{"id":94,"date":"2012-07-07T11:21:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-07T11:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2012\/07\/the-temple-of-zeus\/"},"modified":"2012-07-07T11:21:00","modified_gmt":"2012-07-07T11:21:00","slug":"the-temple-of-zeus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2012\/07\/the-temple-of-zeus.html","title":{"rendered":"The Temple of Zeus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
the Temple of Olympian Zeus, seen from the Acropolis<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The Temple of Olympian Zeus<\/a> in Athens is huge \u2013 134 feet by 353 feet, just slightly smaller than an American football field. It was supported by 104 columns 55 feet high. Today only 15 columns remain standing, plus a 16th lying on the ground. Some of damage came from looting, but most came from \u201crecycling\u201d materials to build churches and mosques and such by the various powers that ruled Greece until its independence in the 19th century.<\/p>\n

The contemporary West owes much to the ancient Greeks: our ideas of democracy, science and philosophy began with them. Their stories are embedded in our culture, and there is far more Greek philosophy in Christianity than most Christians know and most Christian leaders like to admit. <\/p>\n

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Modern Paganism has some of its deepest roots in Greece. The Romantics of the 18th century frequently spoke of Zeus and his fellow Olympians because they knew of them \u2013 their stories had been preserved as \u201cclassics\u201d and were part of a proper education. Here\u2019s an excerpt from Shelley\u2019s Hymn of Pan<\/i><\/a>:<\/p>\n

From the forests and highlands
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We come, we come;
From the river-girt islands,
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Where loud waves are dumb
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Listening my sweet pipings.
The wind in the reeds and the rushes,
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The bees on the bells of thyme,
The birds on the myrtle bushes,
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The cicale above in the lime,
And the lizards below in the grass,
Were as silent as ever old Tmolus was,
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Listening my sweet pipings.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And here\u2019s an excerpt of Prayer to Zeus<\/i><\/a> by James A. Wickersham of Kansas, published in 1888.<\/p>\n

Zeus, on Olympian hight,
Shining in garments bright,
Casting thy eyes around,
Catching each note of sound,
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Zeus! hear my prayer!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

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There is a movement to revive worship of the deities of Greece<\/a>. Hellenic worshipers in this country have a far easier time of it than those in their home country. The Greek Orthodox Church still has considerable influence and doesn\u2019t want the competition. I found this story of a group that was able to hold a worship rite at the Temple of Zeus in 2007<\/a> after much difficulty. I can\u2019t find anything newer, which probably means the church has been able to persuade the government to prohibit worship at \u201ccultural\u201d sites. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m a Druid and a UU Pagan, not a Hellenic Reconstructionist, and while I have had some dealings with the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece I\u2019ve never met Zeus in anything other than a book or movie. I made no personal connections at this temple, but it was impossible not to feel the strength and power and massiveness of the place. <\/p>\n

Some American Christians like to joke that as long as there are tests, there will always be prayer in schools (which is true, and legal, and irrelevant to the issue). The Greek church and government may prohibit formal rituals, but as long as this majestic place exists, there will be worship.<\/p>\n

Hail Zeus!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

the Temple of Olympian Zeus, seen from the Acropolis The Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens is huge \u2013 134 feet by 353 feet, just slightly smaller than an American football field. It was supported by 104 columns 55 feet high. Today only 15 columns remain standing, plus a 16th lying on the ground. 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