Homer and Greek Religion

Homer is not only the father of European literature but also the first important religious thinker of the West. In an era like ours when religious tension and fundamentalism are rife, Homer’s stories and myths indicate both the origins of religious violence and redemption. In this series of lectures academics discuss the significance of the anthropomorphic gods of Homer and the ways that his poetry expressed the relations between humans and gods. They also discuss Homer’s understanding of the afterlife and human destiny and his influence on the development of the religious pantheon of the ancient world.