Greek Religion

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Summary: Hellenic Religion's Best Help Guide
Review: ...BR>I have had many books on the Hellenic Religion, but none struck me as Walter Burkert's book Greek Religion has. Burkert is not afraid to let his readers know that there is not much information on Ancient Greek practices. He explores the religion, telling what is fact, and what was possible. His book, and the book Old Stones, New Temples, are great starter books for anyone considering practicing Hellenic Religion. Unlike other Pagan associated books, Burkert has a huge bibliography of resources for where his information comes from. Though he does quote from within his network, as many Pagan authors do, he also draws from other sources. This is definately one of the best books I've read in a long time. It is one of my top recommended buys...

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Summary: A Functionalist analysis of Greek religion.
Review: Basically, this book attempt to present Greek religion as it (supposedly) transits from a mythological explanation of the world, with the gods as concrete personifications of abstract notions, towards a rational religion where abstract attributes and social morals and philosophical ethics supersede mythology. Such an approach does little to explain the enormous resilience shown by Greek mythology until today, yet the account is enormously informative and gives much food for alternative thinking on the subject.Recommended as a handbook for the advanced student on the subject.

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Summary: A standard text for students of Greek Religion
Review: Burkert is one of the foremost scholars on Greek Religion, and this book is a fantastic foundation for people of all levels of knowledge, from beginner to graduate student. He covers important concepts, such as organization, sacrifice, and the pantheon, as well as regional and chronological variations. His book _Ancient_Mystery_Cults_ is also fantastic! Both books are great places to start your research into this subject and are invaluable reference tools for those of us in graduate school.

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Summary: Reading the book is a devotion to Athena
Review: Burkert leaves no stones unturned in this survey of Greek religion. Everything you would want to know about religion is covered here. Topics include the manifold origins of Hellenic religion; a detailed discussion of the innumerable divinities who constitute the actual focus of the religion; cults, rituals, sacrifices, temples and the like; and finally the impact of the philosophical schools. As a reference and research material it is currently second to none.

My favorite section is the one that outlined the Olympian gods themselves. Many of the Greek gods are not actually Greek. Bet you didn't learn that in school.

There are some problems with this book, though. The first is the incredibly dry and monotonous tone of the book. Obviously academic books are not meant to read like poetry, but either Burkert or his translator is uncannily dull even for a professor. The second is the sheer scope and depth of the book may cause some people to actually drown in an overload of details.

For these two reasons I took a star off the ratings. I actually don't recommend this book for the beginner. If you're a neophyte to the serious study of Greek religion, there are less severe works out there. But if you already have some exposure to the subject and want to take your research to the next level, then this book just might be for you.


Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Handbook
Review: Burkert's Greek Religion is the perfect handbook for any serious student of archaic and classical Greek religion. Burkert is a thorough scholar, and treats the diverse and complex problem of Greek religion from its Minoan-Mycenaean precursors through the esoteric Mysteries. Burkert cleanly and succinctly addresses Greek ritual practices and provides accurate and enlightening
definitions of the mainstays of Greek religion - from temple (naos) to cult image (xaonon) to the gods themselves. Burkert's text is an invaluable resource no student of classical studies should be without.

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Summary: Excellent!
Review: Finally, a book that doesn't just go over the main Greek gods and goddesses, list a few of the festivals and some myths, and stop there. This book goes into great depth about what Greek religion was /really/ like, and the motivations, beliefs, and psychology behind it. Relying on archaeological evidence as well as other sources, this book gives an in depth look at ancient Greek religion, even confronting the issue of human sacrifice. Extensive notes in the back further flesh out this fantastic book, providing hundreds of other avenues and sources to explore. The author even provides an index of Greek words if you want to look a term up straight from the original Greek instead of wondering how it's been translated into English so you can look it up in the regular index. The writing might be slightly dense in some areas, but this isn't a problem as the subject is so interesting and so much information is presented. A truly scholarly book.

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Summary: DEFINITIVE TEXT
Review: Solid and fascinating scholarship. Burkert offers detailed and informative entries on the development of ritual, taboo and the slow evolution of the deities from numinous abstractions to theistic personifications; for example, the entry on how Hermes developed from a pile of rocks to Messenger of The Gods was fascinating. There also a few mysteries as well, such as the puzzling evidence that some of the cults of Hercules may have involved transvestitism. Perhaps the definitive text for students of religion; scholarly and solid without pandering to the neo-pagan hoopla.

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Summary: A scholarly, well-balanced look at Greek religion
Review: Walter Burkert does an excellent, well-researched job of presenting ancient Greek religion as it really was, drawing heavily on archaeological findings, classical texts and literature. He is skeptical and rational and does not veer off into flakey New Age Pagan tangents. There is a plethora of rich information here. A must-have for the serious Greek culture student.

Rating:
Summary: A scholarly, well-balanced look at Greek religion
Review: Walter Burkert does an excellent, well-researched job of presenting ancient Greek religion as it really was, drawing heavily on archaeological findings, classical texts and literature. He is skeptical and rational and does not veer off into flakey New Age Pagan tangents. There is a plethora of rich information here. A must-have for the serious Greek culture student.

Rating:
Summary: A fantastic survey of religious practice in Ancient Greece
Review: While the market for Mythology is flooded by books describing Greek Myth (with many excellent versions), too many have been reduced to neo-pagan re-usage, forcing the myths onto a modern metaphor. All too often, books cut and paste the myths into a new age ideal that melts Taosism, Buddhism, American SHamanism into a nasty blend devoid of any of the specific flavorings of any of these rich traditions.

Burkett's book doesn't d othis. If you want to know how the Ancient Greeks PRACTICED religion, this is a great book, filled with fantastic detail. Burkett is neither a Frazer/Campbell Synthesist, nor a true Levi-Strauss Structuralist. Like the latter group, he delves into the details, discussing how the individual greek cities and cults practiced their religion.

By the time the book is complete, the reader has a crystal clear picture of the everyday spiritual life of an ancient greek citizen, from the archaic to the philosophical (even the the curses and phrases).

More than that, the book gives a clear definition of what a Polytheistic system of beliefs is like.

I definite part of any student of Greek History or General Mythology and Religion.