Family Religion in Babylonia, Syria, and Israel
Continuity and Changes in the Forms of Religious …
K. van der Toorn
491 pages | ~14 hrs
Comparative Religion
Family Religion in Babylonia, Syria, and Israel
Continuity and Changes in the Forms of Religious Life
By K. van der Toorn
Discover the intimate spiritual world of ancient families through this comprehensive exploration of religious practices that shaped daily life in Babylonia, Syria, and Israel. Drawing from extensive archaeological and literary evidence, this scholarly work unveils how ordinary households maintained sacred connections with their ancestors and local deities across these influential civilizations.
The book illuminates two fundamental pillars of ancient family spirituality: the reverence for departed ancestors and the worship of household gods. These practices formed the backbone of personal identity and community belonging, revealing how spiritual devotion operated at the most basic level of society. Through careful analysis of private documents and religious texts, readers gain unprecedented insight into the rituals and beliefs that sustained families across generations.
The examination of ancient Israel offers particularly fascinating insights into the dynamic tension between personal faith and institutional religion. As state-sponsored worship emerged under King Saul, families found themselves navigating competing spiritual authorities. This ongoing struggle between private devotion and public religious demands created a complex spiritual landscape that profoundly influenced the development of Israelite faith throughout the monarchic era.
This detailed study provides valuable understanding for anyone interested in how ancient peoples integrated spiritual practice into their everyday lives. The work demonstrates that religious expression has always been deeply personal, even within organized systems of belief, offering timeless lessons about the relationship between individual spirituality and communal faith traditions.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Fouilles (Archéologie)
- ✓ Create spiritual family harmony
- ✓ Explore Fouilles archéologiques
- ✓ Explore Religionsausübung
- ✓ Explore Famille
- ✓ Explore Familie
- ✓ Explore Religious life
- ✓ Explore Excavations (Archaeology)
Topics
Details
- Published
- 1996
- Publisher
- E.J. Brill
- ISBN-13
- 9789004104105
- ISBN-10
- 9004104100
- Pages
- 491
- Language
- EN
- LC Classification
- BL1625.F35 T66 1995
