Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity
Polymnia Athanassiadi and Michael Frede (eds), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999
Description
In this book distinguished experts from a range of disciplines (Orientalists, philologists, philosophers, theologians and historians) address a central problem which lies at the heart of the religious and philosophical debate of late antiquity. Paganism was not a unified tradition and consequently the papers cover a wide social and intellectual spectrum. Particular emphasis is given to several aspects of the topic: first, monotheistic belief in late antique philosophical ideals and its roots in classical antiquity and the Near East; second, monistic Gnosticism; third, the revelatory tradition as expressed in oracular literature; and finally, the monotheistic trend in popular religion.
(Text from the publisher)
Table of contents
Introduction
Towards Monotheism
Monotheism and Pagan Philosophy
Monotheism in the Gnostic Tradition
The Cult of Theos Hypsistos
The Chaldean Oracles
The Speech of Praetextatus
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