) expulsion of the Moslems from western Europe (d) decline of feudalism in central Europe. The "Dark Ages" in western Europe refers to the period _____. (a) after the creation of the Feudal system (b) soon after the assassination of Julius Caesar (c) followed the collapse of the Roman Empire (d.) strengthening the central authority of Rome within the Empire. Which was not a result of the Germanic invasions of the Roman Empire? (a) Raising the level of civilization (c) Curtailing trade (b) Overthrowing the Roman government (d) Destroying many fine buildings The tithe was _____. (a.) an asylum for the poor. (c.) a monastic order. (b.) a tax levied by the Church. (d.) a special...

Words: 1770 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Nuclear Energy

...Celtic Culture Who are the ancient Celts? The celts are an ancient european culture, first coming to the present day U.K. in the 3rd-5th century.(source #1 / 1) In this essay I will attempt to familiarize you with this ancient culture and their folk beliefs, customs and traditions. The Celts. When people think of them today we tend to associate them with Ireland, and Scotland, but in reality they were a people of vast territory; controlling much of the northern Alps (Source #1 / 1). Why do people tend to associate the Celts with the British Isles? Simply because the current day Island of Britain and the surrounding British isles never came under total control. Prior to Roman expansion into their territory the culture reigned mightily, acquiring the regions of Britain from an earlier people reports (source #1 / 1). Even after the successful invasion of Britain the islands surrounding including Ireland and Scotland remained largely unconquered and a safe haven for Celtic culture. They were fighters, according to (source #2 / 2), the celtic people served as mercenaries for the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. Because of this fighting spirit, the six Celtic languages survived (source #2). This allowed their culture to thrive. It is important to note there are two ethnically diverse and distinctly different groups of people who comprise the “Ancient Celts”. They are the “Gauls (from areas including France) and the Celtiberians (based in Iberia).” (Source #2 / 2). These people all...

Words: 1461 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Africa

...Africa touches another continent; otherwise, it is surrounded by water. The Mediterranean Sea separates it from Europe in the north; the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden lie between it and the Arabian Peninsula to the east. Two vast bodies of water—the Indian Ocean on the eastern side, and the even larger Atlantic on the west—surround the remainder of Africa. A Why Africa is important One of the greatest civilizations of all time, Egypt, was in Africa. Perhaps the only ancient civilizations that can be compared with it are those of Greece and Rome, which were influenced by it. Egypt, of course, has had its own chapter in this series; and Carthage, in North Africa, is also covered elsewhere. The focus of this chapter is entirely on Africa south of the Sahara 283 Map of Africa. XNR Productions. The Gale Group. Desert—that is, sub-Saharan Africa—as well as on the desert itself. That desert would have an impact on African history right up to the modern day; so, too, would the African civilizations of ancient times. There was the kingdom of Kush, which developed its own form of writing and briefly ruled Egypt; the kingdom of Aksum, an important trading center; and the Bantu peoples, who developed ironworking and spread it, along with their languages, throughout the southern part of the African continent. The origins of humankind Though there is much dispute regarding how humankind began, paleoanthropologists (pay-lee-oh-an-throhPAHL-uh-jistz; scientists who study human origins)...

Words: 7373 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Judaism

...Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, before Judaism was born, there were pagan religions. Judaism was created by Abraham whereas every other contemporary of Abraham understood that there were days and nights, stars and sky, the ocean and the land, and they also believed that each were an individual entity. Abraham and God a covenant and God chose the Jewish people to be His people. Abraham was the first to establish Judaism as "religion of the deed, not the religion of the creed. I decided to do this interview on is Judaism. I have always been interested in this religion and was ready to learn more about Judaism and Jewish people beliefs. The temple that where I visit is called Temple B'Nai Israel, spoke to the rabbi of the temple. The religion was maintained despite severe persecutions in many nations. Judaism practices for over six thousand years. According to Simani, the Torah, which is the five books of Moses, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This day stated is the Shabbat. It is observed as the day of rest because God rested from creation”. As an example of how the traditions are founded and practiced many events that are continued are stories from both the oral and written Torah. The written Torah is Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Each book has extensive histories of the Jewish people and is the documentation of this history. The first book is also known as the Breshit. This book describes the creation, Adam...

Words: 1951 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Learning Material

...appreciation, analysis, and performance, for self-development, the celebration of Filipino cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision. grade level STANDARD The learner demonstrates understanding of salient features of Western music and the arts from different historical periods, through appreciation, analysis, and performance for self-development, the celebration of Filipino cultural identity and diversity, and the expansion of one’s world vision. CONTENT STANDARDs The Learner:  demonstrates understanding of art elements and processes by synthesizing and applying prior knowledge and skills  demonstrates understanding that the arts are integral to the development of organizations, spiritual belief, historical events, scientific discoveries, natural disasters/ occurrences and other external phenomenon PERFORMANCE STANDARDs The Learner:  performs/ participates completely in a presentation of a creative impression (verbal/ nonverbal) of a particular artistic period ARTS TEACHERS’ GUIDE  GRADE 9 Unit 1 recognizes the difference and uniqueness of the art styles of the different periods (techniques, process, elements and principles of art) INTRODUCTION In this module...

Words: 32535 - Pages: 131

Premium Essay

World Civilisation

...HUM 1000: WORLD CIVILIZATIONS NOTES BY DR. KAKAI P.W THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF CIVILIZATION IN AFRICA Definition of key terms As we begin this course, it is crucial to first discuss our understanding of the concept ‘civilization’. This is a comparative term which is usually applied in comparison to such words as ‘barbarian’ ‘savage’ and ‘primitive’. In classical antiquity the Europeans used the word ‘barbarian’ to refer to a foreigner who was regarded as inferior (Ogutu and Kenyanchui, An Introduction To African History, 1991 p33). Do you think this is still the way we use the word barbarian? The Latin speakers referred to hunters, food-gatherers as savage. In the 17th century this term ‘savage’ referred to a person without art, literacy, or society who lived in fear of existence and death. ‘Primitive’ on the other hand, in Latin meant ‘the first or original’. Europeans used these words interchangeably when referring to non-Europeans while the word civilization was preserved to describe historical developments of European people (ibid). Now the term civilization is no longer confined to the above development but also extends reference to non-European communities. Attributes of civilization includes observance to law, belonging to an organized society, having a society of literate people with advanced developments in urbanization, agriculture, commerce, arts and technology. The French thinkers of the 18th century referred to a person of the arts and literature...

Words: 29345 - Pages: 118

Premium Essay

“God Is Not Yet Dead”

...“GOD IS NOT YET DEAD” The pervasive presence and usages of religion in all the spheres of contemporary social life. INTRODUCTION : Arguments for and against the existence of God have been proposed by philosophers, theologians, scientists, and others for thousands of years. In philosophical terms, such arguments involve primarily the disciplines of epistemology (the nature and scope of knowledge) and ontology (study of the nature of being, existence, or reality) and also the theory of value, since concepts of perfection are connected to notions of God. A wide variety of arguments exist which can be categorized as metaphysical, logical, empirical, or subjective. Does God exist? Is there a god? The existence of God is subject to lively debate in philosophy, the philosophy of religion, and popular culture. The Western tradition of philosophical discussion of the existence of God began with Plato and Aristotle, who made arguments that would now be categorized as cosmological. The field of theodicy arose from attempts to answer this question. Other arguments for the existence of God have been proposed by St. Anselm, who formulated the first ontological argument; Ibn Rushd (Averroes) and Aquinas, who presented their own versions of the cosmological argument (the kalam argument and the first way, respectively); Descartes, who said that the existence of a benevolent God was logically necessary for the evidence of the senses to be meaningful; and Immanuel Kant, who argued that the...

Words: 3681 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Business

...A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.[note 1] Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that aim to explain the meaning of life, the origin of life, or the Universe. From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people may derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle. Many religions may have organized behaviors, clergy, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, holy places, and scriptures. The practice of a religion may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of a deity, gods, or goddesses), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religions may also contain mythology.[1] The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with faith or set of duties;[2] however, in the words of Émile Durkheim, religion differs from private belief in that it is "something eminently social".[3] A global 2012 poll reports 59% of the world's population as "religious" and 36% as not religious, including 13% who are atheists, with a 9% decrease in religious belief from 2005.[4] On average, women are "more religious" than men.[5] Some people follow multiple religions or multiple religious principles at the same time, regardless of whether or not the religious principles they follow traditionally...

Words: 7947 - Pages: 32

Free Essay

Dreams

...Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.[1] The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, as well as a subject of philosophical and religious interest, throughout recorded history. The scientific study of dreams is called oneirology.[2] Dreams mainly occur in the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep—when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. REM sleep is revealed by continuous movements of the eyes during sleep. At times, dreams may occur during other stages of sleep. However, these dreams tend to be much less vivid or memorable.[3] The length of a dream can vary; they may last for a few seconds, or approximately 20–30 minutes.[3] People are more likely to remember the dream if they are awakened during the REM phase. The average person has three to five dreams per night, but some may have up to seven dreams in one night.[4] The dreams tend to last longer as the night progresses. During a full eight-hour night sleep, most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM.[5] In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the...

Words: 6296 - Pages: 26

Free Essay

Introduction and General Remarks for Ancient China

...1 ANCIENT CHINA 1 Introduction and General Remarks for Ancient China Ancient civilizations of the Egyptians and Mesopotamians have long disappeared, but Ancient Chinese civilization and its transformation to modern times has lasted as the largest and most enduring one in human history. This is even more remarkable when observing the numerous leitmotifs of the Chinese society that were inaugurated so long ago, and many of these themes still resonate today. Ancestral worship, the Mandate of Heaven, and the numerous philosophical ideas, especially of Confucius, have been practiced or used for thousands of years. Remote and mysterious are two adjectives that Western Society has applied to China until recently. China is the only civilization where western thought had no influence until modern times, and also practically the only large region in the world where western men never ruled. For westerners, Chinese customs seem reversed to theirs. White is the color of mourning for the Chinese not black, and for them the left side is one of honor not the right side. Writing is read vertically from the top right-hand corner downward. These few differences reveal that Chinese culture evolved independently of western influences. One can only marvel at the longevity of Chinese civilization. Influence of Geography 2 Geography has played an important role in Chinese History as in most ancient, medieval, and modern cultures. While 85% of China is arid or inaccessible steppes...

Words: 3234 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Influence of Religion on African Culture.

...important aspects of Africa’s Traditional Religions and cultures that cut across the entire continent. This essay is based on various researches done by prominent scholars, historical background of Africa, news and books relevant to African studies. This report attempts to define religion, culture, and explores the major religions, African Traditional Religion (ATR), Christianity and Islam and their influence and impact on African culture. Africa is one of the World’s six continents. It is the second largest and second most populous continent after Asia. Other continents include; Asia, America-North, America-South, Australia, Europe. Geologically, Present-day Africa, occupying one-fifth of Earth's land surface, is the central remnant of the ancient southern supercontinent called Gondwanaland, a landmass once made up of South America, Australia, Antarctica, India, and Africa. This massive supercontinent broke apart...

Words: 3933 - Pages: 16