Introduction
The role of ancient pre-Western religion is considered to be of crucial importance in the world history. Nevertheless it should be noted that ancient world religion was completely different from what we have now; pre-Western world religion was not institutionalized or standardized through various theologies and practices though it left a significant print on the formation of contemporary religious development.
Pre-Western world and Religion
The development of ancient pre-Western world religion was based upon the principle of fluidity; that is the division of God’s faith local versions. Such countries as Spain, Egypt, Britain and the India developed their own myths and religious traditions; despite this fact Pre-Western world considered its religion as one whole. It is necessary to underline the fact that the basic characteristic of ancient religion was regarded to be the combination of the following aspects:
- Philosophical views in religion;
- Mystery Worship;
- Civic Worship.
The worship was merely focused on believes in Gods perceiving as material, immediate and approachable. The process of sacrifice to God was considered to be the background of success in ancient religion for pre-Western civilization. The old religious tradition was the process of praying and sacrificing fulfilled by ancient priests. (Finegan, 1997)
It is necessary to underline the fact that ancient pre-Western religion was deprived of any ethical or moral interference of influence. “Mysteries”, worship rites, were especially centralized; they meant the development of some personal religious practices and ceremonies initiating worshiped Gods of various Civic religious of that period. Closeness to divine was one of the principal salvation forms in ancient pre-Western religion. (Stewart, 2005)
It is an open secret that religion and revelation have always been considered as inseparable parts. Such religions as Islam, Christianity, and Mormonism are merely focused on the principle of God’s revelation through Prophet or his Son; comparing them to ancient pre-Western religions, it should be noted that in ancient period the “revelation” did not exist. Philosophy was based upon the principles of “religion without revelation” discovery. (Liebeschuetz, 2006)
Ancient Christianity influenced the positions and some traditions of modern religion. The formation of Christian churches traditions is the result of pre-Western philosophical studies and cultural development. People strived to create churches in order to distinguish their sects from all others, distinguishing the role and place of their individual religion.
Conclusion
The analysis of ancient pre-Western religion left a print on the formation of modern major religions of the world. It was found out that ancient civilization underlined religious values being different from modern ones without any focus on ethics or morality. Philosophy is religion development appeared to play an integral part; the aspect of “revelation” appeared to be the basic principle of ancient philosophical studies.
References
Finegan, Jack. Myth and Mystery: An Introduction to Pagan Religions of the Biblical World. Baker Academic. 1997.
Stewart, Dianne. Three Eyes for the Journey. Oxford University Press. 2005.
Liebeschuetz, John. Decline and Change in late Antiquity. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. 2006.