Systematizing the Sacred: Neoplatonism and the Reconfiguration of Theology and Religious Beliefs in the Roman Empire

نوع المستند : المقالة الأصلية

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كلية الآداب - جامعة عين شمس

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This study examines the profound theological transformation in the reformulation of religious concepts that took place in the Roman Empire from the third century CE onward under the influence of Neoplatonism. This epoch marked the apogee of pagan doctrine, characterized by its dynamic interaction with Egyptian religious systems and the broader philosophical heritage of the era, which was intimately embedded in social and cultural life. The transformation extended across a wide range of mythological ideas, religious beliefs, and ritual practices, signaling a shift beyond the traditional polytheistic framework of Greco-Roman religion towards the abstract, hierarchical monotheism that distinguished Neoplatonic thought. The research contends that this transformation did not entail a wholesale rejection of long-standing mythological beliefs; rather, it represented a systematic reorientation in which central religious elements were retained and reinterpreted through philosophical abstraction and hermeneutic innovation.
Through comprehensive analysis, this study aims to illuminate the specific mechanisms by which Neoplatonism adapted, reimagined, and systematically transformed the core religious concepts of Greek myth, cosmology, and ritual practice. It is argued that Neoplatonism was not a radical departure from the deeply entrenched religious and mythological foundations of Greco-Roman society. Instead, it functioned as an advanced intellectual reformulation, synthesizing essential elements of Greek religious traditions with the precise philosophical abstraction pioneered by Plato. This process resulted in the development of a new epistemological and conceptual lexicon through which reality and existence could be articulated within the context of the Roman Empire, paving the way toward a more abstract and comprehensive reconstruction of divine concepts and cosmological order.
Consequently, Neoplatonism emerged as a wellspring of religious, intellectual, and spiritual renewal in Roman society. It provided the theoretical and doctrinal foundation on which figures such as Emperor Julian would later depend in their efforts to revive and reorganize pagan traditions during the final centuries of Roman imperial rule.

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