Gothic religion (Was Re: new and in search of help Go.thunrs and thrums)

[Michael Erwin]

Paganism

I'm not sure that traditions were very stable. Didn't the later Norse  
incorporate various Gothic and Burgundian figures into their myth- 
systems?

Christianity

First off, what is 'Arian?' Arius himself was important but not that  
important... Some historians apply 'Arian' only to the systems of  
Arius, Eudoxius, et al. Others apply 'Arian' to any systems except  
those of Marcellus, Athanasius, et al. Others introduce straw man  
definitions. I suggest something like this:

Different substance
(Aetianism)
(Arianism)
-----------------
Like-ness
Like-substance
(Compromise Positions)
-----------------
Same substance
(Athanasianism)
(Marcellanism)

Both Aetius and Marcellus were mavericks. Philostorgius covers Aetian  
church history.

Second, when was the conversion? Were the exiles of 376 mostly pagan  
or mostly Christian? If the conversion was late and political, we  
have to explain why Theodosius, Arcadius, et al. could never  
Catholicize the Goths. (late sixth-century Spain is another story  
anyway). If the conversion was early we don't have to explain that.

Third, did the Goths mix ethnic and religious identity politics? I'd  
point out Wulfila and Auxentius as semi-Gothic and non-Gothic  
Christians who had influence among Gothic Christians.

Fourth, what were their religious views anyway? Given various  
persecutions north of the Danube, Wulfila had good reason to keep  
working with everyone south of the Danube. Later on, ties with  
different-substance schools seem more important (Gaina's revolt, as  
well as the 'ni ibna nih galeiks' (sp?) passage in the Skeireins) and  
these may have been strong early, or these may have grown from facing  
one enemy.


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