Plato's Gift to Christianity: The Gentle Preparation for the Making of the Christian Faith

Plato's Gift to Christianity: The Gentle Preparation for the Making of the Christian Faith

Jerry Dell Ehrlich

1. The Greeks and the charm of their brilliance -- Life as wonder -- The rational quest for wisdom -- The beautiful -- Democracy and community -- The natural sciences -- Religion: Seeking God -- Man or Mother Earth: Know yourself, who and what you are -- Conclusion -- 2. The Hellenistic world family -- The influence of the Greek colonized cities -- The great Greek centers of learning -- The Greek schools of philosophy -- Religious syncretism -- The Hellenization of Rome -- The Oikoumene: A world united -- Conclusion -- 3. Plato's religious teachings -- The nature of God -- The creation of the cosmos -- God's providence -- Man and his God -- The means to the goal -- Conclusions and quotations -- 4. Plato's influence -- The Academy and the Platonic school of philosophy -- Plato's influence on other philosophies -- Conclusion -- 5. The Hellenistic influence on the Jews -- The Jews as part of the Oikoumene -- Literary works -- Material works -- Life culture -- Philo of Alexandria -- 6. The Hellenization of Jesus -- Jesus' homeland was a Hellenistic state -- The names of his family and disciples -- The Herodians -- The names of the people in the four gospels -- The carpenter -- Jesus' synagogical activity -- Jesus' conversations -- Jesus' teaching and preaching (the educator) -- The source (Quelle or Q) -- 7. Jesus' Platonic teachings -- God is Father to and maker of all: Goodness and grace -- Eternal life and reality in the transcendental world -- Absolute and eternal standards and virtues -- Man: Temporary body and eternal soul -- God's providence and grace -- Sin and salvation -- The means of salvation -- The teaching methods -- Conclusion -- 8. Plato's Socrates and the Gospel's Jesus -- The similarities in life and person -- Similarities in the message of their teachings -- Similarities in their callings -- Similarities in their trials and deaths -- 9. Platonic teachings in the Acts and Epistles -- The Book of Acts -- The writings of Paul -- Body and Soul (Plato) and flesh and Spirit (Paul) -- All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God -- The people of God do not need to import justice -- Each man has a talent and proper function -- Natural man needs help to be good -- The great virtue and the everlasting power of love -- Do not return evil for evil -- Homosexuality is unnatural -- The good and proper treatment of slaves shows one's character -- Men and women are to be treated equally -- Other Platonic teachings and thoughts in Paul -- The Letter to the Hebrews -- The Pastorals and General Epistles -- Conclusion -- 10. Plato's gift to Christianity -- A. Platonism in the early church (29 AD to 199 AD) -- The Epistle of Barnabus -- Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch (35-107 AD) -- Justin of Samaria (100-165 AD) -- Tatian (died late Second Century) -- Theophilus (died late Second Century) -- Athenagoras (late Second Century) -- Epistle to Diognetus (late Second Century) -- Other comments -- B. Platonism in the pre-Nicene church (200-325 AD) -- Irenaeus (died 200 AD) -- Clement of Alexandria (died 215 AD) -- Origen (died 254 AD) -- Novatian (died 258 AD) -- Minucius Felix (died middle to late Third Century) -- C. The Post-Nicene fathers (325-550 AD) -- Athanaasius, Bishop of Alexandria (died 373 AD) -- The Cappadocian Fathers -- Other important Platonic CHurch Fathers from 325-550 AD -- Augustine (died 430 AD) -- Boethius (died 524 AD) -- Dionysius the Areopagie (Pseudo-Dionysius) (c. 500 AD) -- Four other men who Platonically influenced the church -- A brief summary of the Platonic Middle Ages -- Brief summary of the Platonic Renaissance and Reformation -- Brief summary of Platonism in the modern era.

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