Question

What is the pagan synthesis?

What is meant by this term? Give examples of where you see this occurring in the arts of the southern renaissance. Why was this technique used to convey non-pagan (mostly Christian) messages?

Answer 1

Introduction-The Pagan synthesis refers to a group of contemporary religious beliefs based on the reverence of nature. Paganism encompasses a diverse community which shares an ecological vision which comes from the pagan beliefs in the organic vitality and spirituality of the natural world.

The paganism is not based on doctrine or liturgy. The pagan theology is based on experiences, with the aim of pagan ritual being to make contact with the divine in the world.

Example- The omnipresence of pagan rituals and symbols in European Christianity is such that many Christians see them having always belonged to their faith, even in its first stage, when it was still a markedly oriental religion.

In some countries, “king cakes” are baked for the celebration of the Epiphany, and creeps are cooked for the day of Candlemas. Both symbolized a sun disk, and these two winter feasts were before Christianity phagocytized them, meant to prepare the return of Sun.

This technique used to convey non-pagan messages with symbolist articulation, at the time of pagan influence, the art of symbol was used to convey the messages and enables with pagan synthesis.       

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