Affiliation:
1. Dipartimento di Lettere e Filosofia, Università di Firenze, 50121 Florence, Italy
Abstract
This paper traces the complex relationship between classical literature and Christian doctrine in the first four centuries. In the earliest period of Christianity, we can identify two attitudes of Christians towards Greek literature: the hostile attitude shown by Tatian, Theophilus, and Tertullian, and the openness to Greek culture and philosophy demonstrated by Justin the Martyr, Athenagoras of Athens, and Minucius Felix. A notable change happened in the Alexandrian milieu when Clement of Alexandria and Origen started considering Greek classics the embodiment of an authentic Christian spirit. In keeping with Origen, Basil of Caesarea realized a good synthesis between Greek thought and Christian faith. Noting germs of divine revelation in ancient Greek thought, Christian authors took the tools of Greco-Roman criticism and ancient philosophy to develop their doctrine.
Reference78 articles.
1. Aux origines de l’école d’Alexandrie;Bardy;Recherches de Science Religieuse,1937
2. Pour l’histoire de l’école d’Alexandrie;Bardy;Vivre et Penser,1942
3. Brontesi, Alfredo (1972). La soteria in Clemente Alessandrino, Pontificia Università Gregoriana.
4. Byrskog, Samuel (1994). Jesus the Only Teacher. Didactic Authority and Transmission in Ancient Israel, Ancient Judaism and the Matthean Community, Almqvist & Wiksell International.
5. Cantalamessa, Raniero (1976). Cristianesimo e valori terreni: Sessualità, politica e cultura, Vita e Pensiero.