Celtic Religion Research Paper

There was a written Celtic language, but it developed well into Christian times, so for much of Celtic history they relied on oral transmission of culture, primarily through the efforts of bards and poets. These arts were tremendously important to the Celts, and much of what we know of their traditions comes to us today through the old tales and poems that were handed down for generations before eventually being written down. Druids Another area where oral traditions were important was in the training of Druids. There has been a lot of nonsense written about Druids, but they were a curious lot; a sort of super-class of priests, political advisors, teachers, healers, and arbitrators.

Both Mesopotamian and Egyptian religion was polytheistic (belief in many gods), and the religion was an important part of their life. Gods in Mesopotamia and Egypt were identified with forces of nature. Both Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilians believed in afterlife and buried tools with a dead body. Both civilizations created a new system of numbers; based on sixty in Mesopotamia and ten in Egypt. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt developed their own writing system to keep records and to share the knowledge (Cuneiform and Hieroglyphics).

Hills were considered the “houses of rain gods” that controlled water, lightning, and thunder. “In Mesoamerican history and mythology… there existed and still persists today the belief in a supernatural being, the lord of nature, of mountains and valleys, of vegetation, of the rivers and springs that give life…” (Ortiz 2000:86). Their beliefs in turn shows the importance of ritual ceremonies and how important certain sacred places are.

Sweat lodges are distinctively Native American and it highlights the Native Americans’ identity. Sweat lodge is an important ritual because it purifies and heal the mind and body and acts as a rite of passage, however, it now also acts as a space for a pan-native identity, connecting many Native Americans from different tribes together, but it must also contend with the government, and the appropriation of their ritual and the problems that arises from non-native participating in their rituals. One of the most

Religion played an important role in civilization as government laws and divine kingship derived from it. Both civilizations were quite similar, but acquired some differences unique to each civilization. These differences include the environment, divine kingship, and sense of security from either nature or law. The idea and practices of ancient Mesopotamia originated from the Sumerians. Moreover, both Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilization diffused their practices and ideas to other ancient civilizations like the Hebrews and the Greeks.

There were many ancient civilizations that conveyed their religious beliefs, spirituality, and worldviews through their architecture, decorations, and other artistic mediums. The three cultures that stand out the most in regards to their beliefs being conveyed through architecture and art are Cahokia, Nubia, and India. Cahokia was a Mississippian civilization located in what is modern day North America. One of the unique cultural aspects within their government, known as the chiefdom, was the way in which the ruler of Cahokia was treated in regards to their gods. In a chiefdom, the ruler is hereditary and the chiefdom is based on a gift-giving and communal culture.

The Kwakiutl tribe is part of the Kwakwaka 'wakw, a group of Native American tribes living in the Northwestern region of North America. The Kwakiutl have a rich culture and a history of tension with the government of British Columbia. Sculptures, paintings, theatre, music, dance, and oratory performances are all part of Kwakiutl culture. Many of these are based upon their religion. For example, wintertime is full of religious-intensive activity, including performances that depicted dramatizations of myth-time events.

Over the years the Mexican health beliefs has been influenced by tradition, Indian supernatural rituals, and a strong influence of European folk medicine from Spain. Throughout Latin America these beliefs and practices are shared widely. The health system is all very close related to the culture just as anything they do as a distinct race of people. Health to the Mexican people is seen as a gift from God, however; illness is always looked at imbalance from an outside force. So in hind sight it is seen as God punishing one for their sins.

Pentagrams and Pentacles are among the world’s most ancient spiritual symbols. They have been revered as sacred religious symbols by various ancient tradition (including ancient Greek, Egyptian, Celtic, and Babylonian), as well as several contemporary religious traditions such as Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism. In numerous cultures pentagrams and pentacles have been used as symbols of protection. However, they are also one the most misunderstood symbols. In all of their configurations, they have been mistakenly understood and demonized, especially when they are inverted.

Odinism: "is a pre-Christian, pagan, polytheistic religion involving the worship of Norse and Germanic gods, especially Odinism is a pre-Christian, pagan, polytheistic religion involving the worship of Norse and Germanic gods, especially Odin, the chief god. Odinism was the religion of the Vikings, who primarily lived in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland, and whose influence was felt in other parts of Europe, including Scotland, Ireland and England. The Vikings are also said to have sailed to North America. The oral traditions of the Odinists are recorded in a set of books called the Eddas. Followers of this religion regard nature as the true manifestation of the divine and believe that man is inherently good.

Lucius was a descendent. His culture worshiped the gods and goddess of earth. For example, Tin or Tina, the sky, uni his wife, cel, etc. You can see a lot of their heroes in their art. For the Etruscan to believe the gods and, to know how the gods influenced them it was shown to them in oracles.

Ancient polytheistic societies incorporated religious ideas which involved a plethora of gods and goddesses, of which many were linked to certain human appeals or sacrifices. Similarities between various groups such as Roman, Greek, and other Near Eastern deities typified the universal ideology that gods and goddesses controlled the world and were often associated with elemental forces as well as fertility and love (Damrosch & Pike, 2009, p. 17-18). Appealing to goddesses for crops and provisions was a common characteristic of people during ancient times since it was commonly believed that the continuance of life and avoidance of disfavor depended on the goddesses’ connective interactions with humanity. As noted in both Egyptian and Babylonian

The Protestant Reformation The Protestant Reformation was a major 16th century European movement aimed to change the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. In northern and central Europe, reformers such as, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII challenged and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to explain Christian practice. They wanted political and religious redistribution of power to Bible- and pamphlet- reading pastors or princes. This caused many wars, persecutions, and the “Counter-Reformation.”