FAQ

Questions about Elaion

1. What does ‘Elaion’ mean?
2. What does the Elaion motto mean?
3. What does Elaion plan to do as an organization?
4. What are the benefits of membership?
5. How do I join Elaion?

Questions about ancient Hellenic polytheism

1. What is Hellenic polytheism, and how is it distinct from other concepts of ancient religion?
2. Why don’t you use the word Hellenismos, as other groups do?
3. Why are you reviving an ancient religion?
4. Why are you reviving Hellenic polytheism?
5. How can I find out more about Hellenic polytheism?
6. What’s the difference between Greek and Roman religion?
7. Is Hellenic polytheism a neopagan or ‘earth-based’ religion?
8. Is Hellenic polytheism compatible with other “pagan” religions, such as Wicca?
9. Do I have to be Greek to practice Hellenic polytheism?
10. Why do we champion Hellenic polytheism, when ancient Greek mythology is sometimes sexist and violent?
11. What is the place of magic in Hellenic polytheism?
12. What is the place of the Mysteries in Hellenic polytheism?
13. What is the place of ‘patron Gods’ in Hellenic polytheism?
14. What is the place of divination and oracles in Hellenic polytheism?
15. How does Hellenic polytheism differ from ‘reconstrucionism’?

 

Questions about Elaion

1. What does ‘Elaion’ mean?
Elaion means ‘olive oil’, which is traditionally used both in anointing, and as fuel in temple lamps.

2. What does the Elaion motto mean?
Our motto ‘Eusebia, Paradosis, Arete’ translates as ‘Piety, tradition and virtue (or excellence)’. We seek to be pious and honorable in our thoughts and actions, in keeping with traditional Hellenic polytheistic practices. The three principles in our motto are inseparable, as to be pious, one must respect tradition and practice virtue; in keeping tradition alive, one honors ancestors and Gods alike by excellence and virtue; and in being virtuous and striving for excellence, one must show piety in religion, and one must honor the traditions of old.

3. What does Elaion plan to do as an organization?
Elaion should be relevant to the lives of its members. For that reason, Elaion provides members with resources for their personal practice and for the establishment and growth of worship groups.

4. What are the benefits of membership?
Elaion membership allows individuals to connect with a network of people dedicated to Hellenic polytheism. We are in the process of developing resources and strategies to further the goals of the organization, and members are welcome to participate in that process, or enjoy those resources as they are made available. Members may request a personal mentor whom they can ask questions and a section of the forum reserved only for members.

5. How do I join Elaion?
Join our forum and/or Facebook page and start stirring the pot! When you feel comfortable, contact Robert and request our membership questionnaire. We’ll let you know the outcome of your application.

 

Questions about ancient Hellenic polytheism

1. What is Hellenic polytheism, and how is it distinct from other concepts of ancient religion?
Hellenic polytheism is the revival of ancient Greek religion, the practices of worship and religious life according to ancient Hellenic values, ethics and spirituality. It is a way of life based on living a good and pious life.

In the modern world, some revivals of Hellenic polytheism have been concerned with the esoteric or mystic aspects of our religion. In our practice, true happiness (Aristotle’s eudemonia) is more than ‘self-realization’ or ‘self-fulfillment’. It involves a meaningful engagement with your community and the world around you. For that reason, we champion a worldview with ethics and reciprocity at its core.

2. Why don’t you use the word Hellenismos, as other groups do?
Finding a label for ‘ancient Greek religion’ in the modern world is difficult because the ancients did not have a word for religion or demarcated it from the religious practices of other countries. Greek religion was (and is) an integral part of daily life and the spiritual flux of new influences and spiritualities.

When Elaion was founded, we used to term ‘Hellenismos’ to refer to ancient Greek religion. However, we came to feel that was ill suited. The word “Dodekatheism” has been used for some time to refer to ancient Greek religion. However, it is inaccurate as far more than twelve deities are honored on a regular basis.

3. Why are you reviving an ancient religion?
Over the last fifteen hundred years, evangelical monotheism has gone to great lengths to stamp out religious diversity wherever it was found. Today ancient indigenous religions are being revived throughout Western Civilization and we now have alternatives to monotheism.

Pre-Christian religions bring with them pre-modern forms of meaning, including different conceptions of the self, the soul, and the ‘good life’. They allow us to realize a world in a much more complete and timeless way. In our own lives, we have found pre-Christian religion to be a powerful and rejuvenating force.

For many centuries Hellenic polytheism has lived on in the ancient Classics, the arts, music, and literature. It is interwoven throughout Western Civilization and it is time the Gods are honored for their many blessings and incredible contributions to human civilization.

4. Why are you reviving Hellenic polytheism?
Hellenic polytheism circumvents many of the pitfalls of modern religions. There is no centralized power structure, no ‘sacred book’, no coercive notions of ‘sin’ and no arbitrary rules governing behavior or ethics.

We live in an age of ‘Do-It-Yourself’ spirituality, in which the individual must glean not only their spiritual needs, but how best to meet them. If this did not offer enough challenges, spirituality has been covertly colonized by capitalism. Increasingly, people are trying to fill the religious void in their lives with seminars, workshops, books and trinkets.

Hellenic polytheism promotes a fertile inner life, without the dogma and coercion that we have come to associate with religion. It also eschews the need for ‘self-creation through consumption’ that has come to characterize modern spirituality. It provides for a stable spirituality, but it is the responsibility of each individual to build from there. Luckily, Elaion offers a spiritual community to support that process.

5. How can I find out more about Hellenic polytheism?
There is a wealth of information from works that survive from pre-Christian Greece and from research by academics and historians. There are ample resources available to assist you in your exploration of ancient Greek religion.

One needs to be critical with anything used as a source, because not all published works (even by academics, ancient writers or university presses) are accurate.

6. What’s the difference between Greek and Roman religion?
Greek religion was one of the most dominant religious forms of the pre-Christian Mediterranean period. The Romans incorporated aspects of Hellenic mythology and practice into their own religions at a very early period, however, they represent two very distinct religious traditions.

Religio Romana extends a number of Hellenic concepts beyond the bounds that traditional ethnikoi would recognize; where Hellenic interaction between mortals and the Gods is characterized by a relationship of giving, Roman ritual is highly contractual and there is great pressure for it to be word-perfect, since it represents a legal agreement between God and man. Where Hellenic polytheism recognizes the deification of mythological heroes in recognition for their great works, the Roman Religion, tightly welded to the mechanisms of politics, commonly deified its emperors and authority figures as Gods. The household Lares and Penates honored in Rome were also absent from Greek homes.

7. Is Hellenic polytheism a neopagan or ‘earth-based’ religion?
The word ‘pagan’ originally referred to country-dwellers, living on the outskirts of the Roman Empire. It grew to have connotations of ignorance, as those ‘country bumpkins’ were out of touch with the latest cosmopolitan trends. And finally, it came to mean those ‘ignorant’ of the ‘true religion of Christ.’ The term has since been embraced by a number of new religions, based on ancient pre-Christian ones. Dictionaries define ‘pagan’ as anyone who is not Christian, Muslim or Jewish – and by this definition, we are pagan. But the original meaning is quite irrelevant to us, and this is why some have chosen not to embrace it.

We are not an ‘earth-based’ religion. Our festivals sometimes occur at specific seasons as in other religions, but they celebrate our lives and our diverse unity with the world around us, not simply the cycles of the year.

8. Is Hellenic polytheism compatible with other “pagan” religions, such as Wicca?
Like all religions, Hellenic polytheism is more than rituals and practices; at its core is a common worldview. This worldview precludes allegiance to all ‘neopagan’ permutations that practice magic, or that fail to accord proper respect to the Gods, or other people. Conversely, it has much in common with other polytheistic faiths such as Hinduism, Shintoism, Asatru and Kemeticism.

9. Do I have to be Greek to practice Hellenic polytheism?
There are some native Greeks who may feel this way, but Hellenic polytheism is the most accurate term and does not mean you need to be ethnically Greek. It simply means the religion is based on the ancient Hellenic practice. The term ‘Hellene’ simply means a Greek person – not necessarily a Hellenic Polytheist.

Our religion is based on the spiritual understanding of ancient Greek culture, and we must remember to approach it with the respect a guest would approach a host. Elaion does not discriminate based on ethnicity or race. We do ask that members respect and take an active interest in the culture their religion comes from.

10. Why do we champion Hellenic polytheism, when ancient Greek mythology is sometimes sexist and violent?
The modern world understands religion as doctrinal – that is, ruled by its sacred stories and words. In contrast, our relationship to mythology is distinct from the way that, for instance, a Muslim would approach the Koran; we do not claim our stories are revealed to us by the Gods, but created by people in their attempt to describe and honor the divine. It is a relationship with the divine rather than an absolute formula.

Hellenic religion is life changing and offers what is desperately needed in today’s society – a spirituality that connects to the real world, respects and sanctifies that world, seeks truth and wisdom over dogma, and provides a full understanding and reverence for life. The pantheon covers all aspects of life, the sanctity of Earth, and the path to personal excellence and wellbeing.

The ancients were often shocked by the immorality of the Gods in myth. Plato wanted these myths wiped out; they were, he claimed, the lies made up by poets. Some myths are violent and others sexist, much like the culture they came from and the culture we live in. However, simply depicting them in myth does not endorse them. By raising these issues, our religion acknowledges their impact on our world, and provides us with a framework for dealing with them.

As with any mythology, the key to understanding is to read between the lines. Myth attempts to explain profound truths – truths about humanity, truths about the Gods – but by necessity, it can only do so using our flawed mortal language. The Greeks knew the Gods are real, and in their own language, from their own cultural view, they tried to explain their relationship. There is much truth in the myths.

11. What is the place of magic in Hellenic polytheism?
Basic Hellenic principles include themis (sacred law) and moira (portion, fate), which establishes the appropriate distinction between humankind and the Gods. It is on this basis that we reject occult or ‘magical’ beliefs and practices. We understand Hellenic polytheism to embrace a wholehearted dedication to the great and holy Gods of Hellas, and a willingness to live one’s life in accordance with the principles of piety, tradition and honor.

Such a worldview necessarily precludes any allegiance to such things as magic, occultism, ‘neopaganism’ (as related to Wicca and its offshoots, and Christianity. In the same spirit of the apologists and polemics of late antiquity, we view these things as variants of atheism: denial of the Gods. Any system of belief which either denies the existence of or assigns an inferior position to the Gods is incompatible. Magic is not acceptable within Hellenic polytheism spiritual life such as “ceremonial magic”, Wicca, “witchcraft”, Hermeticism, “theurgy”, or any practice in which a person believes or attempts to enact their will upon the Gods by using human “magical” powers, or most especially seek the divine powers of the Gods at their command. We do not accept this as pious behavior, nor do we think that it is conducive to healthy spiritual practices.

12. What is the place of the Mysteries in Hellenic polytheism?
While we acknowledge the importance of the Mysteries, and the role played by mysticism in the development of Hellenic philosophy and religion, these practices are not central.

Elaion feels that the Mysteries need not be pursued. They are not a spiritual ‘formula’ that experimentation will eventually rediscover. We should simply perform the rites of our forbearers.

13. What is the place of ‘patron Gods’ in Hellenic polytheism?
Many come to honor the ancient Hellenic Gods and Goddesses because of an attraction and fascination with a particular God or Goddess in the Greek pantheon. It may be because activities or myths associated with this deity are dear to a person, or because of a dream or a religious experience.

Devotion is a beautiful thing, however, as one of the Delphic maxims tells us ‘Nothing in extreme’. It is important that we honor the Gods appropriately. Gods may be the patrons of towns, nations, professions, or even families, but they are not considered patrons of individuals. We cannot know the will of the Gods and cannot make assumptions.

14. What is the place of divination and oracles in Hellenic polytheism?
Divination and oracles had an important place in traditional Greek spirituality, however, the ancient Greeks understood that divination was not altogether reliable. It was plagued with the same problems then as it is today; fabrications, hoaxes, unscrupulousness and inaccuracy. The Gods speak to us in many ways, and empower us to worship directly and in meaningful ways. Those practicing divination should be aware of the potential consequences, and be encouraged to explore other means of understanding the will of the Gods.

15. How does Hellenic polytheism differ from ‘reconstrucionism’?
‘Reconstructionism’ is an approach to pre-Christian religion that emphasizes academic research and historical accuracy. Our spiritual practices certainly fall within the bounds of ‘reconstructionism’.

However, our approach to Hellenic polytheism takes the academic standards of reconstructionism for granted and moves the focus from ‘what we do’, in terms of ‘accurate’ rituals and practices, to ‘what feels right’ based on ancient evidence. The most important aspect of a religion is that you find consonance with the ‘inner life’ and our theology.

One needs to feel connected to the values that are central to ancient Hellenic spirituality. They should be central to you, or else it seems that the religion may not be a good fit for you and your life, no matter how ‘historically accurate’ your ritual practice might be.