A Creative Tension Is the Wellspring of Western Civilization
As I discussed in previous Archives columns (see Salvos 31 and 36), Christian views on the relationship between Greek philosophy and the teaching of the Bible have varied over time. The extreme view, expressed by Tertullian and some later writers, is that the influence of Greek philosophy upon Christian thought has been corrupting and that a Christian civilization would do well to turn its back upon the Greeks in the name of the Bible. But there have also been a variety of harmonizing efforts (e.g., by Augustine, Aquinas, and C. S. Lewis) in which many of the conclusions of Greek philosophers have been retained, in subordination to or in coordination with the teachings of the Bible. On the...
received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He writes on education, politics, religion, and culture.
Get Salvo in your inbox! This article originally appeared in Salvo, Issue #42, Fall 2017 Copyright © 2024 Salvo | www.salvomag.com https://salvomag.com/article/salvo42/learn-obey
