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  • From: "Jon Peter" <jnp AT home.com>
  • To: "Corpus Paulinum" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: sacrifice as God-food (Liz)
  • Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1999 11:38:14 -0700


Liz, here are some tidbits I recall from reading an article or two on ane
sacrifice, some time back. All of this is summarized in Ency Brit. too. I
hope, as you read these, that their aroma rises up to your nostrils and is
pleasing. <g>

--The meaning of sacrifice differed depending on the context, i.e., the
cultus and community.

--The most universal purpose was god-food, but this was not the only
understanding. Other theories evolved, probably based on the logic that
"since we're feeding the gods, they owe us something back," which lead to
various theurgy.

--All mortals serve god, but human sacrifice was a means of delivering
firstborn to serve as household staff with the gods. (Gods were not eating
humans but employing them as domestics.)

--Rites went on and on through time, but their attached meanings became
updated to suit changing times, such as a change in government or clergy.
Earlier meanings did not vanish but were retained by the old guard. One
cannot assume from a given ritual form that performance necessarily
indicated one attendant mythology.

--Besides sacrifice as god-food or as gods' domestic help, and besides
altar-purifying & atonement sin offerings you mentioned, sacrifices were
practiced in bonding rituals. People thought that if they all ate the same
carcass, all would share in a common identity of some kind, usually
involving a deity and/or departed ancestors. Various other strange
covenanting ideas involve sacrifices.

My own view is that political conflict existed between atonement /
purification theologies, on the one side, and covenantal ones on the other.

Best regards,

Jon





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