The early myths of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Asia Minor, Canaan, Greece, and Rome have
greatly and continuously influenced all of Western culture and civilization. Myths rely on imagination
and intuition; they express fervently held convictions about the ultimate nature of things, exploring the
mysteries of life and death, passion and suffering. Today, theological interest is resurging in goddess
worship, and other early nature-based religions are receiving a renewed attention. This presentation also
discusses how the literature and culture of these religions have influenced Hebrew and Christian scriptures.

The Religion, Scriptures, and Spirituality series describes the beliefs, religious practices, and the spiritual
and moral commitments of the world's great religious traditions. It also describes a religion's way of
understanding scripture, identifies its outstanding thinkers, and discusses its attitude and relationship to
society.

Tamkang University