早期基督教习俗中的异教因素

随着基督教的成功崛起,许多异教习俗不是被完全抛弃,而是被逐渐地改造成为基督教习俗。基督徒的许多葬俗,都可以从异教世界的相关习俗中找到原型;基督徒的梦幻和异像,与异教梦兆密切相关;基督徒的许多重要节庆,也可以溯源到希腊罗马世界乃至遥远的东方。基督教习俗虽然与异教习俗有着千丝万缕的历史联系,但它绝不是后者的简单翻新,它在采用后者的某些形式的同时,必然也要赋予其全新的内容。早期基督教对异教习俗的广泛吸纳,说明了文化包容正是该教的一大显著特征。

Pagan Elements in the Social Customs of Early Christanity

Along with successful rise of Christianity,many pagan customs were not given up completely,but rather transformed gradually as Christian customs.Christian funeral customs,including Viaticum,kiss of peace,closing of the eyes and mouth of the deceased,washing of the body,and embalming or anointing of the body,etc.,can find each prototype in related customs of the pagan world;Christian dream and vision have a close connexion with pagan divination of dream;Many important festivals of Christianity can also trace to Greco-Roman world and even remote Oriental world.Although there is a so intimate historical relation between Christian customs and pagan ones,the former is not absolutely a simple reproduction of the latter,and while Christian customs inherited forms of pagan customs,some new substance must come into being sooner or later.