ABSTRACT

Introduction An intriguing feature of religions and religious sects (in general) is the apparent difference between, on the one hand, the almost universally and historically syncretic character of most sects; and, on the other hand, the claim (usually not directly stated, but implied and believed) of most sects to have been founded in antiquity with all the inherent components of belief and ritual intact. Syncretic elements-including the saints, sites, practices, legends, personalities, and philosophical and metaphysical elementswhich in various combinations contribute to the identity and distinctiveness of the sect at a later time, have, in many instances, been borrowed and accumulated during a long period from other beliefs, philosophies, folklore and religions, but are assumed by orthodox adherents of the religion to have been in situ since the founding of their religion. While to the historian of religion (the etic view) one of the most ubiquitous features of religions is their historically syncretic character2-research attempts to reveal when components of the religion were included-the emic view of most religions is generally characterized by a view of the religion in which temporal change is not admitted, yet at the same time historical origins are often pushed back far further than any genuinely historical search would permit, in the pursuit of a crucially

important antiquity, which generally provides an enhanced sense of validity for present beliefs and practices of adherents.