Product Description
Modern Hellenismos is a religious movement that reconstructs the ancient Greek religion in a modern context. The practice uses a method that adapts the old with the new, using the best available archaeological evidence with intellectual honesty. Those attracted to the ancient Greek religion want to know what Hellenists believe. What does Hellenismos say about sin and salvation, creation and the afterlife? Theology is, simply put, a system, school, or body of educated opinions concerning the Divine and religious questions, and provides for a reasoned discourse that creates an understanding of a religion, its spiritual practices, and the Gods. Within this introduction to Hellenic theology, written by the foremost author on modern Hellenismos, you will find a modern theology sourced and adapted from the history, culture, traditions, thought, and ethics of ancient Greece. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A bit prejudicial.
While this book was interesting, there were a few passages that showed the author's prejudice and ridicule of those that don't believe as he does.

Absolutely Amazing
After reading The CR FAQ: An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, I wanted to do alot more research on Reconstructionist religions, and came across this wonderful book, but I think I got it out of order. I am off to buy A Beginner's Guide to Hellenismos after finishing this review.

Timothy Alexander brings the wisdom of the ancients into the modern world. He seamlessly melds ancient philosophy with modern scientific theory, and does it in a manner that is easy to understand for the average person. I particularly loved the footnotes and listed references that could be found on almost every page. Most of all, he conveys a passion for his spiritual beliefs that actually had me excited to read the book. As a life-long practitioner of Wicca, I completely recommend this book to all Pagans, not just those interested in Hellenismos.

An interesting modern theology
I should preface this review by saying that I am not a Hellenic Reconstructionist nor am I an expert on Ancient Greek Philosophy/beliefs (I am however am inspired in my practices by the Indo-Greek Kingdom of Menander I).

Timothy Jay Alexander's The Gods of Reason seems to me to be an interesting modern theology for Hellenic Reconstructionism that seems to be composed of a mix of Stoic, Neo-Platonist, and other Philosophic influences. Alexander tends to be a bit convoluted in places but overall it makes for a short and interesting read (and as with his previous works more than 1/2 the text is composed of appendixes of primary documents).

A couple of things about Alexander's text seem to be a bit troubling such as Alexander's tendency to make fairly sweeping generalizations at times such as on page 67: "We also accept, as the ancients did, that the gods are incorporeal and thus the Cosmos must be incorporeal. It may be pedantic, but this statement should have really said something along the lines of "as most of the ancients did" when making a statement such as this since in its original form it seems to completely ignore such Philosophers as Epicurus (whose 'Principle Doctrines' are included as Appendix I) who taught that the gods were corporeal and composed of atoms (but of a finer kind of atoms that gave them immortality).

Another thing I found troubling is that the book could cause some confusion between Alexander's theology and what he called the 'basic theology' in Hellenismos due to a lack of a clear definition of 'basic theology' when it is first mentioned.

Still overall it was a interesting and decent little volume.

Very well written and informative
Very well written and well reasoned work. This is a good contribution to modern day Hellenismos :)

Another Exellent Book
I received The Gods of Reason, by Timothy Jay Alexander, because I was impressed with his previous books, Hellenismos Today, and A Beginner's Guide to Hellenismos. I began reading this book with some unease, as I knew that it was a theological and philosophical discussion. I am not an intellectual or a scholar, so I was worried that this work would be over my head.

Those that are interested in the delving into the deeper concepts of Hellenismos need not worry that this work is too complex or difficult. Mr. Alexander has an uncanny knack to be able to breakdown complex subject matter into easy to understand text. At the same time, the conversation is not watered-down, and I must warn the reader that this is not light reading. Mr. Alexander goes into great detail about subjects such as the nature of the world, virtue and vice, the soul and afterlife.

He explains quite well how the theology of Hellenismos and science go hand in hand, and makes it quite clear that science and religion are not at odds with each other from a Hellenic viewpoint.

I not only learned quite a bit from this book, but it also gave me the courage to start delving more deeply into the philosophers which, while not mandatory to practice Hellenismos, can certainly enhance and only help one understand different schools of thought.

As usual, the Appendix is full of wonderful information; Plato's Republic is my personal favorite.

I feel that the Gods of Reason is the best of the three books thus far, and I would highly recommend it for both experienced Hellenic Reconstructionists and those new to Hellenismos.


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Product Description
A Beginners Guide to Hellenismos provides an overview of Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism. Hellenismos is an emerging religious movement attempting to reconstruct the ancient Greek religion. This book supplies the beginner with a guide for practicing Hellenismos. Contrary to the popular misconception, Reconstructionist religions are in no way rigid or dogmatic. In A Beginners Guide to Hellenismos, Timothy Jay Alexander explains how liberating, innovative, and adaptive the modern Hellenic religion is. This book provides the reader with an easy to use and understand guide to begin their worship. It explains in detail modern Hellenic practices and the reasons behind them, and serves as a common sense guide about this fast growing modern religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Interesting overview of the religion
Mr. Alexander's book provides a lot of information on modern Hellenic Polytheism. It adequately addresses a lot of theological concepts. The supplemental materials provided in the back (Sallustius's "On the Gods and the Cosmos," the Homeric Hymns, and a piece by Emperor Julian) take up half of the book and comprise its strongest section. The part I find myself using frequently is the extensive list of epithets included for major deities in one of the appendices.

Now for my criticisms. The book does place emphasis on ritual orthopraxy (right practice), so I would have expected more guidance for those just starting out in the religion. Other authors' work on modern and ancient Hellenic Polytheism provide more adequate details. My reason for only rating it a 3/5 relates to the presentation and formatting of the text. There are numerous typographic and character errors, which I would expect from proof, not a final version (they hand out extra proof copies of various novels at library conventions like candy, so I am familiar with what they look like).

Do I recommend this book? Yes, if you need a non-digital source of information. For the techno-savvy, much of it can be found online.

Good book, but tries to focus on the "right way"
If you are not part of the Greek culture or accept it then you can not honor the Gods.(According to this book)If you are looking at alternate religions then you will of course change it to meet your needs.As long as you keep idea that your worship is to honor the Gods then why worry.I am not Greek but am very interested in Greek culture.Very short read with a some good info on the Gods.

A Beautiful Religion
The author really conveys his passion and love for this beautiful religion. I found the book to be very informative, and explained many questions I had regarding Hellenismos and Reconstructionist religions. I am a Traditional Wiccan, and that is not changing any time soon, but this book has inspired me to learn more about this religion. I read The Gods of Reason: An Authentic Theology for Modern Hellenismos first, but recommend buying them together.

An Excellent Survey on Hellenismos
Well written and thought provoking, Mr. Alexander shows his experience in working this ancient religion and putting it in our times, and in our part of the world (the twenty-first century America).I don't know what I would do without the easy to understand suggestions.Mr. Alexander does a good job in his discussions which leads to appropriate ways in practicing this wonderful, truly humanity celebrating religion.

Great Book!!!
An excellent book to introduce the reader to Hellenismos. I was very glad to find this book as there just isn't enough books like this one out there!!! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Know yourself. Nothing in excess. Give a pledge and ruin is near. These are the words inscribed on a stele just outside the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Stunning in their simplicity, these Maxims have survived the test of time. Even today, they cause the reader to pause and think about what such short, poignant phrases mean. For those who study Hellenic Polytheism, either in historical or modern religious context, the Delphic Maxims are of great import because they hold a key to understanding early Greek thought. Delving into both the history and the current application of 34 of the Maxims to the creation of personal ethics and morals, Allyson Szabo provides us with a path to personal growth and understanding of the world around us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantastic Book
S. Winter pretty much summed up the qualities of this book and now I'll add my own little bit. You will not be leaving home without this book. It might end up in your tote, following you to work. It will end up going with you on vacation, adorning your bedside table, and the coffee table as well. You will read it more then once, eventually having small bits of paper sticking out of it at maxims you know you need to work on.

This book is not preachy or overbearing in the least- and I'd be hard pressed to tell you any other title that speaks more to the heart of this Hellenist then this text. Well done! Well done indeed.

a thoughtful and practical introduction
Longing for Wisdom is a very accessible introduction to the Delphic Maxims (focusing on a selection, with reference to the full collection), those wise sayings which informed the lives and ethics of the ancient Greeks, and which are (perhaps surprisingly for some) very relevant to our lives today. Instead of some dry history lesson, Szabo necessarily puts the Maxims in their historical context but then spends the bulk of the book looking at each of the selected Maxims in detail, exploring the reasoning behind them, and how they can be applied to ourselves in very practical, helpful ways. It is written with an understanding of the Maxims' polytheistic religious underpinnings, the author being a polytheist herself, but yet it is applicable to anyone and everyone. Equal parts history, Classics, ethics, psychology, self-improvement, and a wide variety of other subjects, it's not only interesting but useful. Definitely recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR’d book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism, Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 23. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt:Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism (also Hellenic Reconstructionism) refers to various reconstructionist movements that revive ancient Greek religious practices, emerging since the 1990s. Since 1997 the movement in Greece has been institutionalized under the Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes. Polytheistic reconstructionism is not a religion itself, but is the methodology for re-establishing a historical polytheistic (or pre-Christian) religion in the modern world. Hellenismos, or Hellenism, is the Hellenic religion, a traditional polytheistic religion and way of life, revolving around the Greek Gods, primarily focused on the Twelve Olympians, and embracing ancient Hellenic values and virtues. Hellenic Reconstructionism exists in Greece and in other countries. It is estimated there are as many as 2,000 adherents to the Hellenic tradition in Greece, with an additional 100,000 who have "some sort of interest" (as of 2005). No official estimates exist for devotees worldwide. There are no official naming practices for this religion, but there does seem to be an informal naming convention, based on academically accepted descriptive definitions, adhered to by groups and most individuals. Additionally, subgroups use a variety of names to distinguish branches focusing on specific schools of thought, or modern traditions focusing on the public practices of individual city-states. These subgroups can be described as denominations. Hellenismos, Hellenism, the Hellenic tradition, the Hellenic religion, and Hellenic polytheism all can be said to be used interchangeably to refer to the religion, and are synonymous. The phrase Helle...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=151992 ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more