tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post1056987385228991207..comments2024-03-22T18:43:00.710-04:00Comments on Unam Sanctam Catholicam: Why did pagans convert?Bonifacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10672810254075072214noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-16283317965398352832011-01-25T02:30:00.906-05:002011-01-25T02:30:00.906-05:00To the Anonymous guy about scandinavian paganism:
...To the Anonymous guy about scandinavian paganism:<br /><br />Meh. What we know of scandinavian paganism is nothing, and it is widely believed that what we know of it today is so-called "upper class" nordic paganism, which is why it survived and was documented at all. I seriously doubt the average göta-farmer at 900 AD would have thrown himself at a spear because if his five inches high wood-carved idol at home. And in any case, scandinavia was also converted, with little trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-64735366992953345172011-01-03T16:16:55.855-05:002011-01-03T16:16:55.855-05:00Excellent blog post. I would add that not everyone...Excellent blog post. I would add that not everyone has imbibed the "Roman Roads" theory for the Faith's expansion. I would recommend the book Cities of God by conservative sociologist Rodney Stark. He is a protestant but his book(s) especially this one has nothing overtly protestant that would bother a Catholic. He recently wrote a book defending the crusades (not too shabby for a protestant).<br /><br />In it he comments on this Roman Roads myth and says that the idea of the road's greatness really is attributable to the classicists who had no first hand knowledge of them. Furthermore the roads were, as Stark says, really built primarily for the Roman legion not for everyday travel. They were not always well kept and too narrow for the needs of the ordinary citizen. You can read part of the book that discusses it here <br /><br />http://books.google.com/books?id=PauahJvQFSAC&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=rodney+stark+roman+roads&source=bl&ots=GV1PD4tHmv&sig=5C_KWFgKy0wleIRuKKIpKDP6_Kw&hl=en&ei=GzoiTar5McKBlAeUz6mrDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false<br /><br />(If this link doesnt work just google "Rodney Stark Roman Roads" and the first link should get you directly to that part of the book in Google books)<br /><br />He reminds us that the mode of travel most used was not the roads but the sea. They traveled throughout the empire by ship as in the case of St. Paul.<br /><br />If I had to disagree with anything in your blog it would be that it is not necessarily a repudiation of the supernatural elements of the Faith's rise when discussing the natural circumstances that made it happen. I believe those who discuss those things are for the most part are attempting to credit Divine Providence with having brought the Eternal Son into history at a time when circumstances called allowed for the best possile situation. I agree with you that some do you use it to desupernaturalize the Faith.JRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09423757912592632758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-81592871616159243182011-01-03T16:16:22.166-05:002011-01-03T16:16:22.166-05:00Excellent blog post. I would add that not everyone...Excellent blog post. I would add that not everyone has imbibed the "Roman Roads" theory for the Faith's expansion. I would recommend the book Cities of God by conservative sociologist Rodney Stark. He is a protestant but his book(s) especially this one has nothing overtly protestant that would bother a Catholic. He recently wrote a book defending the crusades (not too shabby for a protestant).<br /><br />In it he comments on this Roman Roads myth and says that the idea of the road's greatness really is attributable to the classicists who had no first hand knowledge of them. Furthermore the roads were, as Stark says, really built primarily for the Roman legion not for everyday travel. They were not always well kept and too narrow for the needs of the ordinary citizen. You can read part of the book that discusses it here <br /><br />http://books.google.com/books?id=PauahJvQFSAC&pg=PA74&lpg=PA74&dq=rodney+stark+roman+roads&source=bl&ots=GV1PD4tHmv&sig=5C_KWFgKy0wleIRuKKIpKDP6_Kw&hl=en&ei=GzoiTar5McKBlAeUz6mrDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false<br /><br />(If this link doesnt work just google "Rodney Stark Roman Roads" and the first link should get you directly to that part of the book in Google books)<br /><br />He reminds us that the mode of travel most used was not the roads but the sea. They traveled throughout the empire by ship as in the case of St. Paul.<br /><br />If I had to disagree with anything in your blog it would be that it is not necessarily a repudiation of the supernatural elements of the Faith's rise when discussing the natural circumstances that made it happen. I believe those who discuss those things are for the most part are attempting to credit Divine Providence with having brought the Eternal Son into history at a time when circumstances called allowed for the best possile situation. I agree with you that some do you use it to desupernaturalize the Faith.JRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09423757912592632758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-30999496246009694552010-02-18T08:25:15.976-05:002010-02-18T08:25:15.976-05:00Well and good, but the article is dealing with the...Well and good, but the article is dealing with the Greeks and Romans, not the Scandanavians. It is addressing the conversion of pagans within the Roman empire.Bonifacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10672810254075072214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-5363471648957706722010-02-17T20:40:14.058-05:002010-02-17T20:40:14.058-05:00You state that Pagans were not willing to die for ...You state that Pagans were not willing to die for their gods, however all of pagan Scandinavian culture revolved around having a valiant death to serve Odin. Everything in life was merely preparation for what lies after and Ragnarok. The Vikings' lack of self preservation shows that Christians weren't the only ones willing to die for their gods.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-42342202301672127712009-06-28T14:25:33.484-04:002009-06-28T14:25:33.484-04:00great blog 'Filipi'
you have a new fan fr...great blog 'Filipi'<br /><br />you have a new fan from Brazil now.<br /><br />Iesus Christus, eri et hodie, ipse et in saecula!Helvécio Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14648432790846864470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-69810416633241091032009-06-26T21:49:35.786-04:002009-06-26T21:49:35.786-04:00You forgot my favorite: "sit tibi terra levis...You forgot my favorite: "sit tibi terra levis".<br /><br />It is good of you to bring up miracles. This is indeed an underrated historical reason for the spread of Christianity.<br /><br />If you really want to perform an interesting academic exercise, you should read about the last pagans in the Roman Empire, such as Chauvin's A Chronicle of the Last Pagans, or the writings of Iamblichus and Proclus (which, ironically, were absorbed into Christian theology through Pseudo-Dionyisus). It is interesting to see that in the end paganism proved too convoluted and impersonal to hold the attention of the masses, and paganism could never get over its elitism and fatalism, in spite of the personal tenderness and even poetics of a Plotinus or Proclus. What good came out of it was quickly siphoned off into nascent Christendom.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086833995941525990.post-2491075029736784012009-06-26T11:04:34.257-04:002009-06-26T11:04:34.257-04:00Excellent Post Boniface, I do especially enjoy rea...Excellent Post Boniface, I do especially enjoy reading your historical articles, keep up the good work and God BlessJust another mad Catholichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10503510474554718305noreply@blogger.com