Introduction to St. Augustine & St. Thomas Aquinas Flashcards
sources of western civilization & political thought
greeks=rationalism & idealism
judeo-christian religion=monotheistic & unconditional love “love neighbour & enemies”
what happened in the roman empire
2
greeks & jews conquered by romans
persecution
why was there persecution
contrasting beliefs
polytheistic vs monotheistic
who conquered jews throughout the years
jonah. daniel, esther, jesus
assyria 721 BC (israel)
babylonia 586 BC (judah & israel)
persia 540 BC(brought them back to homeland)
rome 70 AD (judea & destroying jerusalem)
what are the tenets of jews
talmud & bible
what is the talmud
2
analysis and discussion of rabbis on laws, customs, revelations of God (mishnah) [repetition], and commentaries, interpretations, and discussions handed down (gemara) [completion]
enduring moment (basis of everyday life & source of faith)
what is the bible
5
- torah, prophets, writing
- written teaching w/o specific authors (Genesis)
- torah as law is limited
- commitment to god-centered life
- oral
what is the jewish-greek contradictions
jews= monotheistic; god created man; communion w/ God thru justice; earth to heaven; wisdom=fearing God; only God can rule over man; old testament , new testament, or talmud
greeks= polytheistic; man created God (by xenophanes); heaven to earth & live with them; wisdom= “knowledge is virtue” (know thyself); those with reason must rule (from plato & aristotle); no book of authority, diverse, contradiction, and diff perspectives
what is christianity in relation to jewish-greek contradictions
5
- most important harmonization/reconciliation with aim to dedication to religious principles & values (no political), salvation, and heaven (other world)
- based on new testament (gospels, acts, epistles, revelations)
- love as way of life (love neighbours and enemies)
- similar to judaism (leviticus & deuteronomy) but focused on justice
- monotheism, ethics, & moral law
what is roman empire and christianity (6)
- persecution
- recognized by constantine the great in 313 AD (edict of milan/ battle at milvian bridge)
- roman empire sacked by visigoths in 410 ad = blamed on christianity
- alleged connection between fall of rome & rise of christianity & pagan communities (departure in traditional roles [not following old traditions])
- other factors in fall of rome: republicanism to despotic monarchial imperialism & couldnt resolve poverty
- theres a defense from st. augustine
christianity after st augustine (5)
- reconceptualized & foundation of the church as powerful temporal (connection of life on earth to heaven) actor in 13th century thanks to thomas aquinas
- universal, comprehensive, systemic philosophy due to increasing power of the church
- rise of medieval scholasticism (reason should not contradict faith; answer in faith and belief): unite 1 body knowledge and revelation, philosophy, and theology
- decrease in dynamism & evolutionary capability of greeks
- inquisition burn at stake (salem witch trials & joan of arc)
summarize intro to st aug and thomas aquinas
roman empire early christianity, romans attacked jewish & greek, persecution, visigoths, constantine, st aug & st thomas
sources of western civilization & political thought
what happened in the roman empire
why was there persecution
who conquered jews throughout the years
tenets
what is the jewish-greek contradictions
christianity
what is roman empire and christianity
christianity after st augustine
