History Of Syncretism

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The term syncretism has a complicated history coursing some dispute over the use of the term. The first appearance of the term syncretism was in ‘Moralia’ by the Greek historian Plutarch (50 AD-120 AD) The chapter ‘Brotherly love’ addressed the coming together of the Cretans in times of need, which he called ‘Syncretism’. The term was later picked up as the neo-etymological term ‘Synkerannumi’ meaning to mix things which are incompatible. This was used by the Protestants to criticise the Reform orthodoxy, this left the term with some negative connotations. Because of its complicated history the term is still problematic, as this essay will demonstrate, the concept is under great scrutiny from many scholars. This essay will start by looking …show more content…
Kamstra defined syncretism as “the coexistence of elements foreign to each other within a specific religion, whether or not these elements originate in other religions or for example in social structures’ (Kamstra cit …show more content…
An example that shows syncretism in practice is Ch’ŏndo-gyo. Ch’oe Che’u was the founder of the religion originally known as Tonghak (eastern learning), this was later changed to Ch’ŏndo-gyo (the religion of the Heavenly Way). The founding of the religion is often linked historically to the unrest the was common in 19th century Korea. Ch’oe Che’u was disheartened with the situation Korea was in and believed he was tasked with saving mankind (Ebrey, Walthall & Palais,2009:356). During a time of illness Ch’oe Che’u claimed to have seen a spirit called Sangje who provided him with a sacred passage. He was informed that it could cure illness and help to prolong life. After memorising the text, Ch’oe Che’u consumed it and was cured. On inspection, this small section of the origins of Ch’ŏndo-gyo has many examples of syncretism as understood in Karstas definition. The unexplained illness which was cured by a spirit has strong links to the Shamanic belief that Shamans become incurably ill until they take up their roles and become spiritual leaders. Furthermore, the name of the spirit, Sangje, is the name of the Ruler of Heaven in the Taoist practice. Also, the power of the sacred passage to provide longevity and health is a strong link to the Taoist believe in the importance of health and long life in the pursuit of immortality. It is not just the
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