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    STUDIA THEOLOGIA%20REFORMATA%20TRANSYLVANICA - Issue no. 2 / 2009  
         
  Article:   RELIGION OF CANAAN, ORIENTATING QUESTIONS FOR PRESENTATION OF EARLIEST SEMITIC RELIGION / A KÁNAÁNI VALLÁS, ADALÉKOK AZ Ó-IZRAELI VALLÁS MEGISMERÉSÉHEZ.

Authors:  PÜSÖK SAROLTA. 		 
       
         
  Abstract:  The study includes the following subtitles: I. The long way from Gods and Goddesses to Yahweh; II. General presentation of Fertile crescent; III. Source-materials regarding to research of Earliest Semitic Religion; IV. The structure of Canaanic Pantheon; V. What the myths says about the Pantheon; VI. The worships of Gods and Godesses in Canaan; VII. The Cult of Moloch. W. R. Smith was the earliest researcher who pointed out how important is for understanding of Israelite religion the researching regard to other Semitic religions of Ancient Near East. The monotheistic Yahweh-religion is a product of long developing process, where the starting stage can be discovered by early-ancient religion of Canaan. In this research field an important milestone was the archeological discovering of Ugarit, and of the other Punic settlements, with this elements the knowledge about Baals and Asheras of Bible become richer. A focal point of Canaanite cult customs is the question of child sacrifice. The most frequent question is who or what was Moloch. In 1935 Eissfeldt introduced a new paradigm, because he considered that Moloch is related to Punic molk/mulk, a technical term used in a cult of child sacrifice, and can be explained as a common noun, and not as a divine name. In spite of that by etymology of Moloch doesn’t exist a consensus, is certain, that the custom of child-sacrifice also in Earliest Semitic Religion can be supposed.

Keywords: Canaanic Pantheon, child sacrifice, Cult of Molech, Religion of Canaan, Earliest Semitic Religion, Fertile crescent, Gods and Goddesses: Baal and Ashera, Ugaritic myts
  
         
     
         
         
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