9/1/16 Flashcards
What are the three cultures that influenced early Christianity?
- Greek
- Roman
- Jewish
In what three ways did Greek culture influence early Christianity?
A. Philosophy
B. Language
C. Spirit
What are the categories of philosophical examples mentioned?
- Speculative Cosmology
- Relation of the mind to reality
- Other Misc. Influences
- Mixed reception in the early Church
Name the four philosophers named as examples of “speculative cosmologies” that sought to discover the one unifying material in reality.
a) Thales – all comes from water
b) Anaximander – boundless atmosphere (an unseen thing)
c) Heraclitus – fire, air, water, earth (Pocahontas “You can’t step in the same river twice”)
d) Parmenides – reality itself (Early metaphysics)
Name the three sequential philosophers who sought to describe the “relation of the mind to reality”.
a) Socrates [470-399 bc] (Philosophy based on the assumption that we already know everything that is knowable. We only lack the ability to draw out of our mind what we know. His answer was the “Socratic Method” of sequential questions.
b) Plato [429-347] (Student of Socrates. There are universals that relate to the particulars. Thus the purpose of philosophy is to figure out how the particulars relate to the universal)
c) Aristotle [384-322] (Taught that the way to unveiling the universals is by studying the particulars or “accidents”)
Name the examples of “Other Influences” mentioned.
Stoicism (founded by zeno/xeno. Popularized by Seneca. Believed the highest values were virtue and morality.)
b) Cynicism (from word which means dog. Like 60’s hippies. Highest value is simplicity. Atheistic.)
c) Epicurianism (sought to counter fear for the sake of pleasure. Sought to reject God and gods. Modified hedonists.)
What four examples of mixed reception did the church give towards Greek cultural influence?
a) Scripture – Acts 17:18-21; 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25; 2:6-10; Colossians 2:8, 9
b) Apologists – Basically negative and corrective toward philosophy, but nevertheless, interact regularly with it
c) Tertullian clearly dissociates Christian knowledge from any dependence on or epistemological continuity with pagan philosophy
d) Seen more positively in Alexandria, especially by Clement (of Alexandria) as serving the function to the Greeks that the Law did to the Jews
What are the five advantages to Roman influence on early Christianity?
- Pax Romana (Able to travel without fear of harassment)
- Roads (faster and safer travel)
- Political practicality became model for church organization (Especially in the development of the priority of the Roman bishop.)
- Language (Latin) became medium of evangelism, liturgical development, and theological writing
- Roman army became a force for spreading the gospel. (Converted soldiers carried the gospel with them to the far corners of the empire
What are the three categories of disadvantages to Roman influence on early Christianity?
- Syncretistic Paganism
- A culture hostile to holiness
- Growing antagonism (towards Christianity) resulting in local persecutions and eventually empire wide persecutions
In what three ways was the Roman syncretistic paganism a disadvantage?
a) Multiplicity (of deities)
b) Subordinate, complementary, and functional deities
c) Private cults – those which imitated Christianity; Mithras became popular among the military, Persian God of light and truth. (Mystery religion, possibly an outgrowth of Zoroastrianism) Many external practices and belief appeared the same. (Some were more hedonistic)
In what two ways do we observe the Roman culture’s hostility to holiness
a. In the New Testament (see - Romans 1:24-32; 1 Cor 5:1, 10; 6:9-11; Eph 4:17-19; 5:5-7)
b. Manifestations in the culture
What four examples of the manifestations in Roman culture were given to exemplify the ways Roman culture was hostile to holiness
- Justin complains [Apol 1:9] that “their skilled artisans are licentious men and, not to enter into details, are experienced in every known vice; they even defile the girls who work with them. What stupidity, that lustful men should carve and reshape gods for your veneration.”
- Taxes for prostitution were imposed by Caligula (37 – 41)
- Theater - declined from drama to pantomime because of the incessant demand for plays; (175 days of the year, plays were expected. They were a center for the encouragement of human depravity.)
- Games - gladiatorial combat became more and more prominent and the destruction of human lives especially slaves became common. (sometimes Christians as well)
What three specific reasons were given for the “3. Growing antagonism (towards Christianity) resulting in local persecutions and eventually empire wide persecutions”?
Economic reasons (sacrifice/idol vendors)
Ethical: Exposing of infants(abortion), considered haters of mankind because of their beliefs, (“share their food, but not their wives”)
Religious: on account of their rejection of many of the pagan religious activities and many misconceptions concerning the language of Christianity as well as other misconceptions
In what four (listed) ways is there continuity between the Judaism and Christianity?
- Scripture (both its inspiration and necessity of cannon)
- (Dynamic, Interactive) Monotheism (against the common polytheism of the day. There were some ideas of the Trinity in Judaism, though not fully developed.)
- Messianic expectations (many within Judaism were looking for the messiah. Some like the Zealots were actively seeking him.)
- Style of worship established in the synagogue especially the reading of Scripture, singing of psalms, engaging in prayers of thanksgiving.
In what five (listed) ways is there discontinuity between Judaism and Christianity?
- N. T. - Jewish rejection of Christ and his apostles [Mt 23:29 - 39; Acts 28:23 - 28]
- Persecution from the Jews - 1 Thess 1:14 - 16; murder of James by Sadducean high priesthood supported by a mob [Josephus Ant. 20.9.1]
- Destruction of Temple in 70 - Jewish uprising of 66 - 74 decentralized Jerusalem from Christian influence and clearly delineated Christianity from Judaism.
- 132 - 135 generally but indecisively associated with “Bar-Cochba”. Justin and later Eusebius use the name to identify the leader. A pretender to Messianic status led in persecution of Christians (referred to in Justin’s Apology xxxi) and revolt against Romans. Crushed in the eighteenth year of Hadrian.
- (Internal) Christian interpretations of themselves as the covenant people. (No connection to the Jewish temple and its sacrificial system. Rather they were the embodiment of the fulfillment of all the old covenant systems.)
