Christianity vs Astrology and Pagan Mythological Influences
Christianity has historically distinguished itself from astrology and pagan mythological influences, often viewing them as incompatible with its core tenets. Early Christian writers, such as Augustine and Tertullian, directly addressed and refuted these practices and beliefs [5, 6, 7].
Astrology, in particular, was a significant point of contention. The practice of astrology involves the belief that celestial bodies influence human affairs and that these influences can be divined [9]. Hippolytus, in his refutation of heresies, noted how certain groups, like the Peratae, derived their systems from astrologers, dividing the world into twelve zodiacal signs and attributing various influences to them [9]. He argued that the predictions of the Chaldeans, a prominent group of astrologers, were unreliable and futile [10]. Augustine also criticized astrologers, whom he referred to as "mathematicians and nativity-spinners," for attributing divine power to stars and planets, such as Saturn being designated as a deity of evil [11]. The rejection of astrology stemmed from the Christian belief in a sovereign God who controls all things, rather than impersonal celestial forces [11].
Pagan mythological influences were also systematically rejected. Early Christians often encountered polytheistic systems where gods were associated with natural phenomena, human characteristics, or historical figures [7]. Augustine argued that a more credible account of pagan gods was that they were once men, whose stories and actions were later embellished by poets and false spirits, leading to their worship [7]. He pointed out the inconsistency of pagans who worshipped certain celestial bodies as gods but did not build altars or establish rites for constellations like Aries or Taurus, which also consist of many stars [8]. This highlighted the arbitrary nature of pagan worship compared to the monotheistic worship of the Christian God.
The distinction between Christian belief and pagan practices was crucial for early Christian identity. For instance, John Gill, commenting on Deuteronomy, suggests that the folly of pagan Romans in attributing their successes to their gods, rather than the true God, was evident in their eventual defeat despite their numerical superiority over the Jews [3]. Similarly, in his commentary on Revelation, Gill interprets the "great red dragon" as the devil acting through the Heathen Roman empire, influencing its emperors, rather than a literal mythological creature [4]. This demonstrates a consistent effort to interpret events through a theological lens that rejects pagan explanations.
The early church fathers emphasized that Christian truth was revealed through God's Word, not through mystical experiences or pagan divinations [1]. Augustine, for example, challenged those who claimed that certain passages in the New Testament were not authoritative or true if they contradicted their own beliefs, asserting that such an approach granted "impious liberty" to distort divine revelation [2]. This underscores the Christian reliance on scripture as the ultimate authority, in contrast to the speculative and often contradictory nature of pagan myths and astrological predictions. The Christian worldview posits a personal God who communicates through revelation, rather than impersonal forces or deified human figures.
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 7: be admitted by all evangelical Christians. And it is because such Christians do hold to this inward teaching of the Spirit, that they are often called Mystics by their opponents. This, however, is not what is here meant. The mystical method, in its supernatural form, assumes that God by his immediate intercourse with the soul, reveals through the Feelings and by means, or in the way of intuitions, divine truth independently of the outward teaching of his Word; and that it is this inward light, and not the Scriptures, which we are to follow”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XXII. (part 11): the Pagan, why should they not allow in both Testaments, instead of in one only, that what appears wrong to unbelievers, from their ignorance, should be believed to be right by pious readers even when they also are ignorant? 15. Perhaps our opponents will maintain that these parallel passages quoted from the New Testament are themselves neither authoritative nor true: for they claim the impious liberty of holding and teaching, that whatever they deem favorable to their heresy was said by Christ and the apostles; wh”
- Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 32:29: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight,.... This is said for the conviction of the Pagan Romans of their folly in behaving strangely, attributing to their gods what belonged to the true God; for since the Jews were more numerous than they, both in Judea, in the times of Titus Vespasian, when the country was subdued by him; and in other parts of the world, in the times of Adrian, when the Jews rose up in vast numbers, greatly superior to the Romans, and yet were conquered; which, allowing the phrase to be hyperbolical, was like one to”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 12:3: And there appeared another wonder in heaven,.... Or "sign"; which represents the woman, or the church's adversary, Satan; not that he was in heaven, in the third heaven, the place of glory and happiness, for out of that he had been cast long ago; but in his great power and authority here on, earth, particularly in the Roman empire, where the church was labouring to bring forth her man child: and behold a great red dragon; the devil, as it is explained in Rev 12:9; though not he in person, but the Heathen Roman empire, or the Heathen Roman emperors, acted, influe”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. IX.--PROFESSIONS OF SOME KINDS ALLIED TO IDOLATRY. OF ASTROLOGY IN PARTICULAR. (part 2): departed by another way, since be was withal unwitting by what way they came. Just so we ought to understand by it the right Way and Discipline. And so the precept was rather, that thenceforward they should walk otherwise. So, too, that other species of magic which operates by miracles, emulous even in opposition to Moses,(2) tried God's patience until the Gospel. For thenceforward Simon Magus, just turned believer, (since he was still thinking somewhat of his juggling sect; t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XX. (part 8): Such is the faith which directs your conduct. And can you wonder that you are regarded with abhorrence? 9. But besides your errors regarding these conspicuous and familiar luminaries, which you worship not for what they are, but for what your wild fancy makes them to be, your other absurdities are still worse than this. Your illustrious World-bearer, and Atlas who helps to hold him up, are unreal beings. Like innumerable other creatures of your fancy, they have no existence, and yet you worship them. For this reason w”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 18.--A MORE CREDIBLE CAUSE OF THE: RISE OF PAGAN ERROR. A far more credible account of these gods is given, when it is said that they were men, and that to each one of them sacred rites and solemnities were instituted, according to his particular genius, manners, actions, circumstances; which rites and solemnities, by gradually creeping through the souls of men, which are like demons, and eager for things which yield them sport, were spread far and wide; the poets adorning them with lies, and false spirits seducing men to receive”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 15.--CONCERNING CERTAIN STARS WHICH THE PAGANS HAVE CALLED BY THE NAMES OF THEIR GODS. (part 2): how is it that they have made no altars, established no rites, built no temples for Aries, and Taurus, and Cancer, and Scorpio, and the rest which they number as the celestial signs, and which consist not of single stars, but each of them of many stars, which also they say are situated above those already mentioned in the highest part of the heavens, where a more constant motion causes the stars to follow an undeviating course? And wh”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CHAP. VIII.--THE PERATAE DERIVE THEIR SYSTEM FROM THE ASTROLOGERS; THIS PROVED BY A STATEMENT OF THE ASTROLOGICAL THEORIES OF THE ZODIAC; HENCE THE TERMINOLOGY OF THE PERATIC HERETICS. (part 1): Let us, then, in the first place, learn how (the Peratists), deriving this doctrine from astrologers, act despitefully towards Christ, working destruction for those who follow them in an error of this description. For the astrologers, alleging that there is one world, divide it into the twelve fixed portions of the zodiacal signs, and call the world o”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CHAP. V.--ANOTHER METHOD OF FIXING THE HOROSCOPE AT BIRTH; EQUALLY FUTILE; USE OF THE CLEPSYDRA IN ASTROLOGY; THE PREDICTIONS OF THE CHALDEANS NOT VERIFIED. (part 1): In this way, the art practised by the Chaldeans will be shown to be unstable. Should any one, however, allege that, by questions put to him who inquires from the Chaldeans,(5) the birth can be ascertained, not even by this plan is it possible to arrive at the precise period. For if, supposing any such attention on their part in reference to their art to be on record, even these do”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. XXIII.--OF THE FOLLIES WHICH THE PAGANS HAVE INDULGED IN REGARDING JUPITER AND SATURN. (part 6): and who most particularly would annihilate those mathematicians and nativity-spinners(12) by whom this Saturn, whom their opponents would designate the maker of the wise, has been placed with the 92 character of a deity of evil among the other stars. But this opinion, nevertheless, has prevailed so mightily against them in the mind of humanity, that men decline even to name that god, and call him Ancient(1) rather than Saturn; and that in so ”