History of Christianity I: Early & Medieval Periods

History of Christianity I: Early & Medieval Periods

The Key Role of Greek Philosophy

Bible Passages Warning Against Unbiblical philosophy

• Col 2:8
• 1 Tim 6:20
• Rev 13:2

To realize that Western civilization clearly and prominently bears a Hellenic image can help to solve a number of prophetic riddles. One concerns a Roman little horn that seems to rise from part of the Greek nation, as depicted in Dan. 8:9-11. Another is why the Antichristian Beast of Rev. 13 looks so much like a leopard.

Spirit of Prophecy about the Role of Pagan Philosophy

The advancing centuries witnessed a constant increase of error in the doctrines put forth from Rome. Even before the establishment of the papacy the teachings of heathen philosophers had received attention and exerted an influence in the church. Many who professed conversion still clung to the tenets of their pagan philosophy, and not only continued its study themselves, but urged it upon others as a means of extending their influence among the heathen. Serious errors were thus introduced into the Christian faith. Prominent among these was the belief in man’s natural immortality and his consciousness in death. This doctrine laid the foundation upon which Rome established the invocation of saints and the adoration of the Virgin Mary. From this sprang also the heresy of eternal torment for the finally impenitent, which was early incorporated into the papal faith. {GC 58.2}

Wycliffe received a liberal education, and with him the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his remarkable talents and sound scholarship. In his thirst for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every branch of learning. He was educated in the scholastic philosophy, in the canons of the church, and in the civil law, especially that of his own country. In his after labors the value of this early training was apparent. A thorough acquaintance with the speculative philosophy of his time enabled him to expose its errors; and by his study of national and ecclesiastical law he was prepared to engage in the great struggle for civil and religious liberty. {GC 80}

The doctrine of natural immortality, first borrowed from the pagan philosophy, and in the darkness of the great apostasy incorporated into the Christian faith, has supplanted the truth, so plainly taught in Scripture, that "the dead know not anything." {GC 551}

Principles of Study

Chap. 50 - Education for Eternity

John writes: "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." And Paul exhorts Timothy to bid the young men to "be sober-minded." Elevate your soul to be as was Daniel, a loyal, steadfast servant of the Lord of hosts. Ponder well the path of your feet; for you are standing on holy ground, and the angels of God are about you. {MYP 176.1}

It is right that you should feel that you must climb to the highest round of the educational ladder. Philosophy and history are important studies; but your sacrifice of time and money will avail nothing if you do not use your attainments for the honor of God and the good of humanity. Unless the knowledge of science is a stepping-stone to the attainment of the highest purposes, it is worthless. {MYP 176.2}

The education that does not furnish knowledge as enduring as eternity is of no purpose. Unless you keep heaven and the future, immortal life before you, your attainments are of no permanent value. But if Jesus is your teacher, not simply on one day of the week, but every day, every hour, you may have His smile upon you in the pursuit of literary acquirements.--"Fundamentals of Christian Education," pp. 191, 192. {MYP 176.3}

“We cannot appreciate the truth only in contrast with error; with the dark background, false doctrines, and error, the truth shines forth clear and connected, link after link, uniting in a perfect whole; it binds all that is good and true together, and connects them with heaven.” Manuscript Release Vol. 5:273

“The Bible is its own expositor. Scripture is to be compared with scripture. The student should learn to view the word as a whole, and to see the relation of its parts. He should gain a knowledge of its grand central theme, of God’s original purpose for the world, of the rise of the great controversy, and of the work of redemption.” Ed p. 190.

“[The student] should understand the nature of the two principles that are contending for supremacy, and should learn to trace their working through the records of history and prophecy, to the great consummation.” Ed p. 190.

The Story of Christian Theology on the Convergence of Philosophy and Theology

• “The story of Christian theology is deeply influenced by philosophy—especially Greek (Hellenistic) Philosophy. That comes as a surprise and often as a shock to Christians who assume that Christianity and philosophy are opposed to one another. That assumption is not at all uncommon and indeed is to be found very early in the story of Christian theology.” Pg 54
• “One of the most influential church fathers, Tertullian, was appalled at the extent to which some of his contemporaries were using Greek philosophies such as Platonism and Stoicism to explain Christian ideas to pagan audiences.” Pg 54
• “The apologists were Christian writers of the second century who attempted to defend Christianity against pagan opponents such as Celsus. While a few of them like Tertullian rejected the philosophical approach, most of the apologists attempted to demonstrate similarities between the Christian message and worldview and the best of Greek philosophy. A few even considered Christianity “true philosophy” and attempted to show its superiority as philosophy to Hellenistic thought. In the process, of course, they had to compare and contrast the two in a way that implied their commensurability. That is, they could not be wholly dissimilar as Tertullian thought. While this idea was scandalous to Tertullian and some other early Christian thinkers, it was widely accepted in portions of Christianity, especially Alexandria and Rome, the two most important centers of culture in the Roman Empire.” Pg 54-55

• “The influence of such a philosophical theology on Philo in the first-century is clear. He and other “Jewish philosophers [of the Hellenistic world] were eager to explain Old Testament ideas in relation to the highest levels of Greek theology, notably Middle Platonism.”
• Philo saw many similarities between the god of Greek philosophy who was one, metaphysically and morally perfect, and the creator and judge of all souls, and Yahweh of the Hebrew tradition, who was the Creator, lawgiver and judge of everyone. Moses and Plato fit together nicely in Philo’s version of Jewish Middle Platonism. The was the Jewish precedent for the Christian apologists’ task of persuasively communicating Christian ideas to educated and reflective Romans. They were simply standing on Philo’s shoulders and building a Hellenistic-Christian superstructure on his Hellenistic-Jewish foundation.” Pg 57

• “The apologists’ enterprise of examining and defending Christianity in light of Greek philosophy was not entirely new. A century or more earlier the Jewish scholar Philo had attempted to wed Judaism and Greek philosophy in Alexandria, Egypt.” Pg 55
• “Some of the apologists emulated Philo’s positive evaluation of Greek philosophers. Philo, for instance, had taught that Plato’s philosophy and Moses’ teachings were both based on divine revelation and at heart were similar if not identical.” Pg 55
• Many saw Greek philosophy as “an ally of Christian theology.” Pg 54
• “The second-century Christian apologists chose instead to defend the truth of Christianity on the basis of the philosophies of Platonism and Stoicism—or an amalgam of the two.” Pg 56
• The Christian apologists “found much common ground between the Christian life and worldview and the generic blend of Platonism and Stoicism that made up the common Greek philosophy of much of the Roman Empire in the second century.” Pg 56
• “God is simple substance, completely free of body, parts or passions, immutable (unchangeable) and eternal (timeless). He (or it) is everything that finite creation is not—the epitome of metaphysical and moral perfection untouched by finitude, limitation, dependency, emotion, passion, change or decay.” Pg 57

Alfred North Whitehead, a famous mathmatician

and philosopher once stated that the history of

Western philosophy is a "series of footnotes to Plato."

John W. Cooper stated, "He could have made the same

comment about theology.

John W. Cooper, Panentheism: The Other God of the

Philosophers, pg 19

In the Development of Christian Doctrine throughout History

Edwin de Kock, Christ and Antichrist in Prophecy and History, pg 89