Early Christianity and ancient astrology

by Hegedus, Tim

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Title Statements

Full title :Early Christianity and ancient astrology / Tim Hegedus.

Summary

Early Christianity and Ancient Astrology explores a variety of responses to astrology, the most popular form of divination among early Christians in Greco-Roman antiquity. After a brief overview of ancient astrological theory and a survey of polemical responses to it, this book documents instances in which early Christian writers and communities incorporated astrology positively into their beliefs and practices. This study is of interest to students of early Christianity and of Greco-Roman religion and to those concerned with interfaith relations or with issues of Christian unity and diversity. It is particularly recommended for use in courses on the history of Christianity and on the religions of Greco-Roman antiquity.

"In the first four centuries of its growth within the Roman Empire, Christianity had to contend with astrology both as a culturally entrenched way of thinking about 'the heavens' and as a respected mode of foretelling the future. This book shows how different Christian thinkers confronted this challenge to their claims to a master narrative of salvation and how, in some instances, they effected uneasy compromises with astrological thought. Tim Hegedus is to be commended for making this clash of cultural systems accessible both to theologians and historians of Christianity and to historians of classical antiquity. His explications of the sources are wide-ranging and lucid." (Roger Beck, Professor Emeritus of Classics and Study of Religion, University of Toronto) "Tim Hegedus has woven his sources, ancient and modern, into a lucid, captivating, and, in many ways, new tapestry. It is surprising, for instance, to learn the extent to which some Christians treated astrological references in the Bible in a positive way, and even made use of astrology for their own purposes." (Kevin Coyle, Professor of Patristics and Early Christian History, Saint Paul University (Ottawa)).

Edition Statements

Publication Date:©2007

Publication Statements

Publisher(s):Peter Lang
Place of Publication:New York
Language:eng
Publication Date:©2007

The Physical Object

Description:1 electronic resource (xiv, 396 pages).

Edition Identifiers

ISBN:9781453906187, 1453906185
oclc:ocn785780051
LC Classification:BR115.A82
Dewey Decimal:261.5/13

Table of Contents -- Acknowledgments -- List of Abbreviations -- 1. Introduction -- Greco-Roman Astrology: A Brief Outline -- Greco-Roman Astrology and Early Christianity -- Notes -- Part A: Studies in Early Christian Anti-Astrological Polemic -- Notes -- 2. The Argument of Practical Impossibility -- Notes -- 3. The Argument of Different Destinies -- General Discussion of the Argument -- Astrology in the Early Career of Augustine -- Astrology in Augustineâ€?s -- Augustine and the Argument of Twins -- Augustineâ€?s Knowledge of Astrology

Astrology among the Liberal ArtsNotes -- 4. The Argument of Common Destinies -- Notes -- 5. The Argument of Î?Î¿â€?Î?Î¹Î?Î± Î?Î±Ï?Î²Î±Ï?Î¹ÎðÎ±â€? -- General Discussion of the Argument -- Use of Particular Î?Î¿â€? Î?Î¹Î?Î± Î?Î±Ï?Î²Î±Ï?Î¹ÎðÎ±â€? -- Astrological Geography and Arguments Against it -- Notes -- 6. The Argument from Animals -- Notes -- 7. The Moral Argument -- Astrology Denies Freedom of the Will -- Astrology Overthrows all Systems of Morality and Justice -- Astrology Nullifies Religious Worship and Renders Prayer Useless -- Notes

8. Astrology as the Work of DemonsNotes -- 9. Christian Condemnations of Astrology in a Broader Context -- …

Subjects

Ancient;Astrologie;Astrology;Christiani… Astrologie astrology History Théologie dogmatique -- Histoire -- ca … Theology, Doctrinal -- Early church Theology, Doctrinal -- History -- Early…