In this episode, we survey the pantheon of Roman gods and goddesses that were worshipped in the Roman Empire. We look at some of the major deities like Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Venus, Neptune, and Pluto and discuss elements of Roman pagan worship like animal sacrifice, prayer, and divination. This episode also sets the stage for how the early Church emerged in this religious context.

Episode Overview

• Traditional Roman religion blended Greek and Roman gods into a pantheon. Major deities included Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Venus, Neptune, and Pluto.
• Animal sacrifice, prayer, and divination were important elements of pagan worship.
• The Roman Emperor was the "pontifex maximus," or chief high priest, of the pagan religion.

Discussion Questions

• Why were animal sacrifices so central to Roman pagan religion? What does this reveal about their understanding of divinity and worship?
• What contrasts can we draw between Jesus Christ and the Roman gods? How does this highlight Christ's uniqueness?
• The episode mentions Christ's humility, compassion, obedience, and sacrifice. How do these attributes of Christ differ from the Roman gods? What does this teach us about Christ's person?
• How should Christ's victory over sin and death shape our understanding of who He is? How does this differ from the Roman view of the afterlife?
• What does this account teach us about the fallen nature of humanity apart from Christ? How were the Romans "blinded," and how does this persist today?
• In what ways were the Romans seeking meaning, security, identity, etc., through pagan worship? How does Christ fulfill these universal human needs?
• How can we avoid idolatry and stay centered on Christ in our culture today? What parallels today do we see to Roman religion?

For other questions and comments, feel free to reach out to Jared at [email protected]. For more content, visit the podcast website or wherever you find your podcasts.

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