The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece

The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece

Author: M. Rigoglioso

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2009-04-26

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 0230620914

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Greek religion is filled with strange sexual artifacts - stories of mortal women's couplings with gods; rituals like the basilinna's "marriage" to Dionysus; beliefs in the impregnating power of snakes and deities; the unusual birth stories of Pythagoras, Plato, and Alexander; and more. In this provocative study, Marguerite Rigoglioso suggests such details are remnants of an early Greek cult of divine birth, not unlike that of Egypt. Scouring myth, legend, and history from a female-oriented perspective, she argues that many in the highest echelons of Greek civilization believed non-ordinary conception was the only means possible of bringing forth individuals who could serve as leaders, and that special cadres of virgin priestesses were dedicated to this practice. Her book adds a unique perspective to our understanding of antiquity, and has significant implications for the study of Christianity and other religions in which divine birth claims are central. The book's stunning insights provide fascinating reading for those interested in female-inclusive approaches to ancient religion.


Book Synopsis The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece by : M. Rigoglioso

Download or read book The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece written by M. Rigoglioso and published by Springer. This book was released on 2009-04-26 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Greek religion is filled with strange sexual artifacts - stories of mortal women's couplings with gods; rituals like the basilinna's "marriage" to Dionysus; beliefs in the impregnating power of snakes and deities; the unusual birth stories of Pythagoras, Plato, and Alexander; and more. In this provocative study, Marguerite Rigoglioso suggests such details are remnants of an early Greek cult of divine birth, not unlike that of Egypt. Scouring myth, legend, and history from a female-oriented perspective, she argues that many in the highest echelons of Greek civilization believed non-ordinary conception was the only means possible of bringing forth individuals who could serve as leaders, and that special cadres of virgin priestesses were dedicated to this practice. Her book adds a unique perspective to our understanding of antiquity, and has significant implications for the study of Christianity and other religions in which divine birth claims are central. The book's stunning insights provide fascinating reading for those interested in female-inclusive approaches to ancient religion.

Bearing the Holy Ones

Bearing the Holy Ones

Author: Marguerite Rigoglioso

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 578

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis Bearing the Holy Ones by : Marguerite Rigoglioso

Download or read book Bearing the Holy Ones written by Marguerite Rigoglioso and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity

Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity

Author: M. Rigoglioso

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2010-09-27

Total Pages: 477

ISBN-13: 0230113125

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This study of various female deities of Graeco-Roman antiquity is the first to provide evidence that primary goddesses were conceived of as virgin mothers in the earliest layers of their cults. By taking feminist analysis of divinities further, this book provides a fresh angle on our understanding of these deities.


Book Synopsis Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity by : M. Rigoglioso

Download or read book Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity written by M. Rigoglioso and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-09-27 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study of various female deities of Graeco-Roman antiquity is the first to provide evidence that primary goddesses were conceived of as virgin mothers in the earliest layers of their cults. By taking feminist analysis of divinities further, this book provides a fresh angle on our understanding of these deities.

The Mystery Tradition of Miraculous Conception

The Mystery Tradition of Miraculous Conception

Author: Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-03-30

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1591434149

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• Explains how Mary was born into a lineage of powerful women who cultivated and passed on the ability to consciously conceive elevated beings • Includes a complete translation of the Infancy Gospel of James and reveals the hidden codes it contains relating to the practice of miraculous conception • Shows how Mary was trained and initiated in the “womb mysteries” and reveals the esoteric techniques she used to conceive Jesus Delving into one of the Virgin Mary’s forgotten gospels, the Infancy Gospel of James, Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso, Ph.D., reveals a truth that has been suppressed for nearly two millennia: that Mother Mary was not a passive bystander to her own pregnancy but an advanced member of a sacred order of women trained in divine conception. Unlocking the hidden codes of Mary’s gospel and other ancient source texts, the author reveals how Mary conceived Jesus through a careful process that she willed and initiated. She explains how Mary was born into a family of powerful priestesses, women who possessed, cultivated, and passed on the ability to consciously conceive elevated beings to help the planet. This lineage included Mary’s own mother, Anne, who conceived Mary with this method, her relative Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist), and the biblical matriarch Sarah, the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. These women were schooled in the shamanic “womb mysteries,” secret knowledge of the capacity of the womb. Decoding the Infancy Gospel of James, the author shows how Mary was trained and initiated, reveals the esoteric techniques she used to conceive Jesus, and explores the birth itself and the mind-altering reality that accompanied it. By revealing the Virgin Mary as a trained holy woman and a conscious actor in the conception of Jesus, the author corrects the impression we have been given of a passive and bewildered girl who had no idea how or why she was pregnant. She also restores Mary as the empowered feminine orchestrator of these significant events, paralleling the redemption of Mary Magdalene in recent years. Explaining how and why virgin birth was accomplished, this book allows us to make sense of miraculous conception and reveals the power that lies in all women’s wombs.


Book Synopsis The Mystery Tradition of Miraculous Conception by : Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso

Download or read book The Mystery Tradition of Miraculous Conception written by Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: • Explains how Mary was born into a lineage of powerful women who cultivated and passed on the ability to consciously conceive elevated beings • Includes a complete translation of the Infancy Gospel of James and reveals the hidden codes it contains relating to the practice of miraculous conception • Shows how Mary was trained and initiated in the “womb mysteries” and reveals the esoteric techniques she used to conceive Jesus Delving into one of the Virgin Mary’s forgotten gospels, the Infancy Gospel of James, Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso, Ph.D., reveals a truth that has been suppressed for nearly two millennia: that Mother Mary was not a passive bystander to her own pregnancy but an advanced member of a sacred order of women trained in divine conception. Unlocking the hidden codes of Mary’s gospel and other ancient source texts, the author reveals how Mary conceived Jesus through a careful process that she willed and initiated. She explains how Mary was born into a family of powerful priestesses, women who possessed, cultivated, and passed on the ability to consciously conceive elevated beings to help the planet. This lineage included Mary’s own mother, Anne, who conceived Mary with this method, her relative Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist), and the biblical matriarch Sarah, the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. These women were schooled in the shamanic “womb mysteries,” secret knowledge of the capacity of the womb. Decoding the Infancy Gospel of James, the author shows how Mary was trained and initiated, reveals the esoteric techniques she used to conceive Jesus, and explores the birth itself and the mind-altering reality that accompanied it. By revealing the Virgin Mary as a trained holy woman and a conscious actor in the conception of Jesus, the author corrects the impression we have been given of a passive and bewildered girl who had no idea how or why she was pregnant. She also restores Mary as the empowered feminine orchestrator of these significant events, paralleling the redemption of Mary Magdalene in recent years. Explaining how and why virgin birth was accomplished, this book allows us to make sense of miraculous conception and reveals the power that lies in all women’s wombs.

Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity

Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity

Author: M. Rigoglioso

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2010-09-27

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0230113125

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This study of various female deities of Graeco-Roman antiquity is the first to provide evidence that primary goddesses were conceived of as virgin mothers in the earliest layers of their cults. By taking feminist analysis of divinities further, this book provides a fresh angle on our understanding of these deities.


Book Synopsis Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity by : M. Rigoglioso

Download or read book Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity written by M. Rigoglioso and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-09-27 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study of various female deities of Graeco-Roman antiquity is the first to provide evidence that primary goddesses were conceived of as virgin mothers in the earliest layers of their cults. By taking feminist analysis of divinities further, this book provides a fresh angle on our understanding of these deities.

The Mother of the Gods, Athens, and the Tyranny of Asia

The Mother of the Gods, Athens, and the Tyranny of Asia

Author: Mark H. Munn

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2006-07-11

Total Pages: 478

ISBN-13: 0520243498

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Among maternal deities of the Greek pantheon, the Mother of the Gods was a paradox. Conflict and resolution were played out symbolically, Munn shows, and the goddess of Lydian tyranny was eventually accepted by the Athenians as the Mother of the Gods and a symbol of their own sovereignty.


Book Synopsis The Mother of the Gods, Athens, and the Tyranny of Asia by : Mark H. Munn

Download or read book The Mother of the Gods, Athens, and the Tyranny of Asia written by Mark H. Munn and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2006-07-11 with total page 478 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Among maternal deities of the Greek pantheon, the Mother of the Gods was a paradox. Conflict and resolution were played out symbolically, Munn shows, and the goddess of Lydian tyranny was eventually accepted by the Athenians as the Mother of the Gods and a symbol of their own sovereignty.

The Pregnant Male as Myth and Metaphor in Classical Greek Literature

The Pregnant Male as Myth and Metaphor in Classical Greek Literature

Author: David D. Leitao

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2012-04-30

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 1107379342

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This book traces the image of the pregnant male in Greek literature as it evolved over the course of the classical period. The image - as deployed in myth and in metaphor - originated as a representation of paternity and, by extension, 'authorship' of ideas, works of art, legislation, and the like. Only later, with its reception in philosophy in the early fourth century, did it also become a way to figure and negotiate the boundary between the sexes. The book considers a number of important moments in the evolution of the image: the masculinist embryological theory of Anaxagoras of Clazomenae and other fifth century pre-Socratics; literary representations of the birth of Dionysus; the origin and functions of pregnancy as a metaphor in tragedy, comedy and works of some Sophists; and finally the redeployment of some of these myths and metaphors in Aristophanes' Assemblywomen and in Plato's Symposium and Theaetetus.


Book Synopsis The Pregnant Male as Myth and Metaphor in Classical Greek Literature by : David D. Leitao

Download or read book The Pregnant Male as Myth and Metaphor in Classical Greek Literature written by David D. Leitao and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-04-30 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book traces the image of the pregnant male in Greek literature as it evolved over the course of the classical period. The image - as deployed in myth and in metaphor - originated as a representation of paternity and, by extension, 'authorship' of ideas, works of art, legislation, and the like. Only later, with its reception in philosophy in the early fourth century, did it also become a way to figure and negotiate the boundary between the sexes. The book considers a number of important moments in the evolution of the image: the masculinist embryological theory of Anaxagoras of Clazomenae and other fifth century pre-Socratics; literary representations of the birth of Dionysus; the origin and functions of pregnancy as a metaphor in tragedy, comedy and works of some Sophists; and finally the redeployment of some of these myths and metaphors in Aristophanes' Assemblywomen and in Plato's Symposium and Theaetetus.

Ancient Greek Cults

Ancient Greek Cults

Author: Jennifer Lynn Larson

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 0415324483

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Using archaeological, epigraphic and literary sources, and incorporating current scholarly theories, this volume offers an accessible account of the Greek gods for undergraduate students.


Book Synopsis Ancient Greek Cults by : Jennifer Lynn Larson

Download or read book Ancient Greek Cults written by Jennifer Lynn Larson and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using archaeological, epigraphic and literary sources, and incorporating current scholarly theories, this volume offers an accessible account of the Greek gods for undergraduate students.

Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity

Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity

Author: M. Rigoglioso

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Published: 2010-10-18

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781349381593

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This study of various female deities of Graeco-Roman antiquity is the first to provide evidence that primary goddesses were conceived of as virgin mothers in the earliest layers of their cults. By taking feminist analysis of divinities further, this book provides a fresh angle on our understanding of these deities.


Book Synopsis Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity by : M. Rigoglioso

Download or read book Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity written by M. Rigoglioso and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2010-10-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study of various female deities of Graeco-Roman antiquity is the first to provide evidence that primary goddesses were conceived of as virgin mothers in the earliest layers of their cults. By taking feminist analysis of divinities further, this book provides a fresh angle on our understanding of these deities.

Gender and Immortality

Gender and Immortality

Author: Deborah Lyons

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2014-07-14

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1400864380

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In recent years, the topic of ancient Greek hero cult has been the focus of considerable discussion among classicists. Little attention, however, has been paid to female heroized figures. Here Deborah Lyons argues for the heroine as a distinct category in ancient Greek religious ideology and daily practice. The heroine, she believes, must be located within a network of relations between male and female, mortal and immortal. Using evidence ranging from Homeric epic to Attic vase painting to ancient travel writing, she attempts to re-integrate the feminine into our picture of Greek notions of the hero. According to Lyons, heroines differ from male heroes in several crucial ways, among which is the ability to cross the boundaries between mortal and immortal. She further shows that attention to heroines clarifies fundamental Greek ideas of mortal/immortal relationships. The book first discusses heroines both in relation to heroes and as a separate religious and mythic phenomenon. It examines the cultural meanings of heroines in ritual and representation, their use as examples for mortals, and their typical "biographies." The model of "ritual antagonism," in which two mythic figures represented as hostile share a cult, is ultimately modified through an exploration of the mythic correspondences between the god Dionysos and the heroines surrounding him, and through a rethinking of the relationship between Iphigeneia and Artemis. An appendix, which identifies more than five hundred heroines, rounds out this lively work. Originally published in 1997. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.


Book Synopsis Gender and Immortality by : Deborah Lyons

Download or read book Gender and Immortality written by Deborah Lyons and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2014-07-14 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years, the topic of ancient Greek hero cult has been the focus of considerable discussion among classicists. Little attention, however, has been paid to female heroized figures. Here Deborah Lyons argues for the heroine as a distinct category in ancient Greek religious ideology and daily practice. The heroine, she believes, must be located within a network of relations between male and female, mortal and immortal. Using evidence ranging from Homeric epic to Attic vase painting to ancient travel writing, she attempts to re-integrate the feminine into our picture of Greek notions of the hero. According to Lyons, heroines differ from male heroes in several crucial ways, among which is the ability to cross the boundaries between mortal and immortal. She further shows that attention to heroines clarifies fundamental Greek ideas of mortal/immortal relationships. The book first discusses heroines both in relation to heroes and as a separate religious and mythic phenomenon. It examines the cultural meanings of heroines in ritual and representation, their use as examples for mortals, and their typical "biographies." The model of "ritual antagonism," in which two mythic figures represented as hostile share a cult, is ultimately modified through an exploration of the mythic correspondences between the god Dionysos and the heroines surrounding him, and through a rethinking of the relationship between Iphigeneia and Artemis. An appendix, which identifies more than five hundred heroines, rounds out this lively work. Originally published in 1997. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.