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The Fathers of the Church of the 2 nd -3 rd ctry . Are called the _________________ Fathers. What was happening during this time-period that was forcing the Church to develop it’s Theology and doctrines? Some Fathers resisted the Christian movement toward “Hellenization.” What does this mean?
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The Fathers of the Church of the 2nd-3rdctry. Are called the _________________ Fathers. What was happening during this time-period that was forcing the Church to develop it’s Theology and doctrines? Some Fathers resisted the Christian movement toward “Hellenization.” What does this mean? Alexandria in Egypt, Antioch in Syria and Caesaria in Palestine where homes to three different Theological ____________. Who were the “lapsi?” St. Irenaeus of Lyons is called the “Father of __________.” Who was the Saint who was a mentor to Irenaeus and sent him out to be a missionary? Irenaeus later wrote the account of his martyrdom. Irenaeus used sarcasm to address the fantastic “myths” created by the Gnostics to explain religious mysteries. He said he could do the same thing by coming up with silly names for religious terms. Give one example of a silly name he used. Irenaeus pointed out that Mary was the New ________. Irenaeuswrote that the _____________ is the pledge of our Resurrection. Didjaredit?
St. Irenaeus of Lyons • 2nd century AD – c. 202 • was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire (now Lyon, France). • While Irenaeus was in Rome, a massacre took place in Lyons. Returning to Gaul, Irenaeus succeeded the martyr Saint Pothinus and became the second Bishop of Lyon. • He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology..
Father of Theology • He was a hearer of Polycarp, who in turn was a disciple of John the Evangelist. • Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was brought up in a Christian family rather than converting as an adult. • Irenaeus' best-known book, Adversus Haereses or Against Heresies (c. 180) is a detailed attack on Gnosticism, which was then a serious threat to the Church, and especially on the system of the Gnostic Valentinus. • Note: Gnosticism = Platonism run amuck! • probable that he ended his career with martyrdom.
Some Background Greek Philosophers And a VERY brief look at their concept of “The Soul and/or God”
Pythagoras • one of the most famous and controversial ancient pre-Socratic Greek philosophers, lived from ca. 570 to ca. 490 BCE. • He spent his early years on the island of Samos, off the coast of modern Turkey. • At the age of forty, however, he emigrated to the city of Croton in southern Italy and most of his philosophical activity occurred there. • Pythagoras wrote nothing, nor were there any detailed accounts of his thought written by contemporaries. • By the first centuries BC, moreover, it became fashionable to present Pythagoras in a largely unhistorical fashion as a semi-divine figure, who originated all that was true in the Greek philosophical tradition, including many of Plato's and Aristotle's mature ideas. • A number of treatises were forged in the name of Pythagoras and other Pythagoreans in order to support this view.
Historically, Pythagoras means much more that the familiar theorem about right triangles. The philosophy of Pythagoras and his school has impacted the very fiber of mathematics and physics, even the western tradition of liberal education no matter what the discipline. • Pythagorean philosophy was the prime source of inspiration for Plato and Aristotle; the influence of these philosophers is without question and is immeasurable. • Indeed, Pythagoras regarded himself as a mystic and even semi-divine. Said Pythagoras • "There are men, gods, and men like Pythagoras."
PYTHAGORIAN SCHOOL OF PHILOSOPHY • Pythagoras set up an organization which was in some ways a school, in some ways a brotherhood (and here it should be noted that sources indicate that as well as men there were many women among the adherents of Pythagoras),and in some ways a monastery. • It was based upon the religious teachings of Pythagoras and was very secretive. • The adherents were bound by a vow to Pythagoras and each other, for the purpose of pursuing the religious and ascetic observances, and of studying his religious and philosophical theories. • Their whole discipline is represented as encouraging a lofty serenity and self-possession
Pythagoras succeeded in promulgating a new more optimistic view of the fate of the soul after death and in founding a way of life that was attractive for its rigor and discipline and that drew to him numerous devoted followers.
Pythagoras' religious and scientific views were, in his opinion, inseparably interconnected. Religiously, Pythagoras was a believer of metempsychosis – which means: • He believed in transmigration, or the reincarnation of the soul again and again into the bodies of humans, animals, or vegetables until it became immortal. (Thus he was a vegetarian!) • His ideas of reincarnation were influenced by ancient Greek religion. • Pythagoras claimed that he had lived four previous lives that he could remember in detail.
Pythagoras was famous • (1) as an expert on the fate of the soul after death, who thought that the soul was immortal and went through a series of reincarnations; • (2) as an expert on religious ritual; • (3) as a wonder-worker who had a thigh of gold and who could be two places at the same time; • (4) as the founder of a strict way of life that emphasized dietary restrictions, religious ritual and rigorous self discipline.
SOCRATES • PLATO • ARISTOTLE • All three set the foundation for Western philosophy. • KNOW THIS: For the early Greek philosophers, God was not the name of a Person but was a common noun. Not God, but “god.” This word described being at the highest level.
SOCRATES • 469-399 BC • Classical Greek Athenian philosopher • Founded Western philosophy • known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers • Sentenced for corrupting the minds of youth and society. • Martyred by being forced to drink poison.
SOCRATES • From Plato’s, “The Apologies” (of Socrates) we find that Socrates proclaimed himself as “Apollo’s Gift to the People.” To speak against him would be to speak against Apollo. • Saw himself as kind of philosophical prophet. Didn’t really admit, though to following Apollo. Thus he was condemned to death for being an “atheist.” • Definitely believed in the “supernatural.” Not really defined. • Pointed more to a importance of a virtuous life.
PLATO • 424-348 BC • Philosopher and mathematician • Student of Socrates • Wrote philosophical dialogues • Founded a philosophical school – the Academy in Athens
PLATO • Plato spoke of "the gods,” or "the god,” in some cases of "god", but then in the same way we would talk of "man", using the word as a generic name. • He tried to approach the question of “god” from different angles and give partial complementary (and not contradictory) answers, both negative (what gods are not, what we should not believe) and positive (what we may safely believe about gods and the divine, and questions of "origins" and "ends"). • Theorized the “cosmos” to find in it traces of an “organized intelligence.” • Always said he was looking for traces of truths in myths – not establishing doctrines!
Plato’s Demiurge • In it, you will find not "God", but a "demiurge", that is a "worker“ (etymologically, demiourgos means "one who works for the demos, that is for the people"), which is immortal by nature but works from a model and has to deal with necessity. The demiurge is the artificer of the world. • Though he does not seem to be the maker of "place" and matter, he is the maker of time, "a moving image of eternity", and of "lower" gods, that are only immortal by his will. • These gods represent the immortal living creatures that are needed to have all sorts of creatures in the kosmos. They are the makers of man as the "host" of a divine soul (the logos) handed them by the demiurge. But you will also read that the kosmos is often referred to as a "god", endowed with a soul.
ARISTOTLE • 384-322 BC • Greek philosopher • Student of Plato • one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy • Wrote on many topics • Founded philosophical school called the “Lyceum”
ARISTOTLE • In his book called, “Metaphysics,” he discussed the meaning of "being as being." • In the metaphysical order, the highest determination of Being is what he calls, “Actuality” – it is perfect, the fullness of being. • Potentiality is imperfect being. (Lacks fullness) • God is the Supreme Cause, in whom there is no imperfection, and, therefore, no potentiality. God is all actuality.
What About Those Sophists? • Around since before the time of Homer. Definitely before the time of the “big three.” • The term originated from Greek sophizo meaning "I am wise.“ • In ancient Greece, sophists were a category of teachers who specialized in using the tools of philosophy and rhetoric for the purpose of teaching aretê — excellence, or virtue — predominantly to young statesmen and nobility. • The practice of charging money for education (and providing wisdom only to those who can pay) led to the condemnations made by Socrates (through Plato in his dialogues).
HELLINIZATION • Hellenization (or Hellenisation) is the historical spread of ancient Greek culture, philosophy, art and, to a lesser extent, language, over foreign peoples conquered by Greece or brought into its sphere of influence. • It was a notable trait of ancient Greek civilization, an approach to other cultures that was not merely invasive or dominant but transformative. • The result of Hellenization was that elements of Greek origin combined in various forms and degrees with local elements.
The Greek culture was so open that it was also affected by other cultures as well. • Jesus had contact with Greek culture. • Christianity became extremely Hellenized in the wake of his death. The New Testament was written in Greek, and many early Christians were proselytes, Greek-speaking Gentiles who followed Jewish cultic practices without converting. • The sophistication of Pauline theology, the Johannine books (the Gospel and Revelation of John which spoke of the concept of the LOGOS), and the writings of the early apostolic fathers up to and including Augustine of Hippo were deeply influenced by Greek philosophy and the Hellenized intellectual climate of the Roman Empire.
After the fall of Rome the Byzantine Empire was ethnically Greek, religiously Christian, and the inheritors of both classical Greek culture and the Roman right of rule.
