Meaning of Religio Flashcards
What was the focus of religio in Ancient Rome?
Public duty, ritual, and respect for the gods
Religio involved careful attention to divine matters.
How did Christian thinkers redefine religio in Late Antiquity?
As a personal and communal bond with God
What did religio signify during the Medieval period?
Monastic life and institutionalized religious practice
What is the etymological root of religio according to Cicero? and when?
Relegere, meaning to treat carefully (100bce)
This involves careful observance of ritual and traditions, and pondering over divine matters.
What concept did Lactantius associate with religio? and when
Religare, meaning to bind or connect (250ce)
This indicates a connection between humans and God.
where did cicero mention his etymology of religio
de natura deorum (on the nature of gods)
What concept did st augustine initially associate with religio?
religere, as in to recover
having lost God through neglect, we recover Him [religentes] and are drawn to Him
what key idea can be drawn from augustines intitial definiton of religio
the idea of redemption
can recover/redeem ourselves with god
what is superstition according to cicero
irrational fear of the gods
what is lactantius argument against ceceros definiton
his argument seperating religious from superstitious is weak,
pray once is religion, pray 10 times is supersition
cicero distinction between religion and superstition
those who prayed out of fear were superstitios
those who handled things carefully, and gathered things as they realted to the worship of god were considered religious
how does lactantius differntiate between superstitious and relgiious
religious is cuktivation of truth
superstitious is false
lactantius three reuqirements for worshipping god in the practice of religion
faith, hope charity
