medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
That
> "mystery"
> terminology was widely used in early Jewish (e.g. Philo) as well as
> early
> Christian (e.g. Paul, the Alexandrians after Philo) circles is clear.
> What
> it meant to the participants, or to the onlookers, or to the "popular
> image" doubtless varied greatly. Simple answers will not suffice. If
> Christianity had not survived, and was only known from its early
> sources
> that have survived, we would probably deal with it in association
> with
> other "mystery religions" of the Greco-Roman world -- not all of
> which
> were equally "mysterious"! The category itself is insufficiently
> nuanced.
>
> Bob
Dr Bob speaks the truth. The term 'mystery' is, and always has been,
common in Christian theology and liturgy; but whether the term means,
and has meant, the same to Christians as it did to other religions, is
open to question. The Latin 'sacramentum' usually, though not always,
translates the Greek 'mysterion'; 'the holy mysteries' is still a
common enough term for the Eucharist; the celebrant says at the
Elevation 'Let us proclaim the mystery of faith'; Saint Paul wrote
'Great indeed . . . is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested
in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among
the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.' If you want
to call Christianity a 'mystery' religion, it is not difficult to find
the terminology to justify your wish.
Dr Bill.
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