The Succint Connection of Christianity and Platonism

The Succint Connection of Christianity and Platonism

Spirituality

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The connection between Christianity and Platonism, as exemplified through the works of St. Augustine, offers a fascinating exploration of how ancient philosophical ideas can be integrated with religious beliefs to enrich both domains.

There is a profound relationship between Christianity and Platonism, which the contributions of St. Augustine, a pivotal figure in bridging these two intellectual traditions, represent only the tip of the iceberg.

James 1:17 states that whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

The idea of God never changing can lead us to another world. However, this journey is not one that can be easily embarked upon by those with a materialistic and feeble-minded approach to life. It is especially challenging for those who are most feeble-minded, as they are most likely to dismiss such concepts as "mumbo jumbo."

St. Augustine, a renowned Christian theologian and philosopher, was deeply influenced by Plato's philosophical ideas, particularly the concept of the "Forms" or "Ideas." Plato's theory posits that non-physical forms or ideas are more real than the tangible objects we perceive through our senses. This theory suggests a dual reality: the visible world, which is impermanent and subject to change, and the intelligible world, where perfect, unchanging forms exist. St. Augustine found a resonance between Plato's theory of Forms and Christian theology, particularly in the concept of God as the ultimate, perfect, and unchanging reality.

In his work "Confessions," St. Augustine reflects on his journey towards understanding the nature of God and the soul. He recounts a profound experience where he perceives God not as a physical entity but as an "invisible thing" understood through the things that are made. This experience aligns with Plato's notion of the intelligible world, where the true reality is not the physical world but the world of Forms or Ideas. For St. Augustine, this encounter with the "World of Being" as described by Plato represents a moment of divine revelation, where he glimpses the eternal and unchanging nature of God, akin to the Forms in Plato's philosophy.

St. Augustine's Christian Platonism is not merely a superficial adoption of philosophical concepts but a profound synthesis that seeks to harmonize Christian beliefs with the philosophical quest for truth. He acknowledges the limitations of human perception and the need for a higher form of knowledge to understand the divine. This approach allows St. Augustine to integrate Plato's metaphysical insights with Christian theology, emphasizing the importance of intellectual contemplation in the pursuit of spiritual truth.

Moreover, St. Augustine's engagement with Platonism also reflects a broader philosophical and theological shift in the early Christian church. The incorporation of Platonic ideas into Christian thought contributed to the development of a more sophisticated theological framework that could address the complexities of human existence and the nature of God. This integration was not without its challenges, as St. Augustine grappled with the implications of Plato's dualistic worldview and its potential conflicts with Christian doctrines. However, his efforts to reconcile these differences demonstrate the enduring quest for a unified understanding of the world and the divine.

In conclusion, the connection between Christianity and Platonism, as exemplified through St. Augustine's work, highlights the potential for philosophical ideas to enrich and inform religious beliefs. Through his synthesis of Plato's theory of Forms with Christian theology, St. Augustine offers a compelling example of how ancient philosophical insights can contribute to theological discourse. This relationship underscores the enduring relevance of philosophical inquiry in the exploration of spiritual truths and the quest for a deeper understanding of the divine.

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@PettyTalk

I concur. Greek philosophy made Christianity exportable to Rome and gentiles generally; it would not have survived without Greek philosophy, it would have died out, as did the Essenes, Manichaeanism, Gnosticism, and probably hundreds of other sects we never heard of.

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"Succinct", then posts 1,000 words. 🤦‍♂️

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@bigdogg said
"Succinct", then posts 1,000 words. 🤦‍♂️
Down boy! Don't bite what you can't chew.

I have quoted the succinct part, which introduces a clear and brief idea for the connection. The rest of the 1000 words were intended to aid any intellectually challenged minds in grasping the idea, in so many words. Learn how to count, besides how to think. The word count was 606, not 1,000.

I hope your rabies vaccination is up to date. Best regards, yours truly, succinctly.

"The connection between Christianity and Platonism, as exemplified through the works of St. Augustine, offers a fascinating exploration of how ancient philosophical ideas can be integrated with religious beliefs to enrich both domains."

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@pettytalk said
Down boy! Don't bite what you can't chew.

I have quoted the succinct part, which introduces a clear and brief idea for the connection. The rest of the 1000 words were intended to aid any intellectually challenged minds in grasping the idea, in so many words. Learn how to count, besides how to think. The word count was 606, not 1,000.

I hope your rabies vaccination is ...[text shortened]... of how ancient philosophical ideas can be integrated with religious beliefs to enrich both domains."
I'm sure in your own mind, building large word castles and getting lost in them constitutes "thinking".

Your posts are "tales of sound and fury signifying nothing".

Cryptic

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@pettytalk said
The connection between Christianity and Platonism, as exemplified through the works of St. Augustine, offers a fascinating exploration of how ancient philosophical ideas can be integrated with religious beliefs to enrich both domains.

There is a profound relationship between Christianity and Platonism, which the contributions of St. Augustine, a pivotal figure in bridgi ...[text shortened]... quiry in the exploration of spiritual truths and the quest for a deeper understanding of the divine.
The connection between Christianity and Platonism, as exemplified through the works of St. Augustine, offers a fascinating exploration of how ancient philosophical ideas can be integrated with religious beliefs to enrich both domains.

This would seem to be true. i.e. The canon of Scripture is the collection of books that are considered the authoritative word of God. The word canon comes from the Greek word kanon, meaning reed or measurement, and implies a standard of quality.

Pretty interesting.

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@bigdogg said
"Succinct", then posts 1,000 words. 🤦‍♂️
Much of it lifted from non-searchable text from pdfs elsewhere.

Treat Everyone Equal

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@divegeester said
Much of it lifted from non-searchable text from pdfs elsewhere.
Perhaps to get it correct, so he wouldn't have you jumping all over him. 😛

-VR

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@divegeester said
Much of it lifted from non-searchable text from pdfs elsewhere.
You place too much importance on who the author may be, rather than considering the subject matter being conveyed.

Would you go as far as saying Jesus lifted from Plato?

JESUS: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

SOCRATES: Ought the philosopher to care about the pleasures–if they are to
be called pleasures–of eating and drinking? And will he think much of the other ways of indulging the body, for example, the acquisition of costly raiment, or sandals, or other adornments of the body? Instead of caring about them, does he not rather despise anything more than nature needs? What do you say? I should say that the true philosopher would despise them. Would you not say that he is entirely concerned with the soul and not with the body?

Kali

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@pettytalk said
You place too much importance on who the author may be, rather than considering the subject matter being conveyed.
It is common practice with people of integrity to state the source because these people do not want to take credit for work that is not theirs.

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@bigdogg said
I'm sure in your own mind, building large word castles and getting lost in them constitutes "thinking".

Your posts are "tales of sound and fury signifying nothing".
You need to go into hiding, as the dog catchers are out patrolling the streets, looking for stray minds. As they will say when they catch you, the bark is worse than the bite.

I suppose your animosity stems from the correction to your lake of Adonis?

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@rajk999 said
It is common practice with people of integrity to state the source because these people do not want to take credit for work that is not theirs.
You are the last person to speak of integrity. Those who live by the sword shall perish by the sword, unless they use it to peel oranges.

The burden of proving a crime has been committed is the responsibility of the prosecution. No one should charge anyone with theft unless they have the goods on them.

Did I not cite St. Augustine's Confessions as the source for the connection between Christianity and Platonism? What else am I supposed to confess? But I am working on my own biography, and which part of the title will have Confessions in it. "The Confessions of Plagiarism: The Art of Lifting Non-Digitized Text."

Unlike some, like yourself, and that other bird-brain you are speaking for, and to whom this is really directed, I don't post to impress others. But I do have a few aces up my sleeves, just in case I need to impress those truly worthy of my attention. And you and Dive are not in that group, surely.

There is a whole lot of playing the part of knowledgeable intellectuals in these forums. For instance, you play the part of being a unique Biblical expert. But in reality, you are just as dumb as they come, Biblically.

And when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test him, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. So he answered and said to them, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather because the sky is red,’ and early in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy weather, because the sky is red and darkening.’ You know how to evaluate correctly the appearance of the sky, but you are not able to evaluate the signs of the times.

Kali

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@pettytalk said
You are the last person to speak of integrity. Those who live by the sword shall perish by the sword, unless they use it to peel oranges.

The burden of proving a crime has been committed is the responsibility of the prosecution. No one should charge anyone with theft unless they have the goods on them.

Did I not cite St. Augustine's Confessions as the source for the c ...[text shortened]... aluate correctly the appearance of the sky, but you are not able to evaluate the signs of the times.
All that nonsense to justify plagiarism? You really are idle.

King David

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@pettytalk said
The connection between Christianity and Platonism, as exemplified through the works of St. Augustine, offers a fascinating exploration of how ancient philosophical ideas can be integrated with religious beliefs to enrich both domains.

There is a profound relationship between Christianity and Platonism, which the contributions of St. Augustine, a pivotal figure in bridgi ...[text shortened]... quiry in the exploration of spiritual truths and the quest for a deeper understanding of the divine.
Good informative post.
Plato's teacher Socrates was publicly executed February 15, 399 BC for preaching 'One God'. He charge was: "Corrupting the Youth."
Also, every Priest in the Catholic Church must have a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy.
In my opinion, there is much connection between Christianity and philosophy.

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@rajk999 said
It is common practice with people of integrity to state the source because these people do not want to take credit for work that is not theirs.
Bingo.

He was called out for plagiarism over in the forums at “unexplained mysteries”.