"One of the most influential professors in the shaping of contemporary theology was Peter Abelard, (1079-1142). He is partly responsible for giving us modern theology. His teachings set the table and prepared the menu for scholastic philosophers like Thomas Aquinas, ( 1225-1274). Even before this Christianity became steeped in the thoughts of Plato and Aristotle.
The shocking historical fact is that many of the Christian church fathers were pagan philosophers and orators prior to their conversions, and the Christian faith soon began to take on a philosophical bent." ( Frank Viola pg.202).
( Much of this thread will draw from Frank Violas " Pagan Christianity", Eusebius" The history of the church", Boggs " The Christian Saga" and Rowdon " Theological education in historical perspective.") And from my own views of course. And I will draw on a few websites and articles, which I will always list the references.
Viola states, on Pg.203, " Within a century and a half after Christianity and Philosophy first came into contact, the ideas and methods of Philosophy had flowed in such mass into Christianity, and filled so large a place in it, as to have made it no less a Philosophy than a religion." Which when I read, was absolutely stunning!
When Philosophy got into the Christian bloodstream, especially Pagan philosophy, the Christian Theological Education system has never recovered from it. The fusion of Pagan and Christian elements, became a " Theology unto itself"; ( The term " Theology" used to describe Pagan beliefs).
What did philosophy really do to Christianity?
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Talishi
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Post #111
There's a problem inherent in any revealed religion that attempts to use philosophy to shore it up. Even if the Five Ways of Aquinas were accepted as valid arguments for the existence of a supreme being, it does nothing to make the final leap from there to the father of Jesus Christ. Aquinas could as well have been arguing for a deist position. Same thing with Anselm's ontological argument. Pascal's Wager doesn't even deserve a mention.mickiel wrote: It was during the Monastic age that Eastern church fathers became steeped in Platonic thought. Just kind of mixing it with their own thoughts. They foolishly believed that the techniques of Plato and Aristotle could be used to bring men to Christ.
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Post #112
Well that's right ,I agree. And if anyone , any Christian , wanted to really study this , its not hard to ; you don't have to search much.Talishi wrote:There's a problem inherent in any revealed religion that attempts to use philosophy to shore it up. Even if the Five Ways of Aquinas were accepted as valid arguments for the existence of a supreme being, it does nothing to make the final leap from there to the father of Jesus Christ. Aquinas could as well have been arguing for a deist position. Same thing with Anselm's ontological argument. Pascal's Wager doesn't even deserve a mention.mickiel wrote: It was during the Monastic age that Eastern church fathers became steeped in Platonic thought. Just kind of mixing it with their own thoughts. They foolishly believed that the techniques of Plato and Aristotle could be used to bring men to Christ.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism
People just are afraid of this truth. Because it will remove some of the clothes of their religion.
