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Early Christianity developed in Roman Judea and in the milieu of Hellenistic Judaism, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries leading an underground existence as an illicit mystery religion, in the 4th century undergoing syncretism with Roman imperial cult and Hellenistic philosophy, a process completed by AD 391 with the ban on pagan cults by Theodosius I. Image File history File links Circle-question-red. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... The term Early Christianity here refers to Christianity of the period after the Death of Jesus in the early 30s and before the First Council of Nicaea in 325. ... Iudaea Province in the 1st century Iudaea was a Roman province that extended over Judaea (Palestine). ... Hellenistic Judaism was a movement in the early (pre-70 AD) Jewish diaspora attempting to establish the Hebraic-Jewish religious tradition within the culture and language of Hellenism. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Hellenistic philosophy is the period of Western philosophy that was developed in the Hellenistic civilization following Aristotle and ending with Neo-Platonism. ... Events All non-Christian temples in the Roman Empire are closed Quintus Aurelius Symmachus is urban prefect in Rome, and petitions Theodosius I to re-open the pagan temples. ... Look up pagan, heathen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An engraving depicting what Theodosius may have looked like, ca. ...

Christianity was both greatly influenced by, and exerted influence on, non-Christian (pagan) cults and mythologies. In the course of the Christianisation of Europe in the Early Middle Ages, the Church adopted many elements of national cult and folk religion, resulting in national Churches like Latin, Germanic, Russian, Armenian and so on. The historical phenomenon of Christianization, the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once (a political shift as much as a spontaneous mass shift in individual consciences), also includes the practice of converting pagan cult practices, pagan religious imagery, pagan sites and the pagan calendar... Folk religion consists of beliefs, superstitions and rituals transmitted from generation to generation of a specific culture. ... The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a nation. ... The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. ...

Reformation intended to go back to the state of Early Christianity, discarding such flavours, and Restorationists like Jehovah's Witnesses continue to argue that "mainstream Christianity" has departed from "original" Christianity due, in part, to such pagan influences. The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      For other usages, see...

Pagan influence on Christianity

Three layers of pagan influence on the Christian Church may be distinguished:

1. Influence on the New Testament narrative and doctrine itself. This is mainly located in Hellenistic mystery religions such as Mithraism, partly inspired by Ancient Egyptian religion, as well as the mythology of the Old Testament, but Buddhism is also named as a possible influence
2. influence on Christian dogma in Late Antiquity, that is, the doctrine of the Church Fathers in the 4th and 5th century, the Nicene and Chalcedonian creeds, including the questions of the Trinity and Christology. A strong influence here was Roman imperial cult, Hellenistic philosophy, notably Neoplatonism, and Gnosticism. Christological disputes continued to dominate Christian theology well into the Early Middle Ages, down to the Third Council of Constantinople of AD 680.
3. influences of pagan religions Christianized in the Early Middle Ages. This includes Germanic paganism, Celtic paganism, Slavic paganism and folk religion in general.

A mystery religion is any religion with an arcanum, or body of secret wisdom. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Egyptian goddess Isis Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the beliefs and rituals of Ancient Egypt. ... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which corresponds to the Protestant Old Testament. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Late Antiquity is a rough periodization (c. ... The Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. ... Icon depicting the Holy Fathers of the First Council of Nicaea holding the Nicene Creed. ... The Chalcedonian Creed was adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in Asia Minor. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christianity, the doctrine... Christology is a field of study within Christian theology which is concerned with the nature of Jesus the Christ. ... Hellenistic philosophy is the period of Western philosophy that was developed in the Hellenistic civilization following Aristotle and ending with Neo-Platonism. ... Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Sixth Ecumenical Council met on November 7, 680 for its first session; it ended its meetings, said to have been eighteen in number, on September 16 of 681. ... Justinians wife Theodora and her retinue, in a 6th century mosaic from the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. ... ROSIE IS A GERMN LADYGermanic paganism refers to the religion of the Germanic nations preceding Christianization. ... Celtic polytheism (also called Druidic polytheism) is the term for the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Celts. ... Slavic mythology and Slavic religion evolved over more than 3,000 years. ... Folk religion consists of beliefs, superstitions and rituals transmitted from generation to generation of a specific culture. ...

Influence on New Testament narrative

Main article: Jesus Christ and comparative mythology

Assertions of pagan influences on Christianity have been made since the beginning of the Christian era. Justin Martyr made the following defense against the assertion that Jesus Christ was modeled after the Greek god, Bacchus. The study of Jesus from a mythographical perspective is the examination of the narrative of Jesus, the Christ (the Anointed) of the gospels, Christian theology and folk Christianity as a central part of Christian mythology. ... Justin Martyr (also Justin the Martyr, Justin of Caesarea, Justin the Philosopher) (100–165) was an early Christian apologist and saint. ... Bacchus is the name of: The Greek god of wine and fertility, Dionysus, known also as Eleutherios (a. ...

Be well assured, then, Trypho, that I am established in the knowledge of and faith in the Scriptures by those counterfeits which he who is called the devil is said to have performed among the Greeks; just as some were wrought by the Magi in Egypt, and others by the false prophets in Elijah's days. For when they tell that Bacchus, son of Jupiter, was begotten by intercourse with Semele, and that he was the discoverer of the vine; and when they relate, that being torn in pieces, AND HAVING DIED, HE ROSE AGAIN, AND ASCENDED TO HEAVEN; and when they introduce wine into his mysteries, do I not perceive that the devil has imitated the prophecy announced by the patriarch Jacob, and recorded by Moses? ^[1]

Influence on early Christian theology

Main article: Hellenic philosophy and Christianity

There was a complex interaction between Hellenic philosophy and Christianity during the early years of the church, particularly the first four centuries A.D.-1...

Christianity originated in the Roman province of Judah, an Aramaic culture with traditional philosophies and modes of thought distinct from the Classical Greek thought which was dominant in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ and centuries following. However, Judah itself was already Hellenized in the first century, and the "Hebrew Bible" most commonly used was the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the original Hebrew scriptures. Judah (יְהוּדָה Praise, Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəhûḏāh) is the name of several Biblical and historical figures. ... The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brentons Greek edition and English translation. ...

The conflict between the two modes of thought is recorded in scripture, in Paul's encounters with Epicurian and Stoic philosophers in Acts [1], his diatribe against Greek philosophy in 1st Corinthians[2], and his warning against philosophy in Colossians 2:8[3]. Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus (c340-c270 BC), founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. ... Stoicism is a school of philosophy commonly associated with such Greek philosophers as Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, or Chrysippus and with such later Romans as Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus. ...

Over time, however, as Christianity spread throughout the Hellenic world, an increasing number of church leaders were educated in Greek philosophy, leading to a fusion of the two modes of thought. Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Greek philosophy focused on the role of reason and inquiry. ...

One early Christian writer of the second and early third century, Clement of Alexandria, demonstrated the assimilation of Greek thought in writing: "Philosophy has been given to the Greeks as their own kind of Covenant, their foundation for the philosophy of Christ ... the philosophy of the Greeks ... contains the basic elements of that genuine and perfect knowledge which is higher than human ... even upon those spiritual objects." ^[2] Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a... Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ...

Augustine of Hippo, who ultimately systematized Christian philosophy, wrote in the 4th and early fifth century: "But when I read those books of the Platonists I was taught by them to seek incorporeal truth, so I saw your 'invisible things, understood by the things that are made' ^[3]. “Augustinus” redirects here. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A Christian () is a... The philosopher Socrates about to take poison hemlock as ordered by the court. ... Platonic idealism is the theory that the substantive reality around us is only a reflection of a higher truth. ...

St. Augustine was originally a Manichaean.

When Christians first encountered Manichaeism, it seemed to them to be a heresy, as it had originated in a heavily Gnostic area of the Persian empire. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) converted to Christianity from Manichaeism. Until the 20th century, most of the Western world's concept of Manichaeism came through Augustine's negative polemics against it. According to his Confessions of St. Augustine, after eight or nine years of adhering to the Manichaean faith (as a member of the Manichaean group of "hearers"), he became a Christian and a potent adversary of Manichaeism. It is speculated by some modern scholars (Alfred Adam, for example), that Manichaean ways of thinking had an influence on the development of some of Augustine's Christian ideas, such as the nature of good and evil, the idea of hell, the separation of groups into elect, hearers, and sinners, the hostility to the flesh and sexual activity, and so on. Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1072 KB)Tiffany stained-glass window of St. ... Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1072 KB)Tiffany stained-glass window of St. ... “Augustinus” redirects here. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the old Persian homeland, and beyond in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. ... “Augustinus” redirects here. ... The word Confessions has several meanings: Confessions is a series of books composed by St. ...

How much long-term influence the Manichaeans actually had on Christianity is still being debated. It has been suggested that the Bogomils, Paulicians, and the Cathars were deeply influenced by Manichaeism. However, the Bogomils and Cathars, in particular, left few records of their rituals or doctrines, and the link between them and Manichaeans is tenuous. Regardless of its historical accuracy the charge of Manichaeism was levelled at them by contemporary orthodox opponents, who often tried to fit contemporary heresies with those combatted by the church fathers. The Paulicians, Bogomils, and Cathars were certainly dualists and felt that the world was the work of a demiurge of Satanic origin (Cross), but whether this was due to influence from Manichaeism or another strand of Gnosticism is impossible to determine. Only a minority of Cathars held that the evil god (or principle) was as powerful as the good god (also called a principle) as Mani did, a belief also known as absolute dualism. In the case of the Cathars, it seems they adopted the Manichaean principles of church organization, but none of its religious cosmology. Priscillian and his followers apparently tried to absorb what they thought was the valuable part of Manichaeaism into Christianity. Bogomilism is the Gnostic dualistic sect, the synthesis of Armenian Paulicianism and the local Slavonic Church reform movement in Bulgaria between 950 and 1396 and in the Byzantine Empire between 1018 and 1186. ... Paulicianism was a Gnostic and Manichaean Christian sect that florished between 650 and 872 in Anatolia, outgoing from Armenia and the Eastern Themes of the Byzantine Empire. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Catharism. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Demiurge, The Craftsman or Creator, in some belief systems, is the deity responsible for the creation of the physical universe. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Religious cosmologies are ways of explaining the history and evolution of the universe based, at least in part, on the acceptance of principles that cannot be justified by accepted scientific arguments (those are otherwise generally considered via physical cosmology). ... Priscillian of Avila (died 385) was a Spanish theologian and the founder of a party which advocated strong asceticism. ...

Influence on Christian liturgy and ritual

Lisa Ann Bargeman asserts that many Christian rituals and beliefs, particularly Roman Catholic ones, may have been borrowed from ancient Egyptian traditions. She compares the Bible with the Egyptian sacred text, The Book of the Dead; she further cites similarities between specific themes and ceremonial practices to argue that Christianity directly evolved from the beliefs of the Egyptians.^[4]

Others believe that the relationship was more indirect, passing through Hellenic and Roman adaptations of the Egyptian traditions. For example, the cult of Isis was popular in the Roman Empire in the form of a Hellenized adaption of Egyptian ritual. This cult believed that Isis gave virgin birth to Horus (she was often portrayed suckling the infant Horus). It also believed in the resurrection of Osiris, who thereupon became the Judge of sinners. The use of holy water, in turn, was similar to the water from the Nile that was kept in a cistern as a protection against evil.^[5] Isis is a goddess in Egyptian mythology. ... This page is about the Egyptian deity. ... Typical depiction of Osiris Osiris (Greek language, also Usiris; the Egyptian language name is variously transliterated Asar, Aser, Ausar, Wesir, or Ausare) is the Egyptian god of life, death, and fertility. ...

It has been suggested that Christianity originated as a mystery religion, a secret cult of initiates. According to this view, Christianity began as a Jewish adaptation of Greek mystery religion, and that Paul developed Christianity in another, more public, Hellenized direction, ultimately more acceptable to mainstream Roman culture. Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

...knowledge of the Mystery religions is important for any serious study of the history of Christianity. It is well-nigh impossible to grasp Christianity through and through without knowledge of these cults. It must be remembered, as implied above, that Christianity was not a sudden and miraculous transformation, springing, forth full grown as Athene sprang from the head of Zeus, but it is a composite of slow and laborious growth.

^[6]

Mithraism is most famous because of suggestions that it was a rival of or resembled early Christianity. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

There is much debate on whether Christianity is a re-branded version of many Mithraic beliefs. Ernest Renan, in The Origins of Christianity, promoted the idea that Mithraism was the prime competitor to Christianity in the second through the fourth centuries, although some scholars feel the written claims that the emperors Nero, Commodus, Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and the Tetrarchs were initiates are dubious as there is little evidence that Mithraic worship was accorded official status as a Roman cult. Ernest Renan (February 28, 1823–October 12, 1892) was a French philosopher and writer. ... The 2nd century is the period from 101 - 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... Nero[1] Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37 – June 9, 68)[2], born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus (August 31, 161 – December 31, 192) was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 180 to 192. ... Lucius Septimius Severus (b. ... Caracalla (April 4, 186 – April 8, 217) was Roman Emperor from 211 – 217. ... The Tetrarchs, a porphyry sculpture sacked from a Byzantine palace in 1204 CE, Treasury of St. ...

A better determinant of borrowing, is to compare core doctrines between Christianity and Mithraism. The adoption of imagery or icons or festivals is fairly peripheral (such as the adoption by Christendom of winter solstice or Saturnalia festivals as Christmas) but seldom reflects basic religious tenets. A further example of this is the various Gnostic cults (such as the Marcionites and Valentinians) which adopted the personage of Jesus or the concept of a Savior, yet did not adopt the underlying doctrinal elements. For other uses, see Saturnalia (disambiguation). ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Marcionism is a sect founded in A.D. 144 at Rome by Marcion of Sinope. ... Valentinius more usually called Valentinus (c. ...

The similarities (particularly the iconographical ones) that occur between Christianity and Mithraism are due to a number of different factors. Perhaps the best examination of the complexity of trying to identify these factors can be found in the article, “Christ and Mithra”, which was written by Samuel Laeuchli. Laeuchli offers four potential explanations as to the nature of these similarities. Laeuchli writes that it is important to distinguish that the four explanations must be constantly weighed against one another because more than one possible connection could be involved. It is therefore impossible to consider any of the following ideas as being one more ‘correct’ than another. However, each of the following explanation is valid reasons and suggests that any one or more of these factors could lead to the similarities between Mithraism and Christianity. Something else that one needs to take into consideration is the fact that there is a lack of information on Mithraism that scholars could access, compared to what is known about Christianity. It is also important to remember that Mithraism was neither static nor homogeneous. Therefore, Mithraism from the second century is quite different than Mithraism from the third century. Likewise, just as Christianity varied from one region of the Roman Empire to the other, so too did Mithraism. ^[7]

Medieval Christian mythology

Further information: Christian mythology and Germanic Christianity

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. This article has been tagged since May 2007.

• Idolatry in Christianity
• Folk Catholicism
• Veneration
• Patron saint
• Intercession of saints
• Saint symbology
• All Saints
• All Souls' Day
• Christmas
  • Father Christmas
  • Yule
  • Christmas controversy
• Easter egg
• Carnival
• Reliquary
  • True Cross
  • Holy Foreskin
• Witch-hunt

Christian mythology is the body of traditional narrative associated with Christianity. ... By Germanic Christianity is that phase in the history of Northern Europe understood, when the Germanic peoples of the Migration period and Viking Age adopted Christianity. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Idolatry, in Christian theology, is the worship of a created object rather than the true God. ... Folk Catholicism are varieties of Catholicism deviating from official Roman Catholic Church doctrine. ... Veneration is a religious symbolic act giving honor to someone by honoring an image of that person, particularly applied to saints. ... Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes. ... Intercession of the saints is a Christian doctrine common to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. ... Saint symbology was important to people who couldnt read because they can figure out what symbols mean. ... The festival of All Saints, also sometimes known as All Saints Day, All Hallows or Hallowmas (hallows meaning saints, and mas meaning Mass), is a feast celebrated in the honour of all the saints, known and unknown. ... All Souls Day (also the Feast of All Souls, Commemoration of the Faithful Departed; formal Catholic name: Commemoratio omnium Fidelium Defunctorum (Latin), Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed), also called Defuncts Day in Mexico and Belgium, is the day set apart in Western Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church but... Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... Excerpt from Josiah Kings The Examination and Tryal of Father Christmas (1686), published shortly after Christmas was reinstated as a holy day in England Father Christmas is the name used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and several other Commonwealth countries, for the gift-bringing figure of Christmas... Yule is the winter solstice celebration of the Scandinavian Norse mythology and Germanic pagans. ... Christmas controversy refers to publicized controversy surrounding the public acknowledgement or celebration of the Christmas holiday in media, advertising, government, and various secular environments. ... Fabergé egg Easter eggs are specially decorated eggs given out to celebrate the Easter holiday or springtime. ... Carnival or Carnivale is an annual Christian festival season. ... For the band Reliquary, click here. ... According to Christian tradition, the True Cross is the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. ... 11th-century portrait of Jesus. ... A witch-hunt is a search for suspected witches; it is a type of moral panic. ...

Mystery plays

The passion plays of Christianity had their counterpart in pagan mystery plays, the most famous of which were the Eleusinian mystery cults which originated in Attica. A Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the suffering and death of Jesus. ...

Christian positions towards paganism

Further information: Christianisation, Evangelization, and Heresy

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. This article has been tagged since May 2007.

• Virtuous pagan
• Mission (Christian)
• Historical persecution by Christians
• Christian views on magic
• Crusades
• European colonization of the Americas
• Christianity and world religions
  • Christianity and Islam
  • Christianity and Buddhism

The historical phenomenon of Christianization, the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once (a political shift as much as a spontaneous mass shift in individual consciences), also includes the practice of converting pagan cult practices, pagan religious imagery, pagan sites and the pagan calendar... Evangelism is the proclaiming of the Christian Gospel. ... Look up Heresy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Virtuous paganism is a concept of Christian theology parallel to the Righteous Among the Nations in Judaism. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Christians have at times persecuted non-Christians or adherents of other Christian denominations on the basis of conflicts in their religious beliefs. ... Christian views on witchcraft vary widely across denominational and individual barriers, and are often influenced by scriptural, theological, and historical considerations. ... The Siege of Antioch, from a medieval miniature painting, during the First Crusade. ... Territories in the Americas colonized or claimed by a European great power in 1750. ... Christianity and world religions appear to share some elements. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Parallels between Christianity and Buddhism have been noted across the ages by scholars but are now being more widely appreciated as individuals search accessible Buddhist scriptures in ancient and modern languages. ...

See also

Topics of Christianity and Paganism:

• Constantine I and Christianity
• Germanic Christianity
• Historical persecution by Christians
• Persecution of Christians
• Orthopraxy
• Liturgy
• Sacrifice
• Temple
• The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors

The relationship between Constantine I and Christianity entails both the nature of the conversion of the emperor to Christianity, and his relations with the Christian Church. ... By Germanic Christianity is that phase in the history of Northern Europe understood, when the Germanic peoples of the Migration period and Viking Age adopted Christianity. ... Christians have at times persecuted non-Christians or adherents of other Christian denominations on the basis of conflicts in their religious beliefs. ... A Converted British Family sheltering a Christian Priest from the Persecution of the Druids, an imaginary scene of persecution by druids in ancient Britain painted by William Holman Hunt. ... Orthopraxy is a term derived from Greek meaning correct practice. It refers to accepted religious practices and may include both ritual practices as well as interpersonal acts. ... A liturgy is the customary public worship of a religious group, according to their particular traditions. ... Marcus Aurelius and members of the Imperial family offer sacrifice in gratitude for success against Germanic tribes: contemporary bas-relief, Capitoline Museum, Rome For other uses, see Sacrifice (disambiguation). ... Temple of Hephaestus, an Doric Greek temple in Athens with the original entrance facing east, 449 BC (western face depicted) For other uses, see Temple (disambiguation). ... The Worlds Sixteen Crucified Saviors, or Christianity Before Christ was an 1875 book written by 19th century lecturer and sceptic Kersey Graves. ...

References

1. ^ Justin Martyr http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-dialoguetrypho.html
2. ^ Clement of Alexandria. Miscellanies 6. 8
3. ^ Augustine of Hippo. Confessions 7. 20
4. ^ Bargeman, Lisa. "The Egyptian Origins of Christianity"
5. ^ Painter, Douglas. Pagan Influences in Christian Culture: The Hidden Legacy. http://www.litjournal.com/docs/fea_pagan2.html
6. ^ Martin Luther King Jr. "The Influence of the Mystery Religions on Christianity" http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/papers/vol1/500215-The_Influence_of_the_Mystery_Religions_on_Christianity.htm
7. ^ Laeuchli, Samuel (1967). in Laeuchli, Samuel: “Christ and Mithra”, in Mithraism in Ostia: Mystery Religion and Christianity in the Ancient Port of Rome. Northwestern University Press.  pp. 88.

Further reading

• Bible Myths and Their Parallels in Other Religions, T.W. Doane, 1882. Reprinted by Health Research, Mokelumne Hill, CA., 1985. 589 pp.
• Christianity Before Christ, John G. Jackson, 1985. American Atheist Press, Austin, Texas. 237 pp.
• The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ, or Natural Genesis and Typology of Equinoctial Christolatry, Gerald Massey, 1886. Reprinted by Health Research, Mokelumne Hill, CA. 224 pp.
• The Jesus Mysteries: Was the "Original Jesus" a Pagan God? Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy, 1999, Harmony Books, New York. 343 pp.
• The Mystery Religions and Christianity, Samuel Angus, 1966. University Books, New York, NY. 359 pp.
• Pagan and Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning, Edward Carpenter, 1921. Harcourt, Brace & Co., New York, NY. Reprinted by Health Research, Mokelumne Hill, CA., 1975. 319 pp.
• Pagan Christs, J. M. Robertson, 1966. Dorset Press, New York, NY. 171 pp.