Cappadocious
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Also On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius of Alexandria.bsd, I would recommend reading Augustine on the Trinity to understand what is meant by 'image of the Father.'
On the Trinity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Which is why we are called to renew our minds to scripture, the revelation of God, not the philosophy of the world.I am not advocating the adoption of Neoplatonism. But the fact is, the philosophy and cosmology contemporary and immediately following Christ was largely neoplatonic.
...and we can't assume 8th century understandings of 1st century documents are correct. We need to allow clear passages of scripture to give us a fuller understanding of other passages.The Scriptures were composed, largely, by Hellenistic Jews. So if we want to understand what words like symbolon meant to the people of the time, we can't simply read our modern understanding back into the text. That's anachronistic.
Not always for their betterment obviously. Using Greek language and ideas to express biblical truth is one thing, using pagan philosophy to redefine truth is another.The fact is, the Jewish and Greek Christians borrowed from Plato and Aristotle and Heraclitus and whatnot.
Yes and God reprimanded them often for their sin and whoring after other gods.The ancient Jews borrowed from the Phoenician empires, Babylon and Persia.
Very hasty generalization being made...as if borrowing pagan philosophical ideas is a good thing, always. That's like saying, 'no body perfects' to excuse your own sin.Everyone borrows.
Now you're playing games. God's people are called out from all nations, to not be like them and to renew their minds after the revelation of God.The Jews were called out from among the nations, they were not created ex-nihilo out in the wilderness sometime around 2000 BC.
That is the question.The question is, how do we deal with borrowing today?
It has to do with your suggestion of reading pagan Greeks to understand the Bible. It has everything to do with the use of images and symbolism.Sure we can. This discussion does not have to do with icons, by the way, it had to do with the use of the Cross.
I sited two sources in my post, you ignored them.Baseless conjecture that is only contradicted by historical and archaeological evidence.
Just a reminder, this is the Reformed forum and the promotion of non-Reformed doctrine is not permitted...unless you can somehow alter the rules with Aristotelian philosophy, you must abide by the rules.Thanks for pointlessly derailing the thread.
I agree with you....and we can't assume 8th century understandings of 1st century documents are correct.
Sure. But that's not all.We need to allow clear passages of scripture to give us a fuller understanding of other passages.
Once again, I agree.Not always for their betterment obviously. Using Greek language and ideas to express biblical truth is one thing, using pagan philosophy to redefine truth is another.
He didn't reprimand them for calling him El Shaddai or for putting gate guardians on the ark.Yes and God reprimanded them often for their sin and whoring after other gods.
I never said that. I said that it is prudent to understand the significance of particular words to particular people at particular times. Whether or not that use, or the greater philosophy, is "good" or "bad" was not part of the debate.Very hasty generalization being made...as if borrowing pagan philosophical ideas is a good thing, always.
I suggested the reading of various philosophers, plato, aristotle, and the continentals, to better understand "the history of ideas, the philosophies and cosmologies available to the Jews and Christians of the first millennium." That is reasonable.It has to do with your suggestion of reading pagan Greeks to understand the Bible.
I sited two sources in my post, you ignored them.
Just curious - do any reformed folk post in the OBOB or Orthodox forums?
It is and I thank you for following the rules. Often we have Reformed Calvinistic folks who are not familiar with the answers biblical covenant theology has to offer to the zealous believers of other denominations including the Eastern Orthodox denomination. It would be unseemly for me to visit the Eastern Orthodox denominational forum and start giving answers to those asking Eastern Orthodox church members.Anyway, if this sort of discussion is veboten on this subforum, so be it.
Here I was thinking that iconoclasm was more or less dead in Reformed theology now days...
May God bless their divine piety.the chattering of old ladies who once in a while would stop to approach the Icons and kiss them only to return to talking about their grandchildren.
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