3 Nietzsche and Pantheism in Ancient Greek Religion
-
Petra Pakkanen
Abstract
This essay introduces more recent currents of thought in European religious studies, informing other debates in the history and archaeology of Greek religion. This detailed background draws out Western monotheistic biases and assumptions of even some of the most recent debates, opening a space for Nietzsche’s voice to be heard anew. Drawing attention to the simplistic opposition of ‘pagan’ polytheism and ‘Western’ monotheism, it is noted how pantheism has thereby been elided from most discussions of the ancients. We are invited to think of pantheism as transcending this opposition and thus offering an alternative starting point to a re-evaluation of religion of the ancients and the ancient Greeks in particular. The essay points to an ‘animal turn’ in the field as sparking a new interest in pantheism that might lift us beyond the Western gaze and its derogatory classifications of various forms of religious praxis. We are left to ponder Nietzsche’s potential contribution with a return to the Lenze Heide notes and to a Dionysian pantheism as a possible way to read GWG.
Abstract
This essay introduces more recent currents of thought in European religious studies, informing other debates in the history and archaeology of Greek religion. This detailed background draws out Western monotheistic biases and assumptions of even some of the most recent debates, opening a space for Nietzsche’s voice to be heard anew. Drawing attention to the simplistic opposition of ‘pagan’ polytheism and ‘Western’ monotheism, it is noted how pantheism has thereby been elided from most discussions of the ancients. We are invited to think of pantheism as transcending this opposition and thus offering an alternative starting point to a re-evaluation of religion of the ancients and the ancient Greeks in particular. The essay points to an ‘animal turn’ in the field as sparking a new interest in pantheism that might lift us beyond the Western gaze and its derogatory classifications of various forms of religious praxis. We are left to ponder Nietzsche’s potential contribution with a return to the Lenze Heide notes and to a Dionysian pantheism as a possible way to read GWG.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- Abbreviations
- Scholarly Apparatus IX
- Editors’ Introduction 1
-
The Greek Worship of the Gods
- [Introduction] 15
-
Commentary and Discussion on Nietzsche and Ancient Greek Worship
- 1 Nietzsche’s Turn to Ethnology 173
- 2 A Festival of Life: Ancient Greek Celebration and Dionysian Affirmation 187
- 3 Nietzsche and Pantheism in Ancient Greek Religion 201
- 4 The Lazy Professor Friedrich Nietzsche and His Lectures on Greek Religion 231
- Appendix: Discrepancies Between Nietzsche’s Handwriting and KGW II/5 243
- General Bibliography
- Contributors 265
- Index of Names – GWG
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- Abbreviations
- Scholarly Apparatus IX
- Editors’ Introduction 1
-
The Greek Worship of the Gods
- [Introduction] 15
-
Commentary and Discussion on Nietzsche and Ancient Greek Worship
- 1 Nietzsche’s Turn to Ethnology 173
- 2 A Festival of Life: Ancient Greek Celebration and Dionysian Affirmation 187
- 3 Nietzsche and Pantheism in Ancient Greek Religion 201
- 4 The Lazy Professor Friedrich Nietzsche and His Lectures on Greek Religion 231
- Appendix: Discrepancies Between Nietzsche’s Handwriting and KGW II/5 243
- General Bibliography
- Contributors 265
- Index of Names – GWG
