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:''For the British doom metal/alternative rock band, see Anathema (band).''
'Anathema' (in Greek Ανάθεμα) meaning originally something lifted up as an offering to the gods; later, with evolving meanings, it came to mean:
# to be formally set apart,
# banished, exiled, excommunicated or
# denounced, sometimes accursed.

Contents

Interpretation

Anathema in the New Testament

Anathema in the Roman Catholic Church

Anathema in popular culture

References

See also

External links

Interpretation

There is some difficulty translating this word, especially since it has now become commonly associated with the term accursed. The original meaning of the Greek word, as used in non-Biblical Greek literature, was an offering to a god. When the word was used in the Septuagint (the traditional Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures) it was used to translate the Hebrew word ''herem' with which it therefore became associated. ''Herem'' meant something 'forbidden' or 'off limits.' The Hebrew word was used in verses such as to refer to things offered to God, and hence 'off limits' to common (non-religious) use. Because the Greek word ''anathema'' meant things offered to God, it was used to translate the Hebrew word ''herem'' in such contexts. Thus, the meaning of the Greek word ''anathema'', under the influence of its association with the Hebrew word ''herem'', was eventually taken as meaning 'set apart,' (like ''herem'') rather than 'an offering to god,' as it had meant in Greek, and eventually the word came to be seen as meaning 'banished' and to be considered beyond the judgment and help of the community. Unfortunately within the English language one does not find such a term. To use the term 'curse' alone suggests dark powers and magical arts, which are forbidden in the Judeo-Christian societies in which the word was used.
In Greek usage, an ''anathema'' was anything laid up or suspended; hence anything laid up in a temple or set apart as sacred. In this sense the form of the word was once (in plural) used in the Greek New Testament, in , where it is rendered 'gifts'. It is used similarly in the Book of Judith, where it is translated as 'gift to the Lord'. In the Septuagint the form ''anathema'' is generally used as the rendering of the Hebrew word ''herem'', derived from a verb which means (1) to consecrate or devote; and (2) to exterminate. Any object so sacrificed or devoted to the Lord could not be redeemed (; ); and hence the idea of exterminating was connected with the word. The Hebrew verb (haram) is frequently used of the extermination of idolatrous nations. It had a wide range of application. The ''anathema'' or ''herem'' was a person or thing irrevocably devoted to God (, ); and "none devoted shall be ransomed. He shall surely be put to death" (). The Hebrew word therefore carried the idea of devoted to destruction (; ); and hence a majority of scholars have treated the word anathema similarly, generally as meaning a thing accursed. For example, in an idol is called a ''herem'' = ''anathema'', understood to mean a thing accursed. There is, however, an alternative view that the Greek word 'anathema,' in these passages, was used by the Greek Septuagint translators to mean "offered up to God."

Anathema in the New Testament

The traditional view is that in the New Testament the word anathema always implies ''denouncement'' and ''banishment''. In some cases an individual pronounces an anathema on himself if certain conditions are not fulfilled (, , ). "To call Jesus denounced" [''anathema''] () is to pronounce him execrated or accursed. If any one preached another gospel, the apostle says, "let him be denounced" (); i.e., let his conduct in so doing be accounted banished.
Under an alternative view, however, the word anathema in the New Testament was used meaning, "offered up to God."
In , the expression "anathema from Christ," i.e., excluded from fellowship or alliance with Christ, has occasioned much difficulty. The traditional view is that the apostle here does not speak of his wish as a possible thing. It is simply a vehement expression of feeling, showing how strong was his desire for the salvation of his people. In the alternate view, Paul is expressing the wish that he be 'offered up to God,' from (by) Christ.
The traditional view is that the word anathema in denotes that they who love not the Lord are objects of loathing and execration to all holy beings; they are unrepentant of a crime that merits the severest condemnation; they are exposed to the sentence of "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" as was the sentence of all mankind before the atonement, justification and sanctification of the blood of Christ Jesus that washed away our sins. The alternative view is that Paul is saying that those who do not love the Lord should be offered up to God.
It must be said that an Anathema in the New Testament is merely a serious charge laid against a person to be delivered up for the immediate but temporary judgment of God lest it contradict other scripture. The ultimate goal is meant to restore one to fellowship and to cease their error and to end false teaching and bad doctrine. Both the Church's process of excommunication and the Lord bringing tragedy into the offenders life is performed with the hope of bringing the offender back into a right understanding of the scripture and into a right relationship with both God and their brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.
The offenses which preclude Anathema such as to preach another gospel () or to not love the Lord () and prescribed against those that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government ({{bibleverse|2|Peter|2:10|KJV))), are forgivable as with all offenses and sins for it is written if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (). The Lord is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (). To our Lord Jesus Christs preaching that all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme (). For if one could not repent from not loving the Lord () then who could be saved for we are all born enemies of the cross until we are converted and born again of the spirit. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life ().
It is valuable to note that the offense of preaching the gospel of circumcision was also dealt with in , these "false teachers and those being led astray" were to be strongly reprimanded to make them strong in the faith. 1 Corinthians 7:19 NLT deals with this topic another way, "For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments."

Anathema in the Roman Catholic Church

After the time of the apostolic church, the term anathema has come to mean a form of extreme religious sanction beyond excommunication, known as major excommunication. The earliest recorded instance of the form is in the Council of Elvira (c. 306), and thereafter it became the common method of cutting off heretics. Cyril of Alexandria issued twelve anathemas against Nestorius in 431. In the fifth century, a formal distinction between anathema and excommunication evolved, where excommunication entailed cutting off a person or group from the rite of Eucharist and attendance at worship, while anathema meant a complete separation of the subject from the Church.
While "minor excommunication" could be incurred by associating with an excommunicate, and "major excommunication" could be imposed by any bishop, "anathema" was imposed by the Pope in a specific ceremony described in the ''Pontificale Romanum''. Wearing a purple cope (the liturgical color of penitence) and holding a lighted candle, he, surrounded by twelve priests, also with lighted candles, pronounced the anathema with a formula that concluded with the phrase: "Wherefore in the name of God the All-powerful, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and of all the saints, in virtue of the power which has been given us of binding and loosing in Heaven and on earth, we deprive (Name) himself and all his accomplices and all his abettors of the Communion of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, we separate him from the society of all Christians, we exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church in Heaven and on earth, we declare him excommunicated and anathematized and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church; we deliver him to Satan to mortify his body, that his soul may be saved on the day of judgment." The priests responded: "Fiat, fiat, fiat" (Let it be done), and all, including the pontiff, cast their lighted candles on the ground. The pontiff and the twelve priests then cast to the ground the lighted candles they have been carrying, and notice is sent in writing to the priests and neighbouring bishops of the name of the one who has been excommunicated and the cause of his excommunication, in order that they may have no communication with him. Although he is delivered to Satan and his angels, he can still, and is even bound to repent. The Pontifical gives the form for absolving him and reconciling him with the Church. ]])^[1]
The 1917 Code of Canon Law, which abolished all ecclesiastical penalties not mentioned in the Code itself (canon 6), made "anathema" synonymous with "excommunication" (canon 2257). The 1983 Code of Canon Law, now in force, has no mention of the word "anathema". The ritual described above is not included in the post-Vatican II revision of the Pontifical.

Anathema in popular culture

★ In the MMORPG ''World of Warcraft'', Anathema is the name given to the unholy form of a Priest's epic staff, the holy form of which is called Benediction.

★ In the MMORPG ''EVE Online'', Anathema is an Amarr covert ops ship.

★ Anathema is an English heavy metal band.

★ Anathema Device is a character from Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's apocalyptic spoof ''Good Omens''. She describes herself as a "professional descendant," and runs her life according to prophecies handed down from an ancestral witch, Agnes Nutter. Her mother chose the name Anathema because it "sounded nice."

★ Anathema is also mentioned in the game ''Van Helsing''.

★ In AFI's punk rock song "Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings)", the lyric "Anathema, I will remain..." refers to the narrative of being cast out of the "plastic waves of fame" and thus, cultural faddism.

★ In the role-playing game ''Exalted'', the celestial Exalted as a whole and Solar Exalted in particular are named anathema and considered demons by the Scarlet Empire. They are in reality heroes chosen by the gods, which oddly enough makes the word fit by both definitions.

★ "Anathema" is the name of a topsite.

★ In Scott Westerfeld's novel ''Peeps'', the "Anathema Effect" is a fictional scientific explanation of why vampires hate religious symbols.

★ In the MMORPG ''Vanguard: Saga of Heroes'', clerics use a spell called Anathema.

★ In the video game , the first level is entitled "Anathema". It requires Agent 47, the main character, to assassinate a mobster in order to save a priest.

★ In the ''Kushiel's Legacy'' series by Jacqueline Carey, Joscelin Verreuil is considered an anathema for leaving the Cassiline Brotherhood for Phèdre nó Delaunay.

★ In the MMORPGs ''City of Heroes'' and ''City of Villains'', a certain "Boss" or "Lieutenant" member of "The Lost" faction are called Anathema.

References

1. Catholic Encyclopedia: Anathema

See also

★ Cherem

External links

★ "Anathema" from ''Catholic Answers''

★ "Anathema" in ''New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia''

★ Anathema sit in Everything2

★ St. Paul's Anathema Esto in Galatians One by Gerald O. Hoenecke

★ Christian Cyclopedia article on Anathema