Worship of heavenly bodies
The worship of heavenly bodies is the veneration of
The most notable instances of this are
The related term astrolatry usually implies polytheism. Some Abrahamic religions prohibit astrolatry as idolatrous. Pole star worship was also banned by imperial decree in Heian period Japan.
Etymology
Astrolatry has the suffix -λάτρης, itself related to λάτρις latris, "worshipper" or λατρεύειν latreuein, "to worship" from λάτρον latron, "payment".
Ancient and medieval Near East
Mesopotamia
Babylonian astronomy from early times associates stars with deities, but the identification of the heavens as the residence of an anthropomorphic pantheon, and later of monotheistic God and his retinue of angels, is a later development, gradually replacing the notion of the pantheon residing or convening on the summit of high mountains. Archibald Sayce (1913) argues for a parallelism of the "stellar theology" of Babylon and Egypt, both countries absorbing popular star-worship into the official pantheon of their respective state religions by identification of gods with stars or planets.[1]
The Chaldeans, who came to be seen as the prototypical astrologers and star-worshippers by the Greeks, migrated into Mesopotamia c. 940–860 BCE.[2] Astral religion does not appear to have been common in the Levant prior to the Iron Age, but becomes popular under Assyrian influence around the 7th-century BCE.[3] The Chaldeans gained ascendancy, ruling Babylonia from 608 to 557 BCE.[4] The Hebrew Bible was substantially composed during this period (roughly corresponding to the period of the Babylonian captivity).
Egypt
Astral cults were probably an early feature of religion in
One of the most notable examples of astral worship in ancient Egypt is the goddess Sopdet, identified with the star Sirius.[8] Sopdet's rising coincided with the annual flooding of the Nile, a crucial event that sustained Egyptian agriculture. The goddess was venerated as a harbinger of the inundation, marking the beginning of a new agricultural cycle and symbolizing fertility and renewal. This connection between Sopdet and the Nile flood underscores the profound link between celestial phenomena and earthly prosperity in ancient Egyptian culture. She was known to the Greeks as Sothis.
Sopdet is the consort of
Sabians
Among the various religious groups which in the 9th and 10th centuries CE came to be identified with the mysterious Sabians mentioned in the Quran (sometimes also spelled 'Sabaeans' or 'Sabeans', but not to be confused with the Sabaeans of South Arabia),[15] at least two groups appear to have engaged in some kind of star worship.
By far the most famous of these two are the
Apart from the Sabians of Harran, there were also various religious groups living in the
Asia
China
Heaven worship is a
Heaven worship is closely linked with ancestor veneration and polytheism, as the ancestors and the gods are seen as a medium between Heaven and man. The Emperor of China, also known as the "Son of Heaven", derived the Mandate of Heaven, and thus his legitimacy as ruler, from his supposed ability to commune with Heaven on behalf of his nation.[29][30]
Star worship was widespread in Asia, especially in Mongolia
The Sanxing (Chinese: 三星; lit. 'Three Stars') are the gods of the three stars or constellations considered essential in Chinese astrology and mythology: Jupiter, Ursa Major, and Sirius. Fu, Lu, and Shou (traditional Chinese: 福祿壽; simplified Chinese: 福禄寿; pinyin: Fú Lù Shòu; Cantonese Yale: Fūk Luhk Sauh), or Cai, Zi and Shou (財子壽) are also the embodiments of Fortune (Fu), presiding over planet Jupiter, Prosperity (Lu), presiding over Ursa Major, and Longevity (Shou), presiding over Sirius.[37]
During the Tang dynasty, Chinese Buddhism adopted Taoist Big Dipper worship, borrowing various texts and rituals which were then modified to conform with Buddhist practices and doctrines. The cult of the Big Dipper was eventually absorbed into the cults of various Buddhist divinities, Myōken being one of these.[38]
Japan
Star worship was also practiced in Japan.[39][40][41] Japanese star worship is largely based on Chinese cosmology.[42] According to Bernard Faure, "the cosmotheistic nature of esoteric Buddhism provided an easy bridge for cultural translation between Indian and Chinese cosmologies, on the one hand, and between Indian astrology and local Japanese folk beliefs about the stars, on the other".[42]
The cult of Myōken is thought to have been brought into Japan during the 7th century by immigrants (toraijin) from Goguryeo and Baekje. During the reign of Emperor Tenji (661–672), the toraijin were resettled in the easternmost parts of the country; as a result, Myōken worship spread throughout the eastern provinces.[43]
By the Heian period, pole star worship had become widespread enough that imperial decrees banned it for the reason that it involved "mingling of men and women", and thus caused ritual impurity. Pole star worship was also forbidden among the inhabitants of the capital and nearby areas when the imperial princess (Saiō) made her way to Ise to begin her service at the shrines. Nevertheless, the cult of the pole star left its mark on imperial rituals such as the emperor's enthronement and the worship of the imperial clan deity at Ise Shrine.[44] Worship of the pole star was also practiced in Onmyōdō, where it was deified as Chintaku Reifujin (鎮宅霊符神).[45]
Myōken worship was particularly prevalent among clans based in eastern Japan (the modern
The Americas
Celestial objects hold a significant place within
Heavenly bodies held spiritual wisdom. The
Indigenous American cultures encapsulate a holistic worldview that acknowledges the interplay of humanity, nature, and the cosmos. Oral traditions transmitted cosmic stories, infusing mythologies, songs, and ceremonies with cosmic significance.[52] These narratives emphasized the belief that the celestial realm offered insights into origins and purpose.[49]
Judaism
The Hebrew Bible contains repeated reference to astrolatry. Deuteronomy 4:19, 17:3 contains a stern warning against worshipping the Sun, Moon, stars or any of the heavenly host. Relapse into worshipping the host of heaven, i.e. the stars, is said to have been the cause of the fall of the kingdom of Judah in II Kings 17:16. King Josiah in 621 BCE is recorded as having abolished all kinds of idolatry in Judah, but astrolatry was continued in private (Zeph. 1:5; Jer. 8:2, 19:13). Ezekiel (8:16) describes sun-worship practised in the court of the temple of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah (44:17) says that even after the destruction of the temple, women in particular insisted on continuing their worship of the "Queen of Heaven".[58]
Christianity
Crucifixion darkness is an episode described in three of the canonical gospels in which the sky becomes dark during the day, during the crucifixion of Jesus as a sign of his divinity.[59][60][61]
Augustine of Hippo criticized sun- and star-worship in De Vera Religione (37.68) and De civitate Dei (5.1–8). Pope Leo the Great also denounced astrolatry and the cult of Sol Invictus, which he contrasted with the Christian nativity.[citation needed]
Islam
Astrolatry is mentioned in the
Muhammad's teachings, as documented in Hadith literature, reflect his commitment to monotheism and opposition to idolatry.[66] Academic studies in Islamic theology and comparative religion affirm the contrast between Islamic monotheism and the practice of astrolatry.[67] Islamic scholars and researchers underline that the focus of Islamic spirituality remains centered on the worship of God alone, with no association of divinity to any created entities, including celestial bodies.[68]
Thelema
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See also
- Archeoastronomy
- Astraea
- Astraeus
- Astronomy and religion
- Astrological age
- Astrotheology
- Babylonian astrology
- Behenian fixed star
- Body of light
- Ceremonial magic
- Decan
- Eosphorus
- Hellenistic astrology
- History of astrology
- History of astronomy
- Lunar station
- Magic and religion
- Natural theology
- Nature worship
- Pantheon
- Planets in astrology
- Pleiades in folklore and literature
- Religious cosmology
- Renaissance magic
- Royal stars
- Seven Heavens
- Sidereal compass rose
- Stars in astrology
- Sky father
- Star people
- Stellar deities
- Venusian deities
Notes
- ^ On the Sabians of Harran, see further Dozy & de Goeje (1884); Margoliouth (1913); Tardieu (1986); Tardieu (1987); Peters (1990); Green (1992); Fahd (1960–2007); Strohmaier (1996); Genequand (1999); Elukin (2002); Stroumsa (2004); De Smet (2010).
References
Citations
- ^ Sayce (1913), pp. 237ff.
- ^ Oppenheim & Reiner (1977).
- ^ Cooley (2011), p. 287.
- ^ Beaulieu (2018), pp. 4, 12, 178.
- ^ Wilkinson 2003, p. 12.
- ^ Wilkinson 2003, p. 90.
- ^ a b Wilkinson 2003, p. 91.
- ^ Redford (2001).
- ^ Hill (2016).
- ^ a b Wilkinson (2003), p. 167.
- ^ Wilkinson (2003), p. 211.
- ^ Wilkinson (2003), p. 127.
- ^ Wilkinson (2003), p. 168.
- ^ Ritner (1993).
- ^ On the Sabians generally, see De Blois (1960–2007); De Blois (2004); Fahd (1960–2007); Van Bladel (2009).
- ^ De Blois (1960–2007).
- ^ Van Bladel (2009), p. 68; cf. p. 70.
- ^ Van Bladel (2009), p. 65. A genealogical table of Thabit ibn Qurra's family is given by De Blois (1960–2007). On some of his descendants, see Roberts (2017).
- ^ Hjärpe (1972) (as cited by Van Bladel (2009), pp. 68–69).
- ^ Van Bladel (2009), pp. 65–66.
- ^ Van Bladel (2009), p. 70.
- ^ Van Bladel (2017), pp. 14, 71. On the Mesopotamian Marshes in the early Islamic period, see pp. 60–69.
- Elchasaites, whom other scholars see as Mandaeans.
- ^ Van Bladel (2017), pp. 71–72.
- ^ Translation by Van Bladel (2017), p. 71.
- ^ Hämeen-Anttila (2006), pp. 46–52.
- ^ Lü & Gong (2014), p. 71.
- ^ Yao & Zhao (2010), p. 155.
- ^ Fung (2008), p. 163.
- ^ Lü & Gong (2014), pp. 65–66.
- ^ Heissig (1980), pp. 82–4.
- ^ Yu & Lancaster (1989), p. 58.
- ^ Schafer (1977), p. 221.
- ^ Gillman (2010), p. 108.
- ^ Master of Silent Whistle Studio (2020), p. 211, n.16.
- ^ Liu Kwang-ching, “Socioethics as Orthodoxy,” in Liu Kwang-ching, ed., Orthodoxy In Late Imperial China (Berkeley, 1990), 53-100:60.
- ^ (in Chinese) 福禄寿星 Archived 2006-07-22 at the Wayback Machine. British Taoist Association.
- ^ Orzech, Sørensen & Payne (2011), pp. 238–239.
- ^ Bocking (2006).
- ^ Goto (2020).
- ^ Rambelli & Teeuwen (2003).
- ^ a b Faure (2015), p. 52.
- ^ "妙見菩薩と妙見信仰". 梅松山円泉寺. Retrieved 2019-09-29.
- ^ Rambelli & Teeuwen (2003), pp. 35–36, 164–167.
- ^ Friday (2017), p. 340.
- ^ "千葉神社". 本地垂迹資料便覧 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-09-29.
- ^ "千葉氏と北辰(妙見)信仰". Chiba City Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-09-29.
- ^ "妙見菩薩「開運大野妙見大菩薩」". 日蓮宗 法華道場 光胤山 本光寺 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-09-29.
- ^ a b c Bucko (1998).
- ^ Valencius (2013).
- ^ a b Jones (2015).
- ^ a b Spence (1990).
- ^ Means (2016).
- ^ Goodman (2017).
- ^ Lockett (2018).
- ^ La Vere (1998), p. 7.
- ^ Cobo (1990), pp. 25–31.
- ^ Seligsohn (1906).
- ^ Matthew 27:45
- ^ Mark 15:33
- ^ Luke 23:44
- ^ Rosenberg 1972.
- ^ Brown (2015).
- ^ Qur'an 112:1-4.
- ^ Esack (2002).
- ^ Turner (2006).
- ^ Nasr (2003).
- ^ Smith (1998).
- ^ Crowley (2004).
- ^ Crowley (1991).
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Further reading
- Aakhus, P. (2008). "Astral Magic in the Renaissance: Gems, Poetry, and Patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici". Magic, Ritual & Witchcraft. 3 (2): 185–206. S2CID 161829239.
- Albertz, R.; Schmitt, R (2012). Family and Household Religion in Ancient Israel and the Levant. United States: Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 978-1575062327.
- Al-Ghazali, Muhammad (2007). Ihya' Ulum al-Din [Revival of the Religious Sciences]. Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyah.
- Ananthaswamy, Anil (14 August 2013). "World's oldest temple built to worship the dog star". New Scientist. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
- Bender, Herman E. (2017). "The Star Beings and stones: Petroforms and the reflection of Native American cosmology, myth and stellar traditions". Journal of Lithic Studies. 4 (4): 77–116. . Retrieved 2021-12-06.
- Casey, Maurice (2014). Jesus: Evidence and Argument or Mythicist Myths?. T&T Clark.
- Crowhurst, D. (2021). Stellas Daemonum: The Orders of the Daemons. Red Wheel/Weiser. ISBN 978-1578636914.
- Hill, J. H. (2009) [1895]. Astral Worship. United States: Arc Manor. ISBN 978-1604507119.
- Kim, S. (2019). Shinra Myōjin and Buddhist Networks of the East Asian "Mediterranean". University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0824877996.
- McCluskey, S. C. (2000). Astronomies and Cultures in Early Medieval Europe. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521778527.
- Mortimer, J. R. (1896). "Ancient British Star-worship indicated by the Grouping of Barrows". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological and Polytechnic Society. 13 (2): 201–209. . Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- Pedersen, Hillary Eve (2010). The Five Great Space Repository Bodhisattvas: Lineage, Protection and Celestial Authority in Ninth-Century Japan (PDF) (PhD Thesis). University of Kansas. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- Peters, Ted (2014). "Astrotheology: A Constructive Proposal". Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science. 49 (2): 443–57. .
- S2CID 170507750.
- Reiner, Erica (1995). "Astral Magic in Babylonia". Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. 85 (4): i-150. JSTOR 1006642.
- Rohrbacher, Peter (2019). "Encrypted Astronomy: Astral Mythologies and Ancient Mexican Studies in Austria, 1910–1945". Revista de Antropologia. 62 (1). Universidade de São Paulo: 140–161. S2CID 151040522.
- Rumor, Maddalena (2020). "Babylonian Astro-Medicine, Quadruplicities and Pliny the Elder". Zeitschrift für Assyriologie & Vorderasiatische Archäologie. 111 (1): 47–76. S2CID 235779490.
- Schaafsma, P. (2015). "The Darts of Dawn: The Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli Venus Complex in the Iconography of Mesoamerica and the American Southwest". Journal of the Southwest. 57 (1): 1–102. S2CID 109601941. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
- Selin, Helaine (2014). Astronomy Across Cultures. Springer My Copy UK. ISBN 978-9401141802.
- Spence, Lewis (1917). "Chapter VIII - Babylonian Star-worship". Myths and Legends of Babylonia and Assyria. Retrieved 2021-12-04 – via wisdomlib.org.
- Springett, B. H. (2016). Secret Sects of Syria. United Kingdom: Routledge. ISBN 978-1138981546.
- Tanzella-Nitti, Giuseppe (2002). "Sky". Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science. ISSN 2037-2329.
- Ten Grotenhuis, E. (1998). Japanese Mandalas: Representations of Sacred Geography. University of Hawaii Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-0824863111. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
- Thompson, Cath (2017). A Handbook of Stellar Magick. West Yorkshire: Hadean Press. ISBN 978-1907881718.
- VanPool, Christine S.; VanPool, Todd L.; Phillips, David A. (Jr.), eds. (2006). Religion in the Prehispanic Southwest. AltaMira Press.
- Walker, Theodore; Wickramasinghe, Chandra (2015). The Big Bang and God: An Astro-Theology. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-1-349-57419-3.
- Wheeler, Brannon M.; Walker, Joel Thomas; Noegel, Scott B., eds. (2003). Prayer, Magic, and the Stars in the Ancient and Late Antique World. Pennsylvania State University Press. ISBN 978-0271022574.
- Wrogemann, H. (2019). Intercultural Theology, Volume Three: A Theology of Interreligious Relations. InterVarsity Press. ISBN 978-0830850990.
External links
- The Development, Heyday, and Demise of Panbabylonism by Gary D. Thompson
- Native American Star Lore Dakota and Lakota
- The Star Mandala Archived 2021-12-04 at the Wayback Machine at Kyoto National Museum
- Star Worship in Japan, 28 Constellations (Lunar Mansions, Moon Stations), Pole Star, Big Dipper, Planets, Nine Luminaries