Changes

|year=1975

|year=1975

|chapter=6:Possesio and Syncretism in Biblical Perspective

|chapter=6:Possesio and Syncretism in Biblical Perspective

|pages=17, 126-127

|pages=17, 126–127

|isbn=0-87808-423-1

|isbn=0-87808-423-1

|url=http://books.google.no/books?ei=-zCYUNfxFMvmtQbx_IGwCQ&id=QjYQAQAAIAAJ&dq=Yamamori+Christopaganism&q=Syncretism#search_anchor

|url=http://books.google.no/books?ei=-zCYUNfxFMvmtQbx_IGwCQ&id=QjYQAQAAIAAJ&dq=Yamamori+Christopaganism&q=Syncretism#search_anchor

==Semantic Origin==

==Semantic Origin==

The Word ‘''syncretism''’ does not explicitly occur in the Bible. Still, the reality of it was an ever-present phenomenon throughout the biblical history. According to [[Plutarch]], the semantic origin of the term relates to the island of [[Crete]]. The rivalling [[Greek]] tribes there were usually involved in minor warfare against each other. However, as soon as the island was attacked by a common enemy from outside, they suddenly were able to agree on formation of military alliance. Since then the word ‘''syncretism''’ carries a note of ''an opportunistic fraternization without a deeper conviction''. <ref name="Christopaganism"/>

The Word ‘''syncretism''’ does not explicitly occur in the Bible. Still, the reality of it was an ever-present phenomenon throughout the biblical history. According to [[Plutarch]], the semantic origin of the term relates to the island of [[Crete]]. The rivalling [[Greek]] tribes there were usually involved in minor warfare against each other. However, as soon as the island was attacked by a common enemy from outside, they suddenly were able to agree on formation of military alliance. Since then the word ‘''syncretism''’ carries a note of ''an opportunistic fraternization without a deeper conviction''.<ref name="Christopaganism"/>

==Forms of Syncretism==

==Forms of Syncretism==

Hendrick Kraemer, the late missiologist, distinguished between two forms of syncretism that could be found in biblical times as well:<ref name="Christopaganism"/>

Hendrick Kraemer, the late missiologist, distinguished between two forms of syncretism that could be found in biblical times as well:<ref name="Christopaganism"/>

*spontaneous primitive syncretism as a popular religious tendency and

*spontaneous primitive syncretism as a popular religious tendency and

*conscious, philosophical construction of syncretism attempted typically by religious thinkers or by political rulers.{{#tag:ref|cf. Attempts to manipulate (edit) the Scripture by Nazis and proponents of LGBT ideology described in section [[Gnosticism#Gnosticism_Today|Gnosticism Today]].|group=note}}

*conscious, philosophical construction of syncretism attempted typically by religious thinkers or by political rulers.{{#tag:ref|cf. Attempts to manipulate (edit) the Scripture by Nazis and proponents of LGBT ideology described in section [[Gnosticism#Gnosticism Today|Gnosticism Today]].|group=note}}

==Unmasking Syncretism==

==Unmasking Syncretism==

The objective criteria to recognize the pseudo-Christian syncretism are<ref name="Christopaganism"/>:

The objective criteria to recognize the pseudo-Christian syncretism are:<ref name="Christopaganism"/>

*the falseness of prophets is identified by their behavior violating Christian ethics

*the falseness of prophets is identified by their behavior violating Christian ethics

*lack of genuine Christian love

*lack of genuine Christian love

|author=Daniel Krman

|author=Daniel Krman

|year=1708 — 1709

|year=1708 — 1709

|quote=Najprv sa však treba vrátiť k mestu Kráľovcu, skutočne kráľovskému. … Je tu luteránska akadémia, ale niektorí na nej žičia synkretizmu. Rektorom magnifikom bol vtedy verejný profesor matematiky ... Pri tejto príležitosti sa onen profesor pustil do rozhovoru. Medziiným povedal, že reformovaní[93] nemusia veriť to, čo je proti rozumu, ale že veria to, čo je nad rozum. Rozprávali sme sa totiž o sviatostnej prítomnosti Kristovej, z čoho som vyrozumel, že on sám spolu s reformovanými nadŕža synkretizmu, a povedal som, že takto nemusia reformovaní veriť ani v narodenie Kristovo z panny, ani v stvorenie sveta z ničoho, lebo toto je nielen nad, ale aj proti všetkému ľudskému rozumu. … Keď som teda bol navštívil pána doktora von Sandeho, vyzvedal som sa na pomery na akadémii a v cirkvi, a čo sa týka onej večere Pánovej, porozumel som, že tohto synkretizmu sa nedopustilo nijaké veľké zhromaždenie, ale len niekoľko osôb, vari pätnásť z každej stránky, a viacej si cenili lásku k blížnym ako vieru.  

|quote=Najprv sa však treba vrátiť k mestu Kráľovcu, skutočne kráľovskému. … Je tu luteránska akadémia, ale niektorí na nej žičia synkretizmu. Rektorom magnifikom bol vtedy verejný profesor matematiky ... Pri tejto príležitosti sa onen profesor pustil do rozhovoru. Medziiným povedal, že reformovaní[93] nemusia veriť to, čo je proti rozumu, ale že veria to, čo je nad rozum. Rozprávali sme sa totiž o sviatostnej prítomnosti Kristovej, z čoho som vyrozumel, že on sám spolu s reformovanými nadŕža synkretizmu, a povedal som, že takto nemusia reformovaní veriť ani v narodenie Kristovo z panny, ani v stvorenie sveta z ničoho, lebo toto je nielen nad, ale aj proti všetkému ľudskému rozumu. … Keď som teda bol navštívil pána doktora von Sandeho, vyzvedal som sa na pomery na akadémii a v cirkvi, a čo sa týka onej večere Pánovej, porozumel som, že tohto synkretizmu sa nedopustilo nijaké veľké zhromaždenie, ale len niekoľko osôb, vari pätnásť z každej stránky, a viacej si cenili lásku k blížnym ako vieru. Od iných som sa potom dozvedel, že doktor Deutsch, prvý teológ tejto akadémie, súhlasil s týmto synkretistickým prisluhovaním sviatosti večere a že doktor Pesarovič pre obranu ortodoxie upadol do nenávisti u ostatných kolegov teológov a radšej odišiel inde. Na kazateľnici však je nápis zlatými literami: Diligite veritatem et pacem. Anno 1595.[102] Kiežby veru všetci doktori na tento nápis pamätali, nemali by sme na tejto akadémii toľkých synkretistov, ktorých v Examen theologiae novaturientium doktor Calovius[103] menuje a karhá.

Od iných som sa potom dozvedel, že doktor Deutsch, prvý teológ tejto akadémie, súhlasil s týmto synkretistickým prisluhovaním sviatosti večere a že doktor Pesarovič pre obranu ortodoxie upadol do nenávisti u ostatných kolegov teológov a radšej odišiel inde.

Na kazateľnici však je nápis zlatými literami: Diligite veritatem et pacem. Anno 1595.[102] Kiežby veru všetci doktori na tento nápis pamätali, nemali by sme na tejto akadémii toľkých synkretistov, ktorých v Examen theologiae novaturientium doktor Calovius[103] menuje a karhá.

|url=http://zlatyfond.sme.sk/dielo/1249/Krman_Itinerarium-Cestovny-dennik-z-rokov-1708-1709/1#ixzz4BHaMh88S

|url=http://zlatyfond.sme.sk/dielo/1249/Krman_Itinerarium-Cestovny-dennik-z-rokov-1708-1709/1#ixzz4BHaMh88S

|language=Latin (original), Slovak (translation)

|language=Latin (original), Slovak (translation)

}}</ref> Many years later G.K. Chesterton maintained that these human “rational” solutions are less satisfying than the riddles of [[God]].{{#tag:ref| See notes and references in: [[Singularity]]|group=note}}  Still, it is perhaps not a wonder that the syncretistic atmosphere in academic institutions of Königsberg formed the worldview of [[Immanuel Kant]], a forerunner of [[evolutionism]]{{#tag:ref| cf. [[Immanuel_Kant#Philosopher_of_Protestantism_vs._of_Evolutionary_thought| Philosopher of Evolutionary thought]]|group=note}} with Protestant roots, who was born in this town and who in 1740, aged 16, enrolled at the University of Königsberg, where he spent his whole career and where he, on March 31, 1770, aged 45, was appointed Full Professor of [[Logic]] and Metaphysics.<ref>{{cite book  

}}</ref> Many years later G.K. Chesterton maintained that these human “rational” solutions are less satisfying than the riddles of [[God]].{{#tag:ref| See notes and references in: [[Singularity]]|group=note}}  Still, it is perhaps not a wonder that the syncretistic atmosphere in academic institutions of Königsberg formed the worldview of [[Immanuel Kant]], a forerunner of [[evolutionism]]{{#tag:ref| cf. [[Immanuel Kant#Philosopher of Protestantism vs. of Evolutionary thought|Philosopher of Evolutionary thought]]|group=note}} with Protestant roots, who was born in this town and who in 1740, aged 16, enrolled at the University of Königsberg, where he spent his whole career and where he, on March 31, 1770, aged 45, was appointed Full Professor of [[Logic]] and Metaphysics.<ref>{{cite book  

|title=Кант и старый Кёнигсберг (Kant and old Königsberg)

|title=Кант и старый Кёнигсберг (Kant and old Königsberg)

|author=Карль

|author=Карль

}}</ref> Among Kant's syncretistic works are ''The Only Possible Argument in Support of a Demonstration of the Existence of God'' (German: ''Der einzig mögliche Beweisgrund zu einer Demonstration des Daseins Gottes'') where he attacks  [[ontological argument]] for God and the argument from [[intelligent design|design]]. In his neognostic assimilation of Biblical message he argues that matter itself contains the principles which give rise to an ordered universe hence for him the God as Creator is reduced only to an idea.{{#tag:ref|cf. [[Docetism]]|group=note}} The empiricist [[Alfred Nobel]] found Kant's ''[[metaphysics]]'' hard to digest and ironically concluded that "Kant's style is so heavy that after his ''pure reason'' the reader longs for ''unreasonableness''."<ref>{{cite web

}}</ref> Among Kant's syncretistic works are ''The Only Possible Argument in Support of a Demonstration of the Existence of God'' (German: ''Der einzig mögliche Beweisgrund zu einer Demonstration des Daseins Gottes'') where he attacks  [[ontological argument]] for God and the argument from [[intelligent design|design]]. In his neognostic assimilation of Biblical message he argues that matter itself contains the principles which give rise to an ordered universe hence for him the God as Creator is reduced only to an idea.{{#tag:ref|cf. [[Docetism]]|group=note}} The empiricist [[Alfred Nobel]] found Kant's ''[[metaphysics]]'' hard to digest and ironically concluded that "Kant's style is so heavy that after his ''pure reason'' the reader longs for ''unreasonableness''."<ref>{{cite web

|author=Åke Erlandsson

|author=Åke Erlandsson

|title="Alfred Nobel and his interest in literature"

|title=Alfred Nobel and his interest in literature

|publisher=Nobelprize.org; The Official Web Site of the Nobel Prize

|publisher=Nobelprize.org; The Official Web Site of the Nobel Prize

|date=23 July 1997

|date=23 July 1997

<references/>

<references/>

==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Docetism]]

*[[Docetism]]

*[[Kabbalah]]

*[[Kabbalah]]

*[[Gnosticism]]

*[[Gnosticism]]

*[[Reductionism#Theological_reductionism|Theological reductionism]]

*[[Reductionism#Theological reductionism|Theological reductionism]]

*[[Sensus Christianorum]]

*[[Sensus Christianorum]]