Item #66740 Greek Myths and Christian Mystery. Mystery Cults, Christianity, Hugo RAHNER, E. O. James.

Greek Myths and Christian Mystery.

London: Burns & Oates, 1963. First English language edition [ UK ]. Hardcover. Large octavo. xxii + 400pp. Navy cloth with gilt lettering to spine, b&w illustrations, index. The first English language edition of this work first published in German in 1957 as "Griechische Mythen in christlicher Deutung". Hugo Karl Erich Rahner (1900 -1968) was a German Jesuit theologian and ecclesiastical historian, who became Dean and President of the University of Innsbruck. From the publisher: "Rahner refutes the theories proposed by a number of comparative historians of his age who contended there existed a dependency within early Christianity on the mystery cults and that the early Church arose as no more than a genetic derivative of the mystery cults. While Rahner acknowledges that the Church of late antiquity adopted many of its nonessential markers and ritualistic dressings from pagan mysticism, all essential elements of the Christian mystery and the emergent Church remained untarnished by external influence and independent from conception. According to this view, the presence of Roman cults which dominated the environment in which the early Church gained its footing and eventually gained supremacy was not necessary for the Church's foundation but merely helped shape features and rites of the institution without invading or influencing Christianity's core tenets." Very light shelfwear, light bump to upper spine, owner's name on front blank, else a tight, unmarked VG+ copy in near VG dust jacket (Dust jacket a bit darkened and rubbed at extremities - more so at spine, light chipping and tiny tears to all edges, small damp mark at lower spine, not clipped. Now in protective mylar cover). Item #66740

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