DOCSLIB.ORG

Satan's Transition from a Heavenly Council Member to the Ruler of Pandaemonium, in an Oral Examination Held on August 31, 2012

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Satan's Transition from a Heavenly Council Member to the Ruler of Pandaemonium, in an Oral Examination Held on August 31, 2012 “BETTER TO REIGN IN HELL, THAN SERVE IN HEAVEN”: SATAN’S TRANSITION FROM A HEAVENLY COUNCIL MEMBER TO THE RULER OF PANDAEMONIUM A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts In Religious Studies University of Regina By Allan Edwin Charles Wright Regina, Saskatchewan September, 2012 Copyright 2012: Allan E.C. Wright UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Allan Edwin Charles Wright, candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in Religious Studies, has presented a thesis titled, "Better to Reign in Hell, than Serve in Heaven": Satan's Transition From a Heavenly Council member to the Ruler of Pandaemonium, in an oral examination held on August 31, 2012. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: Dr. Tim Hegedus, Wilfrid Laurier University Supervisor: Dr. William Arnal, Department of Religious Studies Committee Member: Dr. Jacoba Kuikman, Department of Religious Studies Committee Member: Dr. Franz Volker Greifenhagen, Department of Religious Studies Chair of Defense: Dr. Ulrike Hardenbicker, Department of Geography *Not present at defense UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Allan Edwin Charles Wright, candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in Religious Studies, has presented a thesis titled, "Better to Reign in Hell, than Serve in Heaven": Satan's Transition From a Heavenly Council member to the Ruler of Pandaemonium, in an oral examination held on August 31, 2012. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: Dr. Tim Hegedus, Wilfrid Laurier University Supervisor: Dr. William Arnal, Department of Religious Studies Committee Member: Dr. Jacoba Kuikman, Department of Religious Studies Committee Member: Dr. Franz Volker Greifenhagen, Department of Religious Studies Chair of Defense: Dr. Ulrike Hardenbicker, Department of Geography *Not present at defense Abstract In this thesis, I argue that Satan was not perceived as a universal malevolent deity, the embodiment of evil, or the “ruler of Pandaemonium” within first century Christian literature or even within second and third century Christian discourses as some scholars have insisted. Instead, for early “Christian” authors, Satan represented a pejorative term used to describe terrestrial, tangible, and concrete social realities, perceived of as adversaries. To reach this conclusion, I explore the narrative character of Satan selectively within the Hebrew Bible, intertestamental literature, Mark, Matthew, Luke, Q, the Book of Revelation, the Nag Hammadi texts, and the Ante-Nicene fathers. I argue that certain scholars’ such as Jeffrey Burton Russell, Miguel A. De La Torre, Albert Hernandez, Peter Stanford, Paul Carus, and Gerd Theissen, homogenized reconstructions of the “New Testament Satan” as the universalized incarnation of evil and that God’s absolute cosmic enemy is absent from early Christian orthodox literature, such as Mark, Matthew, Luke, Q, the Book of Revelation, and certain writings from the Ante- Nicene Fathers. Using Jonathan Z. Smith’s essay Here, There, and Anywhere, I suggest that the cosmic dualist approach to Satan as God’s absolute cosmic enemy resulted from the changing social topography of the early fourth century where Christian “insider” and “outsider” adversaries were diminishing. With these threats fading, early Christians universalized a perceived chaotic cosmic enemy, namely Satan, being influenced by the Gnostic demiurge, who disrupts God’s terrestrial and cosmic order. Therefore, Satan transitioned from a “here,” “insider,” and “there,” “outsider,” threat to a universal “anywhere” threat. i Acknowledgements I would first like to acknowledge my appreciation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Regina for their financial support in the form of Graduate Teaching Assistantship and Graduate Studies Scholarship awards. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Franz Volker Greifenhagen and Dr. Jackie Kuikman. Special thanks to my supervisor and academic mentor Dr. William Arnal for all the feedback, support, and conversations. I would also like to thank the entire Department of Religious Studies for their stimulating classes and discussions during my time as an undergraduate and graduate student. Another special thanks to Dr. Leona Anderson for providing various opportunities and employment within the department. Also, I would like to thank the Religious Studies graduate students, especially Jesse Bailey, Sarah Hagel, Ian Brown, and Alex Tkach, for their encouragement, contributions, and endless hours of invigorating academic and non- academic discussions. I would also like to thank my entire family for their love, support, encouragement, and patience. Especially, my mother Juverna Wright, my father Nicholas Wright, my grandparents Norman Amundson (RIP), Jean Amundson, Derek Wright, and Sheila Wright (RIP). Also, thanks to my friends for their continual support. Last, but especially not least, I would like to thank my be all and end all, my rock, Ernesta Vileitaite-Wright. This project would have not been possible without your contributions and endless amount of love, support, patience, and encouragement. I cannot express how truly fortunate I am to have you in my life. Moreover, I eagerly anticipate the next chapter in our lives with the birth of our baby girl. ii Dedication I would like to dedicate this thesis to grandma, Jean Amundson, and to my Nana Sheila Wright (RIP) for all their encouragement, love, and support throughout my academic journey and my entire life. iii Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………i Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………….ii Dedication……………………………………………………………………………....iii Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… 1 Chapter 1: Near Eastern Narratives which Influenced the Development of Satan. 6 Mesopotamia…………………………………………………………………... 7 Canaan………………………………………………………………………..... 10 Egypt………………………………………………………………………….... 11 Greek…………………………………………………………………………... 14 Persian…………………………………………………………………………. 17 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………... 27 Chapter 2: Satanic Figures within the Hebrew Bible and Intertestamental Literature……………………………………………………………………………… 32 Chapter 3: New Testament Representations of Satan……………………………… 64 Mark………………………………………………………………………….... 65 Matthew………………………………………………………………………... 74 Luke-Acts………………………………………………………………………. 85 John…………………………………………………………………………… 99 Paul……………………………………………………………………………. 107 The Book of Revelation..…………………………………………………….. 112 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………. 117 Chapter 4: Second and Third Century Representations of Satan………………... 120 The Nag Hammadi Texts and the Demiurge……………………………….. 120 Ante-Nicene Fathers…………………………………………………………. 127 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………. 135 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………. 139 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….. 149 iv Introduction An apology for the Devil: It must be remembered that we have heard only one side of the case. God has written all the books. --- SAMUEL BUTLER, Note Books The Satan of John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost is a familiar character. He leads a group of angels in a rebellion against God which results in their expulsion from heaven. With the rebellious group of angels banished below to the dark void of chaos, Satan has now become the ruler over “Pandaemonium.” “Pandaemonium” is a term Milton coined by combining the Greek terms pan and daimones simply meaning “all,” or “every,” demons. In response to God’s punishment, Satan tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden; this, of course, leads to the “fall of man.” This portrayal of Satan has become the dominant perception of Satan within popular discourse. However, the notion of an “evil” figure within the Hebrew Bible, intertestamental, and early Christian literature is much more complex than Milton’s characterization. I will discuss the narrative character of Satan in these ancient texts in order to show that Satan was not perceived as a universal malevolent deity, the embodiment of evil, or the “ruler of Pandaemonium” within first century Christian literature or even within second and third century Christian discourses as some scholars have insisted.1 For example, Jeffrey Burton Russell claims that the Devil within the New Testament is not a peripheral character and is not a symbolic representation in any manner. He states that 1 See Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity, (Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1977), 221-249. Miguel A. De La Torre & Albert Hernandez, The Quest for the Historical Satan, (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011), 74-92. Peter Stanford, The Devil: A Biography, (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996), 55-71. Paul Carus, The History of the Devil and the Idea of Evil: From the Earliest Times to the Present Day, (New York: Land’s End Press, 1969), 157- 193. Gerd Theissen as summarized by Nienke Vos, “Demons and the Devil in Ancient and Medieval Christianity,” Demons and the Devil in Ancient and Medieval Christianity, Eds. Nienke Vos and Willemien Otten, (Leiden & Boston: Brill, 2011), 8-17. 1 Satan is God and
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Creationism Debunked by Science and Reason
    Creationism Debunked by Science and Reason Dan Dana www.dandana.us/atheism Preface This text was initially prepared under the title "An Atheist Critique of Pandeism,” an invited chapter for Pandeism: An Anthology, (John Hunt Publishing, 2016). The critique applies equally to creationism in general, and is presented here for readers whose interests lie beyond pandeism. Pandeism posits a creator-deity that became the universe itself upon its creation. As such, it is perhaps the most elemental creationist theology, sidestepping anti-evolution, "intelligent design," and other post-creation arguments favoring religion. In debunking pandeism by means of recent findings in cosmology and astrophysics, this reader- friendly article for the intellectually curious non-scientist also effectively debunks all forms of theistic creationism. In doing so, it convincingly exposes the falseness of supernaturalism, regardless of which religion is its partner in delusion. An Atheist Critique of Pandeism A complete definition of pandeism may be found elsewhere in this anthology. For the purpose of this critique, I will use this definition from Wikipedia: The belief that a creator deity became the universe and ceased to exist as a separate and conscious entity.1 As such, pandeism is a presuppositional theory attempting to explain the beginning of existence, the presupposition being that existence had a beginning at all. Here, “existence” is differentiated from “the universe,” and the Big Bang is differentiated from “the beginning of existence,” as will be discussed below. My view that pandeism is an erroneous theory rests on three contentions, which I shall elaborate: 1. There is no evidence that a creator deity ever existed.
    [Show full text]
  • Myths of Survival and Heritage in Incan Religion
    Viva Los Incas: Myths of Survival and Heritage in Incan Religion Emily Scarbrough ___________________________________________________________ Religion has taken on many forms throughout history, each revealing much about those who believed in them. In the Incan empire, religion was embraced as an explanation for natural phenomena and the formation of society. Religion served an important purpose as it developed into a complex set of myths that governed the empire. Their polytheistic religion had several deities who controlled how the world functioned, with most important of these gods controlling the sun. Looking at the mythology that developed in the Incan empire reveals unrelenting dedication to surviving as individuals and as a united society. Incan mythology seems to enshrine, above all else, a belief in preservation; the mythology suggests a belief in preserving the societal hierarchy, livelihood, and the lineage of the Inca leader. Standing as the cornerstone of Incan religion was Inti, the sun god. As the expression of the sun and light, Inti was responsible for the success of the harvest season. The sun gave life to maize, potatoes, and quinoa, which in turn ensured a steady food supply. While he did not create the Incas, he ensured their livelihood. To thank Inti, temples of the sun were built, prayers spoke, and tribute paid through the sacrifice of crops, llamas, and, in extreme cases, young children.1 Inti was also the subject of the most important of the many Incan festivals, Inti Raymi. Despite centuries of Spanish influence, the festival is still celebrated in modern day Peru, as a reminder of their Incan heritage.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mayan Gods: an Explanation from the Structures of Thought
    Journal of Historical Archaeology & Anthropological Sciences Review Article Open Access The Mayan gods: an explanation from the structures of thought Abstract Volume 3 Issue 1 - 2018 This article explains the existence of the Classic and Post-classic Mayan gods through Laura Ibarra García the cognitive structure through which the Maya perceived and interpreted their world. Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico This structure is none other than that built by every member of the human species during its early ontogenesis to interact with the outer world: the structure of action. Correspondence: Laura Ibarra García, Centro Universitario When this scheme is applied to the world’s interpretation, the phenomena in it and de Ciencias Sociales, Mexico, Tel 523336404456, the world as a whole appears as manifestations of a force that lies behind or within Email [email protected] all of them and which are perceived similarly to human subjects. This scheme, which finds application in the Mayan worldview, helps to understand the personality and Received: August 30, 2017 | Published: February 09, 2018 character of figures such as the solar god, the rain god, the sky god, the jaguar god and the gods of Venus. The application of the cognitive schema as driving logic also helps to understand the Maya established relationships between some animals, such as the jaguar and the rattlesnake and the highest deities. The study is part of the pioneering work that seeks to integrate the study of cognition development throughout history to the understanding of the historical and cultural manifestations of our country, especially of the Pre-Hispanic cultures.
    [Show full text]
  • Gods and Myths: Creation of the World
    01/12/2016 Gods and Myths: Creation of the World 1 01/12/2016 Ancient Cosmology ‐ What was the shape of the Universe imaged by those ancient peoples to whom all modern knowledge of geography and astronomy was inacessible ? ‐ How did they conceive the form of the cosmos which accommodated not only the known face of the earth and the visible heavenly bodies, but also those other worlds ie. the realms of the dead, both blessed and damned, and the countries inhabited by gods and demons ? • In some cosmologies space inseparable from time : ‐ no account of the shape of the universe would make sense unless we know how it came to be so in the first place ‐ in other words, the cosmologies go along with creation myths ie. the creation of the universe is an essential feature of cosmology ‐ uniquely, this lead the Jewish (biblical and rabbinical) sources to the solution of a notion of linear time ‐ by contrast: • China: notion of creation not of prime importance • Greeks: not so interested in beginnings • Jains: uninterested in beginnings • India: time scales as vast as space, leading to the notion of cyclical time • Norse/Greeks/Chines: also cyclical time notion • 2 01/12/2016 Religious Cosmology ‐ A Way of explaining the Origin, History and Evolution of the Cosmos or Universe on the Religious Mythology of a specific tradition. ‐ Religious cosmologies usually include an act or process of creation by a creator deity or pantheon Creation Myth ‐ A symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first became to inhabit it.
    [Show full text]
  • A Don West Reader West End Press
    Lincoln Memorial University LMU Digital Commons Copyright-Free Books Collection Special Collections 1985 In a Land of Plenty: A Don West Reader West End Press Don West Constance Adams West Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lmunet.edu/csbc Part of the Appalachian Studies Commons, and the Poetry Commons Recommended Citation End Press, West; West, Don; and West, Constance Adams, "In a Land of Plenty: A Don West Reader" (1985). Copyright-Free Books Collection. 1. https://digitalcommons.lmunet.edu/csbc/1 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections at LMU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Copyright-Free Books Collection by an authorized administrator of LMU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. With sketches Constance Adams West No Grants This book is not supported any grant, governmental, corporate or PS 3545 .E8279 16 1985 private. It is paid for, directly or indirectly, by the people who support and In a land of plenty have Don West's vision, and it both reflects and proves their best - The publisher No Purposely this book is not copyrighted. Poetry and other creative efforts should be levers, weapons to be used in the people's struggle for understanding, human rights, and decency. "Art for Art's Sake" is a misnomer. The poet can never be neutral. In a hungry world the struggle between oppressor and oppressed is unending. There is the inevitable question: "Which side are you on?" To be content with as they are, to be "neutral," is to take sides with the oppressor who also wants to keep the status quo.
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Monotheism: the Exclusivity of Yahweh in Persian Period Yehud (539-333 Bce)
    JEWISH MONOTHEISM: THE EXCLUSIVITY OF YAHWEH IN PERSIAN PERIOD YEHUD (539-333 BCE) by Abel S. Sitali A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Master of Arts in Biblical Studies We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard Kent Clarke, PhD ............................................................................... Thesis Supervisor Dirk Buchner, D.Litt. ................................................................................ Second Reader TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY Date (March, 2014) © Abel S. Sitali Table of Contents Introduction (i) Previous History of the Origin of Monotheism ---------------------------------------------------------------1 (ii) Thesis Overview -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 CHAPTER ONE POLYTHEISM IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN WORLD 1.1 Polytheism in the Ancient Near Eastern World---------------------------------------------------------------9 1.1.1 Polytheism in Canaanite Religion-----------------------------------------------------------------10 1.1.2 The Divine Council in the Ugaritic Texts--------------------------------------------------------11 1.2 Polytheism in Pre-exilic Israelite Religion------------------------------------------------------------------13 1.2.1 Israelite Religion in Light of its Canaanite Heritage--------------------------------------------13 1.2.2 Israelite Religion as Canaanite Religion—Identification Between El
    [Show full text]
  • Recent Interpretations of God in British and American Philosophy
    RECENT INTERPRETATIONS OF GOD s' IN BRITISH AND AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY BY JUVANTA HARPER KIRNER, B. A. (WELLESLEY) RECENT INTERPRETATIONS OF GOD IN BRITISH AND AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY. A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE RICE INSTITUTE IN PARTIAL FULFILIMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS JUNE 1928 BY JUVANTA HARPER KIRNER, B. A. (WELLESLEY). CHAPTER I -1- Introduction. CHAPTER II -6- Conceptions of God in recent Idealism. 1. Webb’s non-absolutist conception of God's personality Emphasis on God's personality with stress on the personality of men. God as the Supreme Reality. Theological sources and implications of Webb's philosophy. 2. Sir Henry Jones' idea of God. The immanence of God. God as process. God as 'perfect's problem of reconciliation of these ideas. The relation of the finite self to God. Goodness of God. God as Love. 3. Pringle-Pattison's interpretation of God. God as the Absolute Experience. The problem of the finite self. Relation of the finite selves to God. God as Process. Man in Nature. Ethical aspects of selfhood. 4. The conception of God in the philosophy of Josiah Royce. The three aspects in the devlopment of Royce's idea of God. Royce's earliest conception of God. The World and the Individual stage. Individual life characterized by purpose. The relation of the Self to God. The ethical self and the attainment of Perfection. Philosophy of 'Loyalty'. 5. The Absolutism of Bernard Bosanquet. Social aspect of Bosanquet's philosophy. The Absolute, as the object deserving the religious attitude. Conception of the Individual.
    [Show full text]
  • The Proto-Filmic Monstrosity of Late Victorian Literary Figures
    Bamberger Studien zu Literatur, 14 Kultur und Medien “Like some damned Juggernaut” The proto-filmic monstrosity of late Victorian literary figures Johannes Weber 14 Bamberger Studien zu Literatur, Kultur und Medien Bamberger Studien zu Literatur, Kultur und Medien hg. von Andrea Bartl, Hans-Peter Ecker, Jörn Glasenapp, Iris Hermann, Christoph Houswitschka, Friedhelm Marx Band 14 2015 “Like some damned Juggernaut” The proto-filmic monstrosity of late Victorian literary figures Johannes Weber 2015 Bibliographische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliographie; detaillierte bibliographische Informationen sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de/ abrufbar. Diese Arbeit hat der Fakultät Geistes- und Kulturwissenschaften der Otto-Friedrich- Universität Bamberg als Dissertation vorgelegen. 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Christoph Houswitschka 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Jörn Glasenapp Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 28. Januar 2015 Dieses Werk ist als freie Onlineversion über den Hochschulschriften-Server (OPUS; http://www.opus-bayern.de/uni-bamberg/) der Universitätsbibliothek Bamberg erreichbar. Kopien und Ausdrucke dürfen nur zum privaten und sons- tigen eigenen Gebrauch angefertigt werden. Herstellung und Druck: Docupoint, Magdeburg Umschlaggestaltung: University of Bamberg Press, Anna Hitthaler Umschlagbild: Screenshot aus Vampyr (1932) © University of Bamberg Press Bamberg 2015 http://www.uni-bamberg.de/ubp/ ISSN: 2192-7901 ISBN: 978-3-86309-348-8 (Druckausgabe) eISBN: 978-3-86309-349-5 (Online-Ausgabe) URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:473-opus4-267683 Danksagung Mein besonderer Dank gilt meinem Bruder Christian für seinen fachkundigen Rat und die tatkräftige Unterstützung in allen Phasen dieser Arbeit. Ich danke meinem Doktorvater Prof. Dr. Christoph Houswitschka für viele wichtige Denkanstöße und Freiräume.
    [Show full text]
  • An Atheist Critique of Pandeism 1
    Title: AN ATHEIST CRITIQUE OF PANDEISM 1 Time stamp: 4/11/16 7:53 AM Note to friends and reviewers: I was invited to write this critique as part of a forthcoming book entitled Pandeism: An Anthology, which will be published by John Hunt Publishing in late 2016. I would appreciate your critical comments and suggestions. I will maintain the current version (watch for time stamp updates) of the manuscript at www.dandana.us/atheism/pandeism in both PDF and in MSWord formats. You may use the “track changes” feature of MSWord to insert your comments and suggestions, and return the document to me by email. Or, you may simply send your suggestions by email. Thank you, ~ Dan ~ [email protected] ***************** REFRESH YOUR BROWSER IF YOU HAVE VIEWED THIS PAGE PREVIOUSLY ***************** D R A F T A complete definition of pandeism may be found elsewhere in this anthology. For the purpose of this critique, I will use this definition from Wikipedia: The belief that a creator deity became the universe and ceased to exist as a separate and conscious entity1. As such, pandeism is a presuppositional theory attempting to explain the beginning of existence, the presupposition being that existence had a beginning at all. Here, “existence” is differentiated from “the universe,” and the Big Bang is differentiated from “the beginning of existence,” as will be discussed below. My view that pandeism is an erroneous theory rests on three contentions, which I shall elaborate: 1. There is no evidence that a creator deity ever existed. 2. Pandeism is not compatible with science.
    [Show full text]
  • SFSFF 2018 Program Book
    elcome to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival for five days and nights of live cinema! This is SFSFFʼs twenty-third year of sharing revered silent-era Wmasterpieces and newly revived discoveries as they were meant to be experienced—with live musical accompaniment. We’ve even added a day, so there’s more to enjoy of the silent-era’s treasures, including features from nine countries and inventive experiments from cinema’s early days and the height of the avant-garde. A nonprofit organization, SFSFF is committed to educating the public about silent-era cinema as a valuable historical and cultural record as well as an art form with enduring relevance. In a remarkably short time after the birth of moving pictures, filmmakers developed all the techniques that make cinema the powerful medium it is today— everything except for the ability to marry sound to the film print. Yet these films can be breathtakingly modern. They have influenced every subsequent generation of filmmakers and they continue to astonish and delight audiences a century after they were made. SFSFF also carries on silent cinemaʼs live music tradition, screening these films with accompaniment by the worldʼs foremost practitioners of putting live sound to the picture. Showcasing silent-era titles, often in restored or preserved prints, SFSFF has long supported film preservation through the Silent Film Festival Preservation Fund. In addition, over time, we have expanded our participation in major film restoration projects, premiering four features and some newly discovered documentary footage at this event alone. This year coincides with a milestone birthday of film scholar extraordinaire Kevin Brownlow, whom we celebrate with an onstage appearance on June 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Idolatry, Indifference, and the Scientific Study of Religion: Two New Humean Arguments
    Religious Studies, Page 1 of 21 © Cambridge University Press 2018 doi:10.1017/S0034412518000653 Idolatry, indifference, and the scientific study of religion: two new Humean arguments DANIEL LINFORD Department of Philosophy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA e-mail: [email protected] JASON MEGILL Department of Philosophy, Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452, USA e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: We utilize contemporary cognitive and social science of religion to defend a controversial thesis: the human cognitive apparatus gratuitously inclines humans to religious activity oriented around entities other than the God of classical theism. Using this thesis, we update and defend two arguments drawn from David Hume: (i) the argument from idolatry, which argues that the God of classical theism does not exist, and (ii) the argument from indifference, which argues that if the God of classical theism exists, God is indifferent to our religious activity. Introduction Let’s say that idolatry is religious activity centred on a real or imagined entity other than the God of classical theism. While idolatry has often been dis- cussed as an accusation lodged by one religion against another, we introduce, develop, and defend two irreligious arguments, originating with David Hume, util- izing idolatry, which we call the ‘argument from idolatry’ and the ‘argument from indifference’. Both suppose that if God desired for humans not to be idolatrous, the human cognitive apparatus would not gratuitously incline humans to idolatry. The two arguments differ on whether classical theism entails that God desires for us not to be idolatrous. The argument from idolatry supposes the god of classical theism would desire for us to avoid idolatry; in that case, our gratuitous natural inclination to idolatry entails that no such god exists.
    [Show full text]
  • HP Lovecraft & the French Connection
    University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Theses and Dissertations 2015 H.P. Lovecraft & Ther F ench Connection: Translation, Pulps and Literary History Todd David Spaulding University of South Carolina - Columbia Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd Part of the Comparative Literature Commons Recommended Citation Spaulding, T. D.(2015). H.P. Lovecraft & eTh French Connection: Translation, Pulps and Literary History. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/3152 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. H. P. Lovecraft & The French Connection: Translation, Pulps and Literary History by Todd David Spaulding Bachelor of Arts State University of New York at Geneseo, 2006 Master of Arts University of South Carolina, 2010 Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature College of Arts and Sciences University of South Carolina 2015 Accepted by: Jeanne Garane, Major Professor Alexander Beecroft, Committee Member Michael Hill, Committee Member Meili Steele, Committee Member S. T. Joshi, Committee Member Lacy Ford, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies ©Copyright by Todd David Spaulding, 2015. All Rights Reserved. ii Dedication To my best friend, my wife and everything in between, Nathacha. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Jeanne Garane whose guidance, suggestions and editing has helped me beyond belief. Thank you for your patience and willingness to help me pursue my interests. I would like to personally thank the following French experts on H.
    [Show full text]