Speaking of Syncretism

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus is a metagender person, the founder, Sacerdos, Mystagogos, and Doctor of the Ekklesía Antínoou (a queer, Graeco-Roman-Egyptian syncretist reconstructionist polytheist group dedicated to Antinous--the deified lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian--and related divine figures), a contributing member of Neos Alexandria, a practitioner of Gentlidecht and Filidecht, with additional devotions to deities from Roman Britain, Wales, Gaul, and much further afield, as well as dedications to various land spirits (especially Mt. Erie) of North Puget Sound and its islands. E is widely published in the Neos Alexandria devotional volumes, as well as other periodicals and anthologies, particularly in poetry but also with essays and fiction. Eir published books include The Phillupic Hymns (2008), The Syncretisms of Antinous (2010), Devotio Antinoo: The Doctor's Notes, Volume One (2011), All-Soul, All-Body, All-Love, All-Power: A TransMythology (2012), A Garland for Polydeukion (2012), A Serpent Path Primer (2012), and Ephesia Grammata: Ancient History and Modern Practice (2014). Follow em and eir work further at eir blog, Aedicula Antinoi.

Syncretism and Signs of the Times

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus in Speaking of Syncretism

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When we think of theological syncretism, we tend to think of phenomena which involve deities combining with other deities in either temporary or more persistent forms. This can also occur with deities and other varieties of divine being, including (in attested cases) hero/ines, deified rulers, and what (in hitherto unattested or unnoticed instances) one can imagine would be an endless string of further possibilities. The subject of this particular column is one such possibility, and…

Gender and Syncretism: Rarely the Twain Doth Meet?!?

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus in Speaking of Syncretism

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Theological syncretism takes many forms in a variety of cultures. It can include such things as the fusing of two (or more) different deities in Egyptian or Graeco-Egyptian culture, as is the case with Amun-Re, Re-Harakhte, Sobek-Re, Zeus-Ammon, Hermanubis, Bawy (Set and Horus combined), and Pataikos/Ptah-Sokar-Osiris, for example. It can involve the subsuming of many deities into the overarching folds of one deity, as is the case with Isis and many goddesses from Egyptian, Greek,…

Plutarchian Syncretism: Can We Unite Without Being Cretans (and Cretins)?

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus in Speaking of Syncretism

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It’s been an interesting couple of weeks–at least for me–in terms of the wider dialogues in the modern polytheist communities. There have been difficult discussions which have been necessary, and likewise there have been moments where good intentions and motives on various sides of different debates have lead down less-productive paths. As is the case with so many minority groups deprived of privilege, we are often left scrambling for what scraps we can manage, and…

Is There A Difference Between “Syncretic” and “Syncretistic”?: A Suggestion

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus in Speaking of Syncretism

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It often amazes me how words get used incorrectly. I enjoy puns probably far more than the next person (such that I speak of “pottery readings,” “remaining clam,” seeing “pigments of the imagination,” and so forth regularly!), and a clever replacement of a similar word in a stock phrase can often create results far more profound than simple amusement at cleverness. However, it seems that a lot of people within both general paganism and modern…

PantheaCon, Paganism, and Syncretism; Or, “Let’s Get Literal!”

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus in Speaking of Syncretism

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[Cue a filk of an Olivia Newton John song…!?!] In a short while, PantheaCon will be happening once again in San Jose, California. It is one of–if not the–largest indoor Pagan festivals in the United States, and it draws several thousand attendees over President’s Day weekend. I have attended all of them since 2007, and this year will be no exception. But, you may wonder what this has to do with syncretism as a general…

Syncretism and Shinto: A Short Examination

P. Sufenas Virius Lupus in Speaking of Syncretism

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Syncretism is something that is not restricted to any single culture, time period, or religious viewpoint: every religion syncretizes, or has syncretized, in their long histories. Often, when we are examining how syncretism works within our own modern polytheist traditions, it is good to look at the examples of religious cultures that are still active and thriving to see how they handle certain issues. One such example came to prominent light in my own life…