Paganism and the church (Newman, An essay on the development of Christian doctrine, 1845)

Text: "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things." Daniel 11:36-38

Quote:


[...] We are told in various ways by Eusebius,2 that Constantine, in order to recommend the new religion to the heathen, transferred into it the outward ornaments to which they had been accustomed in their own. [...] The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees; incense, lamps, and candles; votive offerings on recovery from illness; holy water; asylums; holydays and seasons, use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields; sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the East, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant, and the Kyrie Eleison,1 are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church.

[...] 2 V. Const. iii. 1, iv. 23, &c.

1 According to Dr. E. D. Clarke, Travels, vol. i. p. 352.

Newman, John Henry, An essay on the development of Christian doctrine, London: James Toovey, 1845, pp. 359-360.

Online Source: archive.org/details/a618189500newmuoft

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