The first part of Olson’s The Story of Christian Theology introduces the reader to conflicting Christian Visions in the Second Century. First‚ Olson defines theology as "the church’s reflection on the salvation brought by Christ and on the gospel of that salvation proclaimed and explained by the first- century apostles." (25). However‚ the story of Christian theology has continually been interwoven with the understanding of the Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology). While Jesus was on earth‚ and even
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The transition from Mythology to Philosophy include events which brought the transitions‚ early philosophers‚ What kind of philosophical thought prevailed during the Middle Ages along with key Church philosopher of the later Middle Ages. It is also important to discuss myths and philosophers beliefs during transition.The middle‚ Pre-Socratic philosophers attempted to explain the world around them in more natural terms than those who relied on mythological explanations that divided the labor among
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Socratic Problem The Socratic problem results from the inability to determine what‚ in the writings of Plato‚ is an accurate portrayal of Socrates’ thought and what is the thought of Plato with Socrates as a literary device. Socrates‚ often credited with founding western philosophy and who was put to death by the democracy of Athens in May‚ 399 BC‚ was Plato’s teacher and mentor; Plato‚ like some of his contemporaries‚ wrote dialogues about his departed teacher. Most of what we know about Socrates comes
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Sandro Botticelli’ created the painting The Birth of Venus in 1480 during the Renaissance Movement. The painting shows Venus floating on a seashell. Off to her right is the god Zephyr with his wife. Zephyr is blowing Venus towards land. The image on her left displays a woman ready to cover up her image with a brightly intense red garment (Getlein‚ 2008‚ p. 398). To understand the paintings contextual properties‚ “The word renaissance means “rebirth‚” and it refers to the revival of interest in
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the means. That Machiavelli’s stated purpose is to “say something that will prove of practical use” (Machiavelli 65) is of particular significance because it both delicately and violently attacks the worth of such philosophical systems as neo-Platonism and the moral burdens of Christianity. In true humanist form‚ Machiavelli cites only historical observation when he writes of the “real truth” that morality is like a powerful noble‚ to be employed only at one’s advantage and‚ when detrimental
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towards improving the overall status of the society. The above themes provided the basis for the establishment of Platonism. This is because “the Apology” is considered Plato’s most significant works and also influenced other works. Moreover‚ increased emphasis of importance of virtues to guide human action and susceptibility of humans to error became central themes under Platonism. In essence‚ the “Apology” is seen as the foundation to other Plato works and the gradual movement from Socrates related
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besides God. It is not a smooth ride to attain faith. One can fluctuate his faith in certain religions. Although he converted to Manichaeism‚ he became detached in Milan. He loses his faith in finding truth in Manichaeism. Then he converts to Neo-Platonism. which he later rejects. He struggles to create his own views on God. He slowly leans toward Christianity but wavers. In an attempt to stabilize his faith‚ he turns to
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mysticism and the Kabbalah‚ although Medieval Jewish philosophers were heavily influenced by Aristotelianism through the writings of Muslim commentators and interpreters‚4 Kabbalist could be said to owe more to Plato than to Aristotle. Neo-Platonism is a monistic (reality as a unified whole) view of the world‚ which posits as the absolute cause of everything a pure spiritual principle‚ the One‚ the acme of perfection‚ that emanates from itself into lower levels of spiritual existence‚ with the
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Henry Vaughan’s The Retreate In the poem The Retreate Henry Vaughan deals with the loss of the heavenly glory experienced during the childhood and expresses a fanciful desire to get back that original stage. The theme‚ on the surface level‚ appears very simple; but going into the deeper the reader will find that the poem is founded on the diverse European idealistic‚ psychological‚ religious/mystical and philosophical doctrines in the western culture. On the socio-cultural level‚ the poem can be
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Philosophy‚ states that the “philosophy of Plato is often thought to occupy‚ a kind of middle ground between Christianity and pagan antiquity…various aspects of his thought are considered congenial by many Christian thinkers” Partree’s point is that Platonism was agreeable with Christianity in several key points unlike many other philosophies of the time. Partree goes on to give several examples of common grounds between Platonic thought and Christianity such as‚ “Plato believes in the existence of God
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