I was interested in the early Church, and how it was influenced by Pagan beliefs.

I worry about this influence, and believe that going to the New Testament is a primary source of being a Christian, and knowing that what we believe is based on the teachings of Christ, some of the apostles, and other eyewitnesses there at that time immediately after Jesus lived on Earth.
I am talking about the writings from what is known as the Apostolic Age (30-130 AD)

It is interesting to know about this topic, to see whether the Church we attend has been tainted by Pagan beliefs. I realise this topic may be one that nobody wants to talk about. Mainly because it may be a can of worms which challenge our faith. I don’t think it really should do that if our faith is based firmly on Jesus.

There was a complex interaction between Hellenic philosophy and Christianity during the early years of the church, particularly the first four centuries A.D.

The Wikipedia link: Christianity and Paganism seemed a good place for me to start.

It mentions the influence of the early Church leaders who stabilised Christianity also.

Three layers of pagan influence on the Christian Church have been proposed:
1: Influence on the New Testament narrative and doctrine itself. This is mainly located in Hellenistic mystery religions such as Mithraism, partly inspired by Ancient Egyptian religion, as well as the mythology of the Old Testament, but Buddhism is also named as a possible influence;

2: Influence on Christian dogma in Late Antiquity, that is, the doctrine of the Church Fathers in the 4th and 5th century, the Nicene and Chalcedonian creeds, including the questions of the Trinity and Christology. A strong influence here was Roman imperial cult, Hellenistic philosophy, notably Neoplatonism, and Gnosticism. Christological disputes continued to dominate Christian theology well into the Early Middle Ages, down to the Third Council of Constantinople of AD 680;

3: Influences of pagan religions Christianized in the Early Middle Ages. This includes Germanic paganism, Celtic paganism, Slavic paganism and folk religion in general.

Influence on Christian liturgy and ritual

Lisa Ann Bargeman asserts that many Christian rituals and beliefs, particularly Roman Catholic ones, may have been borrowed from ancient Egyptian traditions. She compares the Bible with the Egyptian sacred text, The Book of the Dead; she further cites similarities between specific themes and ceremonial practices to argue that Christianity directly evolved from the beliefs of the Egyptians.

Others believe that the relationship was more indirect, passing through Hellenic and Roman adaptations of the Egyptian traditions. For example, the cult of Isis was popular in the Roman Empire in the form of a Hellenized adaption of Egyptian ritual. This cult believed that Isis gave virgin birth to Horus (she was often portrayed suckling the infant Horus). It also believed in the resurrection of Osiris, who thereupon became the Judge of sinners. The use of holy water, in turn, was similar to the water from the Nile that was kept in a cistern as a protection against evil.

I guess a reading of the entire link, would be a good idea.

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Ken,

Here are some good resources (you should read them in this order):

http://www.christian-thinktank.com/copycat.html

http://www.christian-thinktank.com/copycat2.html

http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/copycathub.html

G’day Ken , I admire your schoolarship in trying to to sort out the influence of Pagan beliefs on Christianity. I would put the view that it is all unnecessary if you follow the “Prophet” Eliza Doolittle’s words “all you bees is talk words, words , words---”
The fundamental elements for the survival of all God’s creatures are simply Power, Sex and Food.  No words or noises or money. The latter are all HUMAN attributes , even if they did come from God. You can fly around this world and survive in this world without words , customs, doctrine, liturgy or ceremonies.
I would consecrate on the actions of the Jews in searching for their God through wanderings and wars over centuries. Also the messages of Jesus which don"t use many words and are pretty unequivocal. Above all, the WORLD of God which is the same for all God’s chosen people, the entire human race, who alone among God’s creations have the inate desire to seek God.

thanks Andrew and Doug for your replies. I may have given a confusing message in my initial post.

I was indicating that various Churches and Churchmen, over the centuries, have been swayed from the original text of the New Testament by pagan influences. (I would say the Roman Catholic Church is one of the main offenders.)

And that I believe that the words of the New Testament, better understood by studying the Old testament in tandem, are all we need to know about Jesus, and how He wants His Church to operate.

Later influences which have been, say, political or pagan have led Jesus’ Church astray from God’s plan, as outlined by the words of the NT, which are given to Christians in order for them to be strengthened in the faith.

These writings from the Apostelic Age are all we need to know, to reinforce our Christian faith.

the website I posted, gives proof of these pagan influences. Do you agree with my understanding of this issue?

Ken, there certainly have been Christians influenced by pagan thought. Origen is a big example.