| Ministries
The curmudgeon who looks around at the world and despairingly
sees in it only the basest of profanities is no doubt missing
a big picture. On the other hand, the rabid idealist who strives
to carve out from the world a pure and unblemished place that
is somehow immune from the ugliness that surrounds him is
setting himself up for a colossal disappointment. The reason
Antinous works so powerfully as an icon of the Sacred Divine
is because his flesh was such a perfect embodiment of all
that was supposedly Profane and Mortal: he was youthful; he
was sexual; he was uncertain and trepidacious; he struggled
constantly to find love, warmth, friendship, belonging, and
truth; he was forever in danger of being seared by the heat
of man-made powers and institutions; and he was destined,
sooner or later, to die, to decompose, and to vanish as a
sentient being from the earth.
With this in mind, I don’t believe that Antinous was
a god because he was declared by Hadrian to be one. I don’t
believe he was a god because of the Egyptian rites enacted
upon him after his death. Not even the swiftness with which
his cult spread across the empire, nor the ardency with which
his followers worshipped him, is what made him a god. In my
mind, it is the story of Antinous – his life
and his struggle, real or imagined – that makes him
a god, because it serves as such a perfect and potent metaphor
for us all. The life of Antinous reminds us in a powerful
and awe-inspiring way that everyone is entitled to and capable
of godhood.
I am not the first to think or express such things. In fact,
many members of the modern cult of Antinous have believed
this for quite some time. This page has therefore been created
as a signpost to point visitors in the direction of other
spiritual resources regarding Antinous. It is important to
recognize that these various sites do not necessarily share
the same opinions of, or approach to, Antinous the god. In
other words, any individual who comes to Antinous for a spiritual
purpose must define for oneself the meaning and significance
of his godhood. Likewise, the stories contained in The
Sacred Antinous are not to be taken as dogma: their "biblical"
conceit is merely a literary device whose ultimate message
exists far below the surface of the text. Being, thus, the
product of a single mind, The Sacred Antinous should
never be read as either historical fact or spritual Truth.
Rather, its stories are but one small piece of the Antinoan
puzzle, to be accepted or rejected as necessary in the construction
of each Seeker's personal approach to the Divine.
In the spirit of inclusiveness, and to encourage the active
exploration of those who seek wisdom and peace from the name
of Antinous, below is a list of some of the other communities
on the Internet that explicity celebrate his life. It is certainly
not exhaustive: if you would like your Antinous site added,
please contact
me. |
| Ekklesia
Antinoou |
A Yahoo group (of which I am an active
member) that describes itself as follows:
The Ekklesia Antinoou has been established to continue on
in the best traditions of the original intent of the core
group of Antinoans, who began practicing this religion in
the summer of 2002. The Ekklesia Antinoou ("Citizenry
of Antinous") is a queer, Graeco-Roman-Egyptian syncretist
reconstructionist polytheist form of mystical religion. The
present group is the forum for discussion of issues, whether
of worship or theology, myth or meditation, surrounding the
worship of Antinous, the Divinized Boy of Bithynia, his historical
cult and continuing scholarship about it, and his relevance
to queer people in particular. Any who wish to discuss Antinous
are welcome, whether in his ancient historical or mythological
forms, or in more modern spiritual and scholarly appearances
and possibilities. Discussion of ancient archaeology and textual
studies, as well as modern culture, art, and gay politics
and religious issues, are also welcome, but a statement of
context must be given to highlight the relevance of each non-Antinoian-related
topic proposed. True democratic process will be used at all
points in discussion of issues and decisions on practice,
and diplomacy and scholarly discipline should be observed
whenever possible. No personal notes here, no spammers, no
missionizing/proselytizing for any faith (including our own!),
and no making of truth-claims for one's stated opinions or
beliefs, nor statements of exclusive authority on religious
matters. |
| Aedicula
Antinoi |
Phillipus the Doctor's work contains an
online Sanctuary, a library of Ancient and Modern Devotional
Texts, a fantastic collection of essays, and many additional
resources from an accomplished and prolific scholar. A joy to
explore. (The site is currently down as it is being refurbished,
but Phillip is always available for consultation through the
Ekklesia Antinoou -- see above.) |
| The Temple
of Antinous |
A vast and creative site that approaches
the deified Antinous from a modern-day, spiritualist standpoint.
It is the home of the Ecclesia Antinoi (the foundingYahoo group)
and among its expanding library is included a liturgical calendar,
a collection of digital and analog artwork concerning the god
Antinous, and a hagiography of homosexual saints both ancient
and recent. |
| The
Shrine of Antinous |
Adam Carr's personal shrine to the God Antinous
features a small collection of photographs of the various sculptures
depicting Antinous. |
