Cult is the care (Latin: cultus) owed to deities and their temples, shrines, or churches; cult is embodied in ritual and ceremony. Its presence or former presence is made concrete in temples, shrines and churches, and cult images, including votive offerings at votive sites.
Etymology
Cicero defined religio as cultus deorum, "the cultivation of the gods". The "cultivation" necessary to maintain a specific deity was that god's cultus, "cult", and required "the knowledge of giving the gods their due" (scientia colendorum deorum). The noun cultus originates from the past participle of the verb colo, colere, colui, cultus, "to tend, take care of, cultivate", originally meaning "to dwell in, inhabit" and thus "to tend, cultivate land (ager); to practice agriculture", an activity fundamental to Roman identity even when Rome as a political center had become fully urbanized.
Cultus is often translated as "cult" without the negative connotations the word may have in English, or with the Old English word "worship", but it implies the necessity of active maintenance beyond passive adoration. Cultus was expected to matter to the gods as a demonstration of respect, honor, and reverence; it was an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion (see do ut des).Augustine of Hippo echoes Cicero's formulation when he declares, "religion is nothing other than the cultus of God."
The term "cult" first appeared in English in 1617, derived from the French culte, meaning "worship" which in turn originated from the Latin word cultus meaning "care, cultivation, worship". The meaning "devotion to a person or thing" is from 1829. Starting about 1920, "cult" acquired an additional six or more positive and negative definitions. In French, for example, sections in newspapers giving the schedule of worship for Catholic services are headed Culte Catholique, while the section giving the schedule of Protestant services is headed culte réformé.
Outward religious practice
In the specific context of the Greek hero cult, Carla Antonaccio wrote:
The term cult identifies a pattern of ritual behavior in connection with specific objects, within a framework of spatial and temporal coordinates. Rituals would include (but not necessarily be limited to) prayer, sacrifice, votive offerings, competitions, processions and construction of monuments. Some degree of recurrence in place and repetition over time of ritual action is necessary for a cult to be enacted, to be practiced.
In the Catholic Church, outward religious practice in cultus is the technical term for Roman Catholic devotions or veneration extended to a particular saint, not to the worship of God. Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church make a major distinction between latria, the worship that is offered to God alone, and dulia, which is veneration offered to the saints, including the veneration of Mary, whose veneration is often referred to as hyperdulia.
See also
- History of religion
- Mythology
- Place of worship
- Religious fanaticism
References
- Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2.8 and 1.117.
- Clifford Ando, The Matter of the Gods (University of California Press, 2009), p. 6.
- Ando, The Matter of the Gods, pp. 5–7; Valerie M. Warrior, Roman Religion (Cambridge University Press, 2006), p. 6; James B. Rives, Religion in the Roman Empire (Blackwell, 2007), pp. 13, 23.
- Augustine, De Civitate Dei 10.1; Ando, The Matter of the Gods, p. 6.
- Antonaccio, "Contesting the Past: Hero Cult, Tomb Cult, and Epic in Early Greece", American Journal of Archaeology 98.3 (July 1994: 389–410) p. 398.
Further reading
- Jensen, Adolph E. (1963). Myth and Cult among Primitive Peoples. University of Chicago Press.
- Larson, Jennifer (1995). Greek Heroine Cults. University of Wisconsin Press.
- Larson, Jennifer (2007). Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-32448-9.
Cult is the care Latin cultus owed to deities and their temples shrines or churches cult is embodied in ritual and ceremony Its presence or former presence is made concrete in temples shrines and churches and cult images including votive offerings at votive sites EtymologyCicero defined religio as cultus deorum the cultivation of the gods The cultivation necessary to maintain a specific deity was that god s cultus cult and required the knowledge of giving the gods their due scientia colendorum deorum The noun cultus originates from the past participle of the verb colo colere colui cultus to tend take care of cultivate originally meaning to dwell in inhabit and thus to tend cultivate land ager to practice agriculture an activity fundamental to Roman identity even when Rome as a political center had become fully urbanized Cultus is often translated as cult without the negative connotations the word may have in English or with the Old English word worship but it implies the necessity of active maintenance beyond passive adoration Cultus was expected to matter to the gods as a demonstration of respect honor and reverence it was an aspect of the contractual nature of Roman religion see do ut des Augustine of Hippo echoes Cicero s formulation when he declares religion is nothing other than the cultus of God The term cult first appeared in English in 1617 derived from the French culte meaning worship which in turn originated from the Latin word cultus meaning care cultivation worship The meaning devotion to a person or thing is from 1829 Starting about 1920 cult acquired an additional six or more positive and negative definitions In French for example sections in newspapers giving the schedule of worship for Catholic services are headed Culte Catholique while the section giving the schedule of Protestant services is headed culte reforme Outward religious practiceIn the specific context of the Greek hero cult Carla Antonaccio wrote The term cult identifies a pattern of ritual behavior in connection with specific objects within a framework of spatial and temporal coordinates Rituals would include but not necessarily be limited to prayer sacrifice votive offerings competitions processions and construction of monuments Some degree of recurrence in place and repetition over time of ritual action is necessary for a cult to be enacted to be practiced In the Catholic Church outward religious practice in cultus is the technical term for Roman Catholic devotions or veneration extended to a particular saint not to the worship of God Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church make a major distinction between latria the worship that is offered to God alone and dulia which is veneration offered to the saints including the veneration of Mary whose veneration is often referred to as hyperdulia See alsoHistory of religion Mythology Place of worship Religious fanaticismReferencesCicero De Natura Deorum 2 8 and 1 117 Clifford Ando The Matter of the Gods University of California Press 2009 p 6 Ando The Matter of the Gods pp 5 7 Valerie M Warrior Roman Religion Cambridge University Press 2006 p 6 James B Rives Religion in the Roman Empire Blackwell 2007 pp 13 23 Augustine De Civitate Dei 10 1 Ando The Matter of the Gods p 6 Antonaccio Contesting the Past Hero Cult Tomb Cult and Epic in Early Greece American Journal of Archaeology 98 3 July 1994 389 410 p 398 Further readingJensen Adolph E 1963 Myth and Cult among Primitive Peoples University of Chicago Press Larson Jennifer 1995 Greek Heroine Cults University of Wisconsin Press Larson Jennifer 2007 Ancient Greek Cults A Guide Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 32448 9
