Hellenismos is the traditional polytheistic religion of ancient Greece, reconstructed and adopted to the modern world.
On the one hand, this means a close link to the spiritual and ethical values of ancient Greece, on the other hand a permanent dynamic adjustment to today's needs.
Hellenic religion is mainly built on three "columns":
In Hellenismos, you won't find "theology" in the sense of authoritative teachings about the Gods or other issues of faith, nor obligatory tenets of belief, because those also didn't exist in Antiquity, but you will find theology in the sense of "speech about the gods" (Platon, rep. 2.379a), which of course can be found in all three "columns", and in reconstructionist methodology of Hellenismos theology is regarded as a scientific approach to the sources and their interpretations, and to mythology, philosophy, history (of religion), and to ancient and modern cult practice.
The term cult comprises all acts concerning the worship of the Gods.
In Hellenismos, the religious ritual can be interpreted as a representation of Cosmic Order (κοσμος). Therefore, all "celebrations with ritual character" (εορται) in reconstructed hellenic polytheism can be seen under this aspect 1).
Formally, we distinguish between private and public cult, and concerning cultic expression, between prayer and offering.
Since Hellenismos is concentrated on this world and human life on it, ethical values and rules for living are also derived from human sources. Ancient Greek philosophers, the "friends of wisdom", have been researching on cosmic laws and had out many valuable insights which are still valid for modern life.
Therefore, the study of philosophy is creative interaction with those spiritual ancestors and their in the guidelines for our life.
en/hellenismos/start.txt · Last modified: 2008/08/19 10:57 (external edit)
