Spiritism and the Cult of the Dead in Antiquity

Spiritism and the Cult of the Dead in Antiquity is a book written by Lewis Bayles Paton that explores the beliefs and practices of ancient civilizations regarding the afterlife and communication with the dead. The book covers a wide range of cultures, including ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the Near East, and examines the role that spiritism and the cult of the dead played in their religious and social structures. Paton delves into the various rituals and ceremonies that were performed to honor the dead and to communicate with them, such as the use of mediums, divination, and necromancy. He also explores the philosophical and theological underpinnings of these beliefs, including the concept of the soul and its journey after death. This book offers a comprehensive and scholarly look at the fascinating and complex topic of spiritism and the cult of the dead in antiquity.1921. Contents: spiritism in primitive religion; spiritism in China; spiritism among the Indo-Europeans; Cult of the Dead among the Indo-Europeans; spiritism in Egypt; spiritism among the early Semites; spiritism in Babylonia and Assyria; earliest Hebrew conception of the dead; Babylonian influence on Hebrew conceptions of the dead; worship of the dead by Israel; early opposition to the worship of the dead by Israel; prophetic and legal denial of the vitality of spirits; new theories of immortality in post-Exilic Judaism; teaching of Jesus in regard to immortality.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.