Twenty-third Annual Margaret Mann Phillips Lecture: Pagan Philosophy and Patristics in Erasmus and His Contemporaries

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-60
Author(s):  
Jill Kraye
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Intellectual Activity ◽  
The Church ◽  
Two Bodies ◽  
Christian Beliefs

AbstractAs admirers of the classical past, Renaissance humanists were frequently faced with the problem of how to deal with those aspects of ancient culture, such as pagan philosophy, which presented serious challenges to their sincerely held Christian beliefs. In seeking to resolve this longstanding dilemma, many humanists looked to the Church Fathers, who offered them a variety of different approaches to the issue. These ranged from highlighting the compatibility of certain philosophical schools with Christian theology to rejecting the ancient philosophical heritage in part or in its entirety. This article explores the interaction between pagan philosophy and patristics in Renaissance thought, focusing in particular on the role which each played in the intellectual activity of Erasmus and those of his contemporaries who remained within the Catholic fold, and attempting to determine the extent to which the project to restore these two bodies of writing occupied common ground in the humanist program for the recovery of antiquity.

JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN ASTROLOGY IN LATE ANTIQUITY - A NEW APPROACH

Numen ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kocku von Stuckrad
Keyword(s):  
Roman Empire ◽  
Late Antiquity ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Basic Ideas ◽  
The Church

AbstractIn late antiquity astrology held a key position among the accepted and well-reputed sciences. As ars mathematica closely connected with astronomy, it made its way into the highest political and philosophical orders of the Roman Empire and became the standard model of interpreting past, present, and future events. Although this is widely acknowledged by modern historians, most scholars assume that the application of astrological theories is limited to the 'pagan mind,' whereas Jewish and Christian theology is characterized by a harsh refutation of astrology's implications. As can easily be shown, this assumption is not the result of careful examination of the documentary evidence but of a preconceived and misleading opinion about the basic ideas of astrology, which led to an astonishing disregard of Jewish and Christian evidence for astrological concerns. This evidence has been either played down - if not neglected entirely - or labeled 'heretic,' thus prolonging the polemics of the 'church fathers' right into modernity. After having reviewed the biases of previous research into monotheistic astrology and its crucial methodological problems, I shall propose a different approach. Astrology has to be seen as a certain way of interpreting reality. In this regard it is the very backbone of esoteric tradition. I shall sketch the different discourses reflected in some late antiquity's Jewish and Christian documents. It will be shown that the astrological worldview of planetary and zodiacal correspondences was common to most of the sources. Examples will be presented for illustrating different adoptions of this attitude, namely the discourse of cult theology, the magical and mystical application of astrological knowledge, the debates concerning volition and determinism, and, finally, the use of astrology for political and religious legitimization.

scholarly journals PERSEPSI TEOLOG MASA KINI DI INDONESIA TERHADAP PIKIRAN TEOLOGI BAPAK-BAPAK GEREJA ABAD PERTAMA SAMPAI KETIGA

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Detty Manongko
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Church History ◽  
Second Century ◽  
First Century ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Third Century ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Church

The research of exploring the Church History have not been many studies done in Indonesia. Though this field is related to the theology, especially the development of Christian Theology for centuries. One area of Church History that needs to be examined are the Christian Thought of the Church Fathers from first to third centuries. The field is often called “Patrology” which is the study of Church Fathers from first to third centuries. Who are they, what are the results of their work, why they have produced such theological thoughts, and what they thoughts are still influencing to the contemporary theologians in Indonesia?The main problem in this research is how does the perception of contemporary theologians in Indonesia to the Chruch Father’ s theological thoughts? Through a literature review of Soteriology, Christology, and Eschatology, then this research has yielded important principles concerning to the Church Fathers’s theological thoughts at the Early Church period. And then through the field research has proven that the majority of contemporary theologians in Indonesia have a positive perception to the Church Fathers’s theological thought from first to the third centuries. Therefore, the reasons of why this research is conducted and how it is done are described in the first chapter of these book. The second chapter of this writing contains a literature review of the theological thoughts of the church fathers from the first century to the third. There are four groups of Church Fathers from the first century to the third. There are four groups of Church Fathers that are described in this chapter, i.e., The Apostolic Fathers (from the first to the middle of second century), The Aplogists (second century), The Anti-Gnostic Fathers (second and third century), and The Alexandrian Fathers (third century). The third chapter discusses the quantitative methods used in this research including statistical models to prove the validity and reliability of the data acquisition method that is used in the field of this research. It desperately needs accuracy and diligence in order to display a quality and useful research reports for the development of Church History studies. Discussion of the results of this study, along with the evidence that reinforces the result of this research is presented in the fourth chapter. Finally, the fifth chapter of this study elaborates the main thoughts that are generated in this study, which also expected to be important principles in conducting futher research.The results obtained in this study are not yet maximal on account of various constraints, such as limited time, facilities, funding, and so forth. However, the writer wishes that the results achieved in this study will give a valuable contribution to all readers of this writing and that it will be a motivation for a further research in the field of Church History in the future.

scholarly journals KEBANGKITAN STUDI TEOLOGI PATRISTIK: Doktrin Trinitas (Perikhoresis)

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-76
Author(s):  
Minggus Minarto Pranoto
Keyword(s):  
Christian Theology ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
The Past ◽  
Christian Service ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
Doctrine Of The Trinity ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Trinity

Teologi Patristik atau teologi bapa-bapa gereja muncul di masa-masa awal dalam sejarah perkembangan gereja. Namun demikian pemikiran teologi Patristik masih terus relevan berhadapan dengan persoalan-persoalan kehidupan sekarang ini. Teologi Patristik merupakan warisan berharga teologi Kristen yang tidak pernah membeku dan menjadi fosil di masa lalu, sebaliknya teologi Patristik mengalami kebangkitan dalam topik-topik kajiannya dan mempunyai daya dorong yang kuat untuk mendasari praksis transformasional pelayanan Kristen di masa sekarang ini. Kebangkitan studi teologi Patristik menunjukkan bahwa teologi Patristik memiliki ruang yang luas untuk diaplikasikan dalam berbagai isu kehidupan. Teologi Patristik setia terhadap kerygma rasul-rasul dan tujuannya agar kehidupan orang percaya memuliakan Allah dan berjuang melakukan praksis transformasional pelayanan Kristen. Doktrin Trinitas (perikhoresis), yang telah diformulasikan dalam teologi Patristik, merupakan salah satu doktrin yang begitu luas didiskusikan dan dikembangkan dalam wacana berteologi sekarang ini. Abstract: Patristic theology or theology of the Church Fathers emerged in the early days in the history of the development of the Church. However, the thought of Patristic theology continues to be relevant in dealing with the problems of life today. Patristic theology is a valuable legacy of Christian theology that has never been frozen and fossilized in the past, instead Patristic theology experienced a revival in its study topics and has a strong impetus to underpin the transformational praxis of Christian service in the present. The revival of the study of Patristic theology shows that Patristic theology has ample scope to be applied in various issues of life. Patristic theology is faithful to the apostolic faith and its purpose so that the lives of believers glorify God and strive to carry out transformational praxis of Christian service. The doctrine of the Trinity (perikhoresis), which has been formulated in Patristic theology, is one of the doctrines that is so widely discussed and developed in current theological discourse.

The Intermediate State in the New Testament

1991 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Osei-Bonsu
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Intermediate State ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Protestant Churches ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Church

The notion of a post-mortem disembodied existence of the soul followed by resurrection on the last day has been part of traditional Christian theology for centuries. Though some modern theologians are unhappy with this doctrine and have tried to re-interpret it or reject it altogether, it cannot be denied that traditional Christian theology has always taught this. This view was held by many of the Church Fathers and by the Reformers. Today it is still the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant Churches.

Petrarch's Defense of Secular Letters, the Latin Fathers, and Ancient Roman Rhetoric

1993 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-134
Author(s):  
Brenda Deen Schildgen
Keyword(s):  
Classical Rhetoric ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Rhetorical Situations ◽  
Epistolary Form ◽  
The Church ◽  
Roman Rhetoric

Abstract: Like the Church Fathers before him, Petrarch was forced to defend secular learning against its detractors, and his defenses draw on many of the same arguments that Augustine and Jerome had used. In these defenses he blends classical rhetoric and Christian values, and his procedures also follow the traditions of classical rhetoric, relying on the epistolary form and utilizing the Ciceronian manner of debating all topics from opposite standpoints. Perhaps, however, because his indecisiveness complemented the classical rhetorical premise that many issues present many possible resolutions, Petrarch also rejects secular learning in some of his writings. His arguments are therefore conclusive only within their unique rhetorical situations.

Christus Virgo

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
Sissel Undheim
Keyword(s):  
Moral Status ◽  
The Other ◽  
Late Antique ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Early Christian ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
The One ◽  
The Church

The description of Christ as a virgin, 'Christus virgo', does occur at rare occasions in Early Christian and late antique texts. Considering that 'virgo' was a term that most commonly described the sexual and moral status of a member of the female sex, such representations of Christ as a virgin may exemplify some of the complex negotiations over gender, salvation, sanctity and Christology that we find in the writings of the Church fathers. The article provides some suggestions as to how we can understand the notion of the virgin Christ within the context of early Christian and late antique theological debates on the one hand, and in light of the growing interest in sacred virginity on the other.

The Aggiornamento Phenomenon and the Second Vatican Council

2020 ◽  
pp. 98-105
Author(s):  
Hiermonk Ioann ( Bulyko) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Second Vatican Council ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
John Xxiii ◽  
The People ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Pope John Xxiii ◽  
The Church

The Second Vatican Council was a unique event in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Initiated by Pope John XXIII, it was intended to make the Roman Catholic Church more open to the contemporary society and bring it closer to the people. The principal aim of the council was the so called aggiornamento (updating). The phenomenon of updating the ecclesiastical life consisted in the following: on the one hand, modernization of the life of the Church and closer relations with the secular world; on the other hand, preserving all the traditions upon which the ecclesiastical life was founded. Hence in the Council’s documents we find another, French word ressourcement meaning ‘return to the origins’ based on the Holy Scripture and the works of the Church Fathers. The aggiornamento phenomenon emerged during the Second Vatican Council due to the movement within the Catholic Church called nouvelle theologie (French for “new theology”). Its representatives advanced the ideas that became fundamental in the Council’s decisions. The nouvelle theologie was often associated with modernism as some of the ideas of its representatives seemed to be very similar to those of modernism. However, what made the greatest difference between the two movements was their attitude towards the tradition. For the nouvelle theologie it was very important to revive Christianity in its initial version, hence their striving for returning to the sources, for the oecumenical movement, for better relations with non-Catholics and for liturgical renewal. All these ideas can be traced in the documents of the Second Vatican Council, and all this is characterized by the word aggiornamento.

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Mason
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Environmental Crisis ◽  
Church Fathers ◽  
Communal Experience ◽  
In Christ ◽  
The Church ◽  
Francis Of Assisi

This chapter locates Rossetti in the context of the book’s ecotheological argument, which traces an ecological love command in her writing through her engagement with Tractarianism, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the Church Fathers, and Francis of Assisi. It establishes her Anglo-Catholic imagining of the cosmos as a fabric of participation and communal experience embodied in Christ. The first section reads Rossetti in the context of current Victorian ecocriticism, which underplays the role of Christianity in the development of nineteenth-century environmentalism. The next sections question critical readings of Rossetti as a reclusive thinker and argue instead for an educated and politicized Christian for whom indifference to the spiritual is complicit with an environmental crisis in which the weak and vulnerable suffer most. This introduction also refers to the wider field of Rossetti studies and introduces her reading of grace and apocalypse as a major contribution to the intradiscipline of Christianity and ecology.

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