Views of God Across Culture
Literature has always been a way through which men have expressed their world views. One theme over time has consistently been man’s views of God. Throughout Greco, Roman, and Augistinian literature it is evident that there are nearly countless views of God. These views differ significantly in their beliefs of God’s power, His nature, and His love for His children. The views of Greeks, Romans, and Augistinians are especially made clear in their respective works of The Iliad, The Aeneid, and Dante’s Paradise and Inferno. Despite the many differences between the views of God, there are also similarities. Some concepts regarding God even have similarities in modern religion, including the views of God found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The Greek view of the gods is nearly identical to the Roman view, though Greek mythological origins are much older than those of the Romans. One distinctly Greek view of God is that the gods work on the basis of favors, that there is a give-and-take attitude toward blessings from the gods. There are many examples of mortals providing the gods with a favor, and asking for a favor in return. (Homer 1.36-42 (Chryses asking the gods if they will favor his side in the war if he builds a temple) and 6.86-95 (Helenos believing that if the women of Troy make sacrifices, they will be saved by the gods)). This relationship between the gods and mortals is uniquely emphasized in Greek literature.
Like with Dante’s views of God, discussed further below, Greeks believe gods are capable of speaking face-to-face with mortals. Athene, goddess of wisdom, appears to Achilleus, a mortal, in Book 1 of The Iliad. God also speaks face-to face with Dante. Additionally, the Greek believed the will of gods could be at odds with man’s. This is clarified when Athene says to Diomedes that she has “taken away the mist from your eyes, that before now/was there, so that you may well recognize the god and the mortal./Therefore, now, if a god making trial of you comes hither/do you not do battle head on with the gods immortal,/not with the rest; but only if Aphrodite, Zeus' daughter,/comes to the fighting, her at least you may stab with the sharp bronze.” (5.127-132). Along with showing the odds between gods and mortals, this quotation also displays a very important concept in Greek and Roman views- that gods can be divided on issues. Diomedes did not have issues with all of the gods, just Aphrodite. This shows that the Greek do not view the gods as all having the same purpose and intentions.
The Aeneid displays of the Roman views of God in a way comparable to the Greek’s The Iliad. The epic displays the many similarities and some differences between the Greek and Roman views of God. Because of the many similarities between Greek and Roman mythology, and the fact that Roman mythology came long after that of the Greeks, it seems as if Roman mythology evolved from Greek mythology. As such, many of the views of gods transferred with the religion. Roman and Greek gods are incredibly similar even though the gods operate under different names. For example, it is well established that Zeus in Greek mythology is the same god named Jupiter in Roman mythology. (Daly). For example, there is Greek Poseidon and Roman Neptune, Greek Athena and Roman Minerva, Greek Hades and Roman Pluto, Greek Ares and Roman Mars, and numerous others. (Daly). Because these gods are essentially the same, there are many similarities easily drawn between Greek and Roman views of God.
Roman gods, like Greek, can be divided and fight with one another. However, The Aeneid clarifies that, “When gods are contrary/They stand by no one.” (2.532-533). This quotation not only displays that gods have divided loyalty, like the Greek believe, but that gods may choose to help no one, showing that gods may be disinterested and not intervene. Later in the epic Aeneas states, “Don't you feel/A force now more than mortal is against you/And heaven's will has changed? We'll bow to that!" (5.602-605).” Again, this displays that gods take sides but further, shows that the Romans view the gods’ will as supreme. When the gods are either for or against an action, their desires will ultimately prevail due to their power. This quotation suggests that it is best for one to align their will with the will of the gods.
Gods are viewed by Greeks and Romans with human follies. For example, The Aeneid states that, “He dared the gods to rival him. Then Triton,/Envious, if this can be believed,/Caught him and put him under in the surf/Amid the rocks off shore. (6.248-251)” This is also similar to the Greek view of gods, displayed in The Iliad when Poseidon’s own fragility of his ego is threatened. (Iliad 7.446-453). Ego and envy are human follies deemed possessed by the gods.
This is much different from Dante’s views of a perfect, loving God. Dante’s first real step in his journey to knowing God is when Beatrice guides Dante through the celestial spheres of Heaven. Dante and Beatrice travel through the nine spheres which lead up to the Empyrean, where God dwells. This is the tenth and final layer of the celestial realm, showing that God lives in the absolute highest state. The spheres of Heaven consist of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and more. Many names of Roman gods line up directly with the name of these spheres. While the names of the spheres themselves are not godly, Dante views these cosmic names as Heavenly. The Romans also view these names as godly, as they are the names of their gods.
Dante describes God when Dante and Beatrice reach The Empyrean. When he sees God, Dante writes, “such was the living light encircling me,/leaving me so enveloped by its veil/of radiance that I could see nothing./The Love that calms this heaven always welcomes/into Itself with such a salutation,/to make the candle ready for its flame.” (Paradise). Dante has seen a giant rose, which is a symbol of divine love, where those loved by God are living. Dante views God as a loving and soon, in Cantos XXXII and XXXIII has the opportunity to speak with God face-to-face. God is viewed as an accessible Being who wants to speak with Dante.
Perhaps one stark difference between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints views of God and gods in Greek views are that there is not just one God nor one Godhead. Rather, the gods take contrasting views and operate with different purposes. This is evident when the gods take sides in The Iliad. While members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that God does indeed take sides in war and in disputes, they believe that God is not divided, but is always with the righteous. (Alma 58:11). As mentioned above, the Greek gods in fight with each other. However, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes that God and the other members of the Godhead are never at odds. Rather all members of this Godhead look to promote the same goals. (“Godhead”). Some similarity may be seen, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that there was a war between God and His Children and other Heavenly beings in a premortal existence and that prior to the beginning of the world. This division is somewhat similar to divisions among Greek gods. Still though, members of this Chrisitan denomination there is one Godhead with one purpose and unity, meaning the Greek view of God clearly differs most from the views of The Church of Jesus Christ.
Roman views of God are different from the views of The Church of Jesus Christ in similar ways to the Greek views, but are somewhat closer. The one major similarity between the Greek and Roman views and the views of The Church of Jesus Christ is that the gods have physical bodies. This perfectly aligns with this Christian denomination’s view of God, as God is understood by members to have a body of flesh and bones (“Godhead”). Additionally, The Church of Jesus Christ does emphasize the importance of aligning one’s views with God’s, much like the Romans, rather than hoping to change God’s will through a bargained exchange like the Greeks. However, the Roman view of God much closer to the Greek’s view rather than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’.
St. Augustine/Dante views of God and the views of God found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are much more similar. One of the most famous lines in Dante’s Inferno reads, “Midway on our life’s journey, I found myself/In dark woods, the right road lost.” (Inferno). Dante’s life’s journey is a metaphor for the journey to find God and come to him in the next life. The “dark woods” symbolizes the time he has lived without God, making God the light. This is not an uncommon metaphor within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In John 8:12 Christ speaks saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12). While members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do not view Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as the same Being, they do view Them as members of the same Godhead, who have the same purpose (“Godhead”). Because of this, there is a clear similarity between the light of God as viewed by Dante, and the light found as men come unto Christ, as viewed by the Church of Jesus Christ.
The Church of Jesus Christ came back to the Earth when God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove. Smith writes of the account that Their “brightness and glory def[ied] all description” (Joseph Smith History). Similarly, Dante describes the light around God as “deep and bright/essence of that exalted Light,” Additionally, before Dante can see God, he is enveloped in light, which gives him the ability to see God. This is very similar to the views of God from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (Doctrine and Covenants).
While Greco and Roman views of god are quite similar, they still differ from one another. Even more so, both of these diverge from Augistinian views. The differences between Augistinian and Greco/Roman are as stark as monotheism and polytheism, but there are other critical differences as well. It is because of these critical differences, however, that Augistinian views are most compatible with the views of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Works Cited
The Book of Mormon. Alma 58: 11
Daly, Kathleen N. Greek and Roman Mythology: A to Z. Third Ed. Chelsea House Publishers. New York, NY 2009.
Dante. “Canto I.” Inferno.
Dante. “Canto XXXIII.” Paradise.
Doctrine and Covenants. 67:10-12
“Godhead” Bible Dictionary.
Homer. Robert Fagles and Bernard Knox. The Iliad., 1998. Print.
Joseph Smith History. 1:17
King James Version. The Bible. John 8:12.
Virgil. Robert Fitzgerald. The Aeneid. New York: Random House, 1983. Print.
