Writings on the Reformist Idea

[Gaius Florius Aetius]

[Gaius Curtius Philo]

You assume that you're interested in spirituality while others are not... Sigh... Even your kinsman Lupus did not say that he follows a purely Beurocratic path. All he said is that the Sacra Publica was for him suppost to be so. Leaving spiritual matters to the Sacra Privata and Philosophy...

And regarding forming a collegium: Surely you can.

[Gaius Florius Aetius]

[Gaius Curtius Philo]

[Gaius Florius Aetius]

[Gaius Curtius Philo]

I never said anything against suggesting meanings after a rite. Unless you have forgotten, I actually praised you for doing that after your rite to Apollo. Or did you forget? The "Traditionalist" view has NOTHING against sacerdotes debating informally meaning behind anything. In fact we have encouraged it. What we are against (and that is not just me but traditionally minded cultores in general) is our organizagion taking an official stance on things of theological and philosophical interpretation.

[Lucius Curtius Philo]

[Gaius Florius Lupus]

Salvete amici!

In order to avoid this discussion to escalate into a personal conflict I would suggest that we abstain from criricizing someone's methods in arguing and focus instead on the actual topic.
It is good that Curtius Philo brought up the Societas Numae. A societas is exactly the form, in which Aetius' ideas should be implemented. There were many such societates and some of them had important functions in public festivals, e.g. the Salii.
There were no monastic orders in ancient Rome, but I think what Aetius hasin mind is such a religious societas.

I really would suggest, Aeti, that yougo ahead and found a societas in order to implement your ideas, but please do not call it Cultus Deorum Novum! As I explained, the name is grammatically wrong. Cultus is masculinum, it has to be Novus. Besides I would suggest a more appealing name, because "Novus - New" suggests that it is something separate from the original one. Your societas however should be integral part of the Cultus Deorum.

I fail to see any real incompatibility of the views expressed in this thread.
We all agree about the essential issues:
- No follower of the Religio should be forced to something
- There should be a place for spirituality in the Cultus Deorum
- The separation of the sacra publica (mandatory for all) and the sacra privata (voluntary and adjusted to the individual) should be maintained.
- A new organization within the Religio is needed to appeal to the modern neo-pagan community.

What needs to be done is the creation of a new Societas. I think we can also agree on this. Aetius should take charge of it, since he is the driving force behind this "reformist" approach.
Perhaps we should just go ahead and discuss less. Especially discussions turning into personal criticism should be avoided.

Valete!