The Encyclopedia of World Religions

36 S astrology

the basis of astrology. Over centuries it has devel oped into complex methods of determining that influence in particular cases, combining precise calculations with intuitive insight. Astrology is not an essential component of any major religion, but has had relationships with most of them. Some times, as in the case of H INDUISM , the Chinese religions ( see C HINA , RELIGIONS OF ), and in some eyes J UDAISM and C HRISTIANITY , especially in the Renaissance, the relationship has been relatively positive. Astrology has been viewed as a confir mation of the orderly working of the universe as a divine system or as G OD ’s creation, and a legiti mate way of divining its secrets. Others, such as the Hebrew prophets, the Puritans ( see P URITAN ISM ), and many recent Jews and Christians—not to mention most scientists—condemn astrology as worthless, as destructive to the free will of both God and humans, or as an entry into dangerous aspects of occultism. But astrology has retained numerous believers today. Astrology is thought by most scholars to have originated in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and to have then been developed into a thorough sys tem by Greek thinkers during the Hellenistic period (approximately 300 B . C . E .–300 C . E .). It spread from the Mediterranean world to the Arab lands, India, and China, acquiring many distinctive elements from those cultures so that now Indian and Chi nese astrology have important differences from Western astrology. All astrology, though, is based on the zodiac, the path through which the sun, moon, and planets move through the sky. That celestial band is divided into 12 “signs” or constel lations. Each of them have particular traits or qual ities, such as the balance or equanimity of Libra, or the secretive yet passionate nature of Scorpio. So do the sun, moon, and planets: the emotional moon, warlike Mars, and others. Figuring the total impact of all these elements as they were configured at the time of one’s birth, or at important moments in personal or national or world history, is the task of the astrologer. Many astrologers today say that the art only determines, so to speak, the hand one is dealt by fate; how one plays it is left up to the person, and so it does not

many others, that the diverse and largely indepen dent Pentecostal churches formed since the move ment began in 1906 should come together. Begin ning with 531 groups and 6,000 members by the end of 1914, the Assemblies of God have grown rapidly to embrace some 2.3 million members in the United States in 2004 and more than 30 million worldwide. The movement has been particularly successful among Hispanic populations. Head quarters are in Springfield, Missouri. The Assemblies believe in the divine inspira tion of the Bible ( see B IBLE , BIBLICAL LITERATURE ) and traditional Christian teachings about the TRINITY and J ESUS Christ as Savior. As a Pentecostal group, they put special emphasis on a BAPTISM of the Holy Spirit, which they believe follows conversion and baptism with water. The coming of the Spirit is made known by the believer’s ability to “speak in tongues,” that is, utter words in unknown lan guages held to be divinely inspired. In church, the “tongues” are usually inter preted by others who can understand them. W OR SHIP consists not only of hymns, scripture reading, PRAYERS , and sermon in the usual Protestant manner but typically also includes spontaneous “amens,” prayers, tongues, interpretations of tongues, and even dancelike body movements. Spiritual healing is also important. The power to heal is considered a significant gift of the Spirit. These spiritual endow ments are thought to be clearly demonstrated in the A CTS OF THE A POSTLES and other N EW T ESTAMENT sources. As in Pentecostalism generally, the revival of such powers and practices in the church today is widely regarded as a sign we are entering the End Times, that is, that the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment will occur in the near future. The vitality and rapid growth of the Assemblies of God can be taken as an example of the dynamic of Pentecostalism worldwide in the 20th and 21st centuries.

astrology The belief that the position of the stars and planets in the sky affects the destinies of individuals, and of larger human units such as cities and nations, and even the entire world, is