How does this Religion Sound?

[MaccosBridgman]

In my novel I have created a religion (that may not be that original but ah well) for my people called the Fae (technically faeries, pretty much humans with magic from an alternative dimension). The religion is ancient and was ancient in the old world. In my novel as the Fae arrived 21,000 years ago they have greatly influenced early human development right up until they sealed themselves in Aeterna in 850 AD. But anyway the two religions they have mainy influenced are the Greeks and the Egyptains.

The Fae worship the Old Gods from Coventry whose names have been forgotten in time but are still worshipped from the cathedral of Taliesin to the small church villages on the Plains. The Old Gods are referred to as the Six, and upon the uniting of the Kingdoms by the Desrosiers the new empire was divided into six kingdoms in honour of the gods. The Lord of the Gods is the God of Man, Wealth and Power, next is his wife the Goddess of Women, Fertility and Motherhood, next is the God of Death, Punishment and Revenge, then the Goddess of the Suns and Moons, then the God of the Skies and Seas and finally the Goddess of Wildlife, the Lands and Plants often called Mother Nature both by the Fae and Humans. The Fae religion has over time influenced many ancient human religions and believes such as the Greeks and the Romans who took their ideas from word of mouth and created their own gods.

So what does this sound like, orginialish?? and as well should I have bishops and stuff or should they have different names (something Medieval)

Thanks

 

[Sia]

I have no idea about originality or lack thereof but a quick google search reveals that the term Bishop is not out of place in Medieval times.

 

[CupofJoe]

I get strong [modern] pagan overtones but from what you've said I think that is deliberate...
What I really like is...

The Fae worship the Old Gods from Coventry

I've never thought of Coventry as especially magical...
Any particular reason why you picked the home of Jaguar Cars?

 

[adampjr]

In my novel I have created a religion (that may not be that original but ah well) for my people called the Fae (technically faeries, pretty much humans with magic from an alternative dimension). The religion is ancient and was ancient in the old world. In my novel as the Fae arrived 21,000 years ago they have greatly influenced early human development right up until they sealed themselves in Aeterna in 850 AD. But anyway the two religions they have mainy influenced are the Greeks and the Egyptains.

The Fae worship the Old Gods from Coventry whose names have been forgotten in time but are still worshipped from the cathedral of Taliesin to the small church villages on the Plains. The Old Gods are referred to as the Six, and upon the uniting of the Kingdoms by the Desrosiers the new empire was divided into six kingdoms in honour of the gods. The Lord of the Gods is the God of Man, Wealth and Power, next is his wife the Goddess of Women, Fertility and Motherhood, next is the God of Death, Punishment and Revenge, then the Goddess of the Suns and Moons, then the God of the Skies and Seas and finally the Goddess of Wildlife, the Lands and Plants often called Mother Nature both by the Fae and Humans. The Fae religion has over time influenced many ancient human religions and believes such as the Greeks and the Romans who took their ideas from word of mouth and created their own gods.

So what does this sound like, orginialish?? and as well should I have bishops and stuff or should they have different names (something Medieval)

Thanks

Perhaps I should have an 'ask me about Christianity thread' open at some point, for the sake of people who want to write about religion. The bishop is from the word episcopos. St Ignatius of Antioch (this is like in the 100s) wrote about how people must submit to the bishop. A council of bishops met at Nicaea under Constantine's rule. In other words, the word bishop is ancient. It means someone who oversees administratively and instructs in the faith, basically.

I suppose for a medieval setting that level of precision is okay. But bear in mind taht ancient religions were often very imprecise. There often wasn't a limited, agreed upon number of the pantheon, and sometimes their qualities would blend a bit. The scholastic approach to religion was rather new to the medieval period.

 

[Abbas-Al-Morim]

Bishops have been around for quite a while even longer than the pope and the church as an institution. The exact moment when the church (as a political institution) came into being is subject for debate but most academics place it around the investiture controversy.

Bishops were very important in ancient Rome. After the Edict of Thessaloniki they were given jurisdiction over Christian's in all civil matters. The aforementioned edict has often been misinterpreted. It did not make Christianity the state religion of Rome. Rome never had an official state religion. The function of "pontifex maximus" was mostly juridical. He was the highest judge for all people who did not have civil rights. When he married two people (through confarreatio - only for Patricians) his religious role was merely symbolic. The real reason he was there is to represent the state (like the mayor does in civil marriage). The pope is also called "Pontifex Maximus" which refers to his juridical powers in canonical law.

Of course the Romans did have their own beliefs and myths. But states enforcing their religion didn't exist until the church (as a political institution) gained power.

Just something I wanted to share, adding to adampjr's post (which is correct).

 

[Kahle]

It looks like you have a ruling pair, Man and Woman, as the patrons of humanity; Death and the Lights of the World; then the elements in Sky/Sea and Nature. This resonates largely with Graeco-Roman traditions, where each god/dess' domain covered several aspects of life. Definitely look to history for examples and plausibility, aka, have a reason for each aspect of a god/dess' domain. For example, what is the correlation between sky and sea? Is it the blue coloring, the power of wind and storms, or something else? Poseidon ruled over storms, the seas, and earthquakes. The Greeks knew that earthquakes affected both sea and land, and caused great waves and storms, hence the association with the sea god. These domains could also have a tie in to the gods' attitudes, behavior, and personality. And keep in mind how the Fae gods interact and relate to each other: do they fight, work together, go their separate ways, or are they not that directly involved in the world, but rather aloof from the world? Just stuff to think about.

As Adampjr pointed out, religions in older times was a flux, with new gods meshing with the old. When the Greeks conquered a new territory, existing religions mixed. They spread their faith, and gods of similar domains were fused or renamed and portrayed in different terms. Poseidon traces back to a river and lake deity in what is now eastern Europe. As the gods were traded and adapted, new domains and influences were attributed to them.

The number of gods also changed, but some of the more prominent players survived. There were numerous Olympian gods, and depending on the source the number and names of the individuals changes, but the list will always include the major six: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Athena. This seems like your Six Old Gods. The humans will have altered their mythology and faith over the years, but the Fae might be the foundation of their knowledge. Humanity takes the Six and adapts them, adding to the Fae pantheon with minor god/desses, or giving the Six new responsibilities.