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Post by Admin on Jan 26, 2014 16:26:42 GMT -8
I've really been impressed with the level of discussion and the tone of debate here at PwoB so far. While the lack of drama means that sometimes we see less activity (and isn't that interesting?), the discussion I've seen has been really interesting. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling like this is honestly a safe space to discuss theology in a way that fosters healthy debate and useful communication.
So what does everyone think of having a theology topic of the month? We could dig a little deeper into the kinds of questions that could be very interesting and edifying, but that are also more challenging, harder to debate, even the subject of controversy. This occurred to me after viewing another fiery comment thread where I honestly thought there was somewhere really fascinating to go with the topic, but it was getting derailed by the same old arguments.
We could maybe avoid some of that because of our theological common ground, and still learn a lot through our natural differences. Imagine if every topic that started a battle in the blog war became a thoughtful, respectfully handled topic for debate here.
So, who's up for it? I've got some topics in mind, but would love suggestions from the group as well.
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Post by Wynn Dark on Jan 27, 2014 8:06:58 GMT -8
It is interesting that less drama does seem to mean less activity...perhaps we should put up a drama section (for writting plays of course, what else could I have meant?) for various pantheons. Granted, I could be biased towards plays for the Gods just a wee bit.
Anyway, I think the idea of a theological topic of the month is a grand one, though I'm not entirely sure that my topic ideas would actually count as theological topics as I've never had any formal training in the matter.
Some ideas
What is the role of Sacrifice?
What "counts" as Sacrifice (Different types of sacrifice)?
Is it important to celebrate ancient festivals that were tied to a specific place or should we anchor new festivals in new places?
What is the nature of 'constructed' divinities such as Columbia?
What relations should a polytheist cultivate with beings other than the Gods and Man?
What other types of beings are there, what categories do they fall into (as much as one can categorize such)?
To what extent should one's religious beliefs color other affairs of mankind (can one really seperate their beliefs from the arena of politics)? <-- Probably the least theological idea so far (?)
What happens after death (classic, and one that could spawn all sorts of other topics related to it)?
What are the ramifications of Cross-Pantheon worship (a subcategory of this that could be particulerly interesting would be what about the Deities of Monotheistic religions)?
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Post by Admin on Jan 27, 2014 11:57:21 GMT -8
These are all great topics!
I was thinking about:
* What are our polytheistic values, how are they common and how do they differ?
* What is the purpose or role of archetypes for polytheists?
* How do polytheism and pantheism relate?
These could all be considered "ripped from the headlines" of recent discussion.
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ariel
New Member
Posts: 13
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Post by ariel on Jan 27, 2014 21:46:27 GMT -8
I would love to participate in a Theology Topic of the Month!
I love all the topic ideas you've both mentioned so far. :-)
Some I would also be interested in discussing:
*How did your theological beliefs or thoughts influence how you chose or gravitated towards a certain pantheon and/or Gods?
*Has your devotion to your Gods and/or Pantheon changed your theology over time?
*Has the religion you were raised with influenced your Polytheistic theology in any way that you have become aware of?
*How old were you when you started believing in more than one God and why?
I'm not an expert in theology, either, though I do appreciate discussions on the topic. Hope my ideas were not too far out in left field. ;-)
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Post by Wynn Dark on Jan 28, 2014 8:31:35 GMT -8
So Admin, does the idea have enough interest to get put forward for next month on one of the topics that have been brought up here you think?
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Post by Admin on Jan 28, 2014 23:03:36 GMT -8
Well, there's a few of us at least! Let's pick one of the topics mentioned and get started. First person to reply with a topic wins and I'll start a new area to contain the thread.
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Post by Wynn Dark on Jan 31, 2014 8:13:11 GMT -8
I'll jump up and be greedy...this topic impacts my household quite personally so: What are the ramifications of Cross-Pantheon worship (a subcategory of this that could be particulerly interesting would be what about the Deities of Monotheistic religions)?
I'm most interested in seeing if anyone else has had relations, in a polytheistic manner, with the God(s?) of Abraham, as my better half is a Christ Follower and seems to have a fairly gnosis heavy realtionship with her God. Hospitality being what it is, I find that I'm attempting to play host to All of the Gods of the household. No doubt there will be parallels with households that have more than one pantheon, especially if different members of the household worship different pantheons seperately from one another.
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Post by lyradora on Feb 8, 2014 19:33:19 GMT -8
I love all the suggested topics.  A few more .... 1) Gender and the Gods (and I do mean gender, not sex): do the Deities have a gender? Are they beyond gender? Is it fluid for them? How does the portrayal of a Deity as a specific gender impact our perception of that Deity? What is the relationship (if any) between a Deity's gender and his/her sphere of influence; e.g. is "love" usually associated with a Goddess, but "war" with a God? 2) The Creation of New Sacred Sites: in favor? Opposed? If in favor, what factors determine whether a site is sacred? 3) The Gods in Pop Culture: hate it? Love it? Favorite depictions? Worst depictions? Good for the re-emergence of polytheism or bad? |
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ariel
New Member
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Post by ariel on Feb 12, 2014 13:20:04 GMT -8
I'll jump up and be greedy...this topic impacts my household quite personally so: What are the ramifications of Cross-Pantheon worship (a subcategory of this that could be particulerly interesting would be what about the Deities of Monotheistic religions)? I'm most interested in seeing if anyone else has had relations, in a polytheistic manner, with the God(s?) of Abraham, as my better half is a Christ Follower and seems to have a fairly gnosis heavy realtionship with her God. Hospitality being what it is, I find that I'm attempting to play host to All of the Gods of the household. No doubt there will be parallels with households that have more than one pantheon, especially if different members of the household worship different pantheons seperately from one another. Hi, Wynn, Yes, I do have some experience with this and would like to discuss it. My husband and his family are Jewish. Sorry it has taken so long to reply, and I will not have the time to reply quite yet since I am now packing for PantheaCon. Hopefully, I can pop in here next week, if you are still interested? |
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ariel
New Member
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Post by ariel on Feb 12, 2014 13:20:45 GMT -8
I love all the suggested topics. A few more .... 1) Gender and the Gods (and I do mean gender, not sex): do the Deities have a gender? Are they beyond gender? Is it fluid for them? How does the portrayal of a Deity as a specific gender impact our perception of that Deity? What is the relationship (if any) between a Deity's gender and his/her sphere of influence; e.g. is "love" usually associated with a Goddess, but "war" with a God? 2) The Creation of New Sacred Sites: in favor? Opposed? If in favor, what factors determine whether a site is sacred? 3) The Gods in Pop Culture: hate it? Love it? Favorite depictions? Worst depictions? Good for the re-emergence of polytheism or bad? I think those are really great topics too! :-) |
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Post by Wynn Dark on Feb 18, 2014 9:39:44 GMT -8
I would be most interested ariel, the topic is open in its own thread now so feel free to post away.
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A few more ....