Could Confucianism, Taoism, or Buddhism have become established in the Roman Empire or Early Middle Ages Europe, in at least some areas, in place of Christianity?
Zen isn't a syncretic sect though, is it? AFAIK Zen was an import from China (where it's called Chan Buddhism).A Singapore friend argues that all successful states are naturally Confucian...
It's a striking thought, but putting that aside. Only Buddhism might gain appeal in the West - transformed and trans-mutated, as it became in Japan, under the Zen variation.
This and, whilst Zen has somewhat become the face of Japanese Buddhism, it only became big 500 years on from the initial introduction and to this day is not the majority sect.Zen isn't a syncretic sect though, is it? AFAIK Zen was an import from China (where it's called Chan Buddhism).
Confucianism, whilst useful, has next to 0 chance of becoming big in Rome.I think Confucianism has the best shot, as it can be interpreted as a philosophy of rulership rather than a religion. Confucius himself said that he had little to say about Heaven (beyond general advice to respect traditional rites), but only how to order affairs on Earth.
Here us my proposal for getting Confucianism to the West. First, get the Confucian classics translated into Persian, sent along the silk road, and purchased by a Seljuq bey with a scholarly inclination. Have the library of that Seljuq bey in the Levant get plundered by crusaders. It sits on an Outremer Lord's shelf until it's noticed by a monk proficient in Persian. He labors for years and finally finishes a translation in Latin, which is copied by other monks and sent off to Rome.
As good advice on rulership is in short supply in this era, the Classics are quickly in high demand, and within a few decades every well stocked library in Europe has a set. While this wouldn't displace Christianity, it would spread Confucian modes of thought and rulership all the way across Eurasia.
Unfortunately this is only considered in the realms of pseudohistory.I've wondered if "Jesus" wasn't based on someone who went East for a while when he came back after they killed him another group later decided to elevate him to the status of a god. Just a working theory but if it's true, Roman Buddhism could have began in Judea.
Whilst I did make the mistake, the Catholic church is going to make it way harder to import any foreign religion, particulalrly one which does not care about being spread in the first place.Why would Confucianism be a non starter in Catholic Europe? Rome is a great place for it to be transmitted across the continent.
Edit: Oh, Peter confused Rome of the medieval era with SPQR. My suggestion was for the medieval era.
Weren't the Essenes a Jewish predecessor to Christian monasticism? I don't really think that Buddhism inspiring monasticism really holds any water as a theory.Also, it does seem maybe a little suspicious that Christian monasticism, which doesn't really have an obvious Hellenistic or Jewish antecedent, began in Egypt, which was the Roman Empire's gateway to India.
Whilst I did make the mistake, the Catholic church is going to make it way harder to import any foreign religion, particulalrly one which does not care about being spread in the first place.
There is a significant and OTL reason why the ancient pagan philosophers were accepted.I think that it could still grow in popularity and usage as a manual for wise rulership, especially when the New Learning movement takes off. If they pored over and adored the texts of ancient pagans like the Romans and Greeks, there's no reason they couldn't similarly value the wisdom of "Distant Cathay", and when Marco Polo writes about his journey, people will be even more curious.
Unfortunately this is only considered in the realms of pseudohistory.
The idea of similarities between the teachings of Jesus and eastern religions largely comes from a place of ignorance RE those religion. Buddhism for example in almost all areas may be the polar opposite of Christianity.
From the secular standpoint, its worth considering that Jesus was ultimately within the normal spheres of radical judaism in his day, and where he did differ was much closer to Hellenic Cynicism which just so happened to be at its height in the middle east.
I've wondered if "Jesus" wasn't based on someone who went East for a while when he came back after they killed him another group later decided to elevate him to the status of a god. Just a working theory but if it's true, Roman Buddhism could have began in Judea.
There IS such a theory that suggests that Jesus in his missing years between his birth and ministry he traveled to India.
Weren't the Essenes a Jewish predecessor to Christian monasticism? I don't really think that Buddhism inspiring monasticism really holds any water as a theory.