Is learning Greek Philosophy useful?

[Not David]

I mean, works of Plato and Aristotle have been used by Christians to defend their beliefs or even to get into a common ground with non-Christians. What do you think?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I mean, works of Plato and Aristotle have been used by Christians to defend their beliefs or even to get into a common ground with non-Christians. What do you think?

Personally, I've never been a big stickler on referring to or using 'Greek' philosophy. However, being that our New Testament as we have it was written in [Koine] Greek, and being that some of our earlier, post-Apostolic [maybe even some Apostolic] traditions were influenced by considerations involving reference and use of 'Greek' philosophy--such as the concept of 'the Logos'---it probably wouldn't hurt us to have some minimal familiarity with various strains of ancient Greek philosophy, particularly those of the prominent minds of Plato and Aristotle.

 

[Shawn Stuart]

Learn as much as you can. All knowledge is useful. Just make sure you scrutinize whatever you learn under the light of scripture.

 

[EzekielsWheels]

Learn as much as you can. All knowledge is useful. Just make sure you scrutinize whatever you learn under the light of scripture.

I agree with this statement on its face but there is a lot of so-called "knowledge" that can mislead, particularly doctrines of Gnosticism. I think it's good to be able to speak the language of the "world" but we need to make sure as you said to test it against scripture. If I'm recalling correctly a lot of heresies came about because they were trying to meld Greek philosophy to the bible and sacrificing the bible at the altar of philosophy. The pull of the world is strong and it will try to corrupt us if it can.

 

[Lost4words]

Its as useful as a chocolate hammer.

 

[rockytopva]

I like the works of Socrates along with philosophers such as Confucius and Lao-Tzu. These guys did not promote any religion but kept their boundaries within classic reason. Now, this is not Bible scripture, but I think useful and enjoyable.

 

[Silmarien]

I mean, works of Plato and Aristotle have been used by Christians to defend their beliefs or even to get into a common ground with non-Christians. What do you think?

Absolutely. I don't know how you could understand medieval Christian philosophy if you don't know Plato and Aristotle. And if you're looking at Eastern Orthodoxy, you would really benefit from a background in Platonism.

 

[trophy33]

"Greek philosophy" is a group that contains tuns and tuns of various literature, ideas, authors.

Some works are very useful, some are useful, some are useless and some are silly pagan errors.

So, as with everything - "it depends". I, personally, found stoicism (Epiktetos, for example) quite useful for my daily life. And for example Philo of Alexandria had some interesting ideas about the Old Testament.

 

[Radagast]

I mean, works of Plato and Aristotle have been used by Christians to defend their beliefs or even to get into a common ground with non-Christians. What do you think?

Plato and Aristotle are interesting, but they are probably no longer "common ground."

 

[Dave-W]

Greek philosophy is inherently pagan and has no use in Christianity.

 

[JackRT]

In the late first and early second centuries the Christian church lost its Jewish roots and became largely Gentile in background. At the same time they adopted wholeheartedly an understanding of the world through the lens of Greek philosophy. This is reflected in the formulation of the major doctrines in the third and fourth centuries. For example, no modern Christian could read the Athanasian Creed and claim to understand Trinity without at least some exposure to Greek philosophy.

 

[Not David]

I agree with this statement on its face but there is a lot of so-called "knowledge" that can mislead, particularly doctrines of Gnosticism. I think it's good to be able to speak the language of the "world" but we need to make sure as you said to test it against scripture. If I'm recalling correctly a lot of heresies came about because they were trying to meld Greek philosophy to the bible and sacrificing the bible at the altar of philosophy. The pull of the world is strong and it will try to corrupt us if it can.

Agree, some of Plato's teachings are against the material world.

 

[Not David]

Its as useful as a chocolate hammer.

I don't understand that reference.

 

[Not David]

Absolutely. I don't know how you could understand medieval Christian philosophy if you don't know Plato and Aristotle. And if you're looking at Eastern Orthodoxy, you would really benefit from a background in Platonism.

I'm curious, how is Orthodoxy related to Platonism?

 

[Not David]

Plato and Aristotle are interesting, but they are probably no longer "common ground."

To be honest, a lot of people are careless about philosophy nowadays.

 

[Not David]

Greek philosophy is inherently pagan and has no use in Christianity.

Didn't the Apostles use Greek understanding to talk about certain ideas?

 

[Silmarien]

I'm curious, how is Orthodoxy related to Platonism?

The first millennium of Christianity, both Eastern and Western has strong Platonic influences, but that is still such a key part of Orthodoxy. If you look at the writings of someone like St. Maximus the Confessor, it is very easy to spot the Platonic metaphysics at work in what he's saying.

 

[Not David]

The first millennium of Christianity, both Eastern and Western has strong Platonic influences, but that is still such a key part of Orthodoxy. If you look at the writings of someone like St. Maximus the Confessor, it is very easy to spot the Platonic metaphysics at work in what he's saying.

Thanks, I will look in more detail.

 

[Radagast]

To be honest, a lot of people are careless about philosophy nowadays.

Yes.

Didn't the Apostles use Greek understanding to talk about certain ideas?

Yes. Although you mentioned Philo specifically, and he was Jewish.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I mean, works of Plato and Aristotle have been used by Christians to defend their beliefs or even to get into a common ground with non-Christians. What do you think?

...also, there is that bit about Epicurus and the Problem of Evil, as well as Plato's Euthyphro Dilemma, that play into our present day attempts to met out Christian Apologetics, and I think it would behoove Christians to be familiar with the arguments and the writings which pertain to these two contentions which Skeptics often trot out and use against our faith. So, we need to recognize that there's a negative side of Ancient Greek Philosophy which comes along with the useful side of it.