The Influence of Plato's Theories on Chrisianity

Despite all their similarities, The Greeks and Romans engaged in substantive culture differences. Their religions derived from a complex set of gods and goddesses, called deities, who were seen as regulating human life. Since the Romans embraced culture from the Greeks, many traditions were the same. However, the Greek and Roman culture, although similar, are very different and appealing. For instance, the Greeks did not acknowledge an all-powerful god; they believe that deities controlled everything that transpired on earth. In other words, the Greeks sought religious cults to explain the forces that shape the world (Bentley et al, 2008 p.143).

During the Hellenistic period, polytheism was customary. People believed in numerous gods and these gods were all correlated with a specific specialty or power, such as fertility or love. Greco-Roman religions introduced gods such as Asclepius, Dionysius, and Mithra. Each of these gods influenced Christianity and the character of Jesus. Betz (1994) supported this claim by pointing out that “As a religion Christianity was of course Hellenistic; it has many of the characters associated with emerging new religions in the Hellenistic era” (p. 1).

In both Greek and Roman civilizations, mythology played an important part in their empire’s success. Both of these civilizations were polytheistic religions. Likewise, they had major and minor gods and goddesses as part of their religion as well. However, since the Roman Empire conquered many cultures including the Greeks, their gods blended with many similarities with the gods that the Ancient Greeks worshipped.

The Greeks and Romans were accepting of other gods from different cultures, but had contrasting approaches for ensuring a place in their religion. The Romans took religion very seriously and performed everything precisely. They adopted different gods and made them a part of the Roman religion. This would soon change as the Christian religion began to rise in popularity. In

Plato is remembered as one of the worlds best known philosophers who along with his writings are widely studied. Plato was a student of the great Greek philosopher Socrates and later went on to be the teacher of Aristotle. Plato’s writings such as “The Republic”, “Apology” and “Symposium” reveal a great amount of insight on what was central to his worldview. He was a true philosopher as he was constantly searching for wisdom and believed questioning every aspect of life would lead him to the knowledge he sought. He was disgusted with the common occurrence of Greeks not thinking for themselves but simply accepting the popular opinion also known as doxa. Plato believed that we ought to search for and meditate on the ideal versions of beauty, justice, wisdom, and other concepts which he referred to as the forms. His hostility towards doxa, theory of the forms, and perspective on reality were the central ideas that shaped Plato’s worldview and led him to be the great philosopher who is still revered today.

In Roman religion it was crucial “to serve the gods and ensure goodwill” (The Roman Republic). The English word “Religion” comes from the Latin word “Religio” (Overview of Religion). Latin was the ancient language of Rome, but for the Roman’s the translation meant something very different from what we understand it as today. To the Romans, “Religio” translated to “ the fear of gods” (Overview of Religion). Romans invested much of their time serving the gods, performing rituals and sacrifices in honor of them. On the contrary Greek religion did not prefer to execute rituals as much as the Romans. Greeks were more lenient when honoring the gods. They did not have a theological dogma: a part of theology dealing with truths of faith concerning God and God's work. Their many gods had different purposes and works they performed. The Greeks relied more on the verbal spread of the religion rather than having a written form. Although different, both religions had forms of praising and honoring their gods. Greek and Roman religion have many differences and similarities that impacted each group of people.

By the time of the third century theologian, Origen, the concept of God as espoused by Greek philosophers’ prevailed in the then current Christian theology.

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)” To this writer, this verse would place God as Prime Reality. The creator of the Universe, Earth, People and such forth. This is a Single God that requires faithfulness. Shelly (2006), states that, “He drew firm boundaries, requiring absolute faithfulness. Any worship of other gods he labeled idolatry or spiritual adultery. (pg. 53)”

In the early period of Christianity, the influence of Plato's philosophical criticisms of art can be seen in effect in Augustine's view of the imagination as profane. One can question as to whether Augustine's view of original sin would have been so negative if he had not imbibed the Platonic conception of the Fall of the soul. The combination of Biblical and Hellenic elements made Christian philosophy,

Greek Mythology played a monumental role in the structural development of ancient Greece, not only as a society, but as individuals. Surprisingly, their religion was not exactly one of originality. In fact, their religion was loosely based on earlier cultures’ religions. It bears many strikingly similar resemblances to some of the oldest recorded religions in history. Ancient Greek religion is a type of polytheism called “Monarchial Polytheism.” That is, they believe in several different gods and deities but there is a supreme ruler above all of them. In order to fully understand how similar the mythological systems of religions have been throughout the years, you must look back towards the earliest of recorded civilizations. Polytheism

Socrates and Luke are both considered to be great educators. They have both influenced countless people with their teachings. However, comparing the two is slightly strange since Socrates is the subject of the story, which is told by Plato, and Luke is the teller of the story of Jesus. A comparison can be made between the two as Socrates is a great teacher while Plato is mostly silent and Luke, while not overly prevalent in the his story can be compared to other accounts of the story of Jesus among which his by far the most didactic. But when you are comparing the two you must keep in mind that you are in actuality comparing four and also that while the story teller is supposed to only be telling you what he saw, he is also telling his

In his work Euthyphro, Plato introduces a religiously based moral code. This code, the divine command theory, stresses the pleasing of god in one’s moral actions. Plato’s characters, Euthyphro and Socrates, take turns in a debate defending and criticizing this theory. Its flawed nature is uncovered and we as readers are able to notice its advantages and disadvantages. Using these criticisms, revisions to the divine command theory have been made. After analyzing the divine command theory and noting both its advantages and its critiques, I largely agree with the criticisms that are made about it. However, with certain revisions, it can be transformed into a reliable and successful philosophy.

This view contends that everything that exists is inherently good and thus anything that is viewed as evil simply means that it’s inherent “goodness” is lacking and/or absent and/or corrupted. Another facet of this Platonic thought towards this “form of the good” is that Plato also asserts the claim that the less perfect that something is, or the less amount of goodness that a person/object contains, the less real that thing is in the physical world. In this case, evil is simply an illusion instead of some powerful force that is pitted against the good. Perhaps this is why Christians were so willing to accept it. If all evil is simply a result of a lack of goodness, then all things are able to be saved if we can find a way to restore the goodness of an individual or an object through the work of ministry. According to Rowlands, Plato’s thought of the forms also instilled a notion of the non-physical existence of a soul and Christians utilized Plato’s ideas of perfect forms to envision what heaven would be

In an effort to help students understand pagan religions during Ancient Greece and view it in another prospective, Fordham University has compiled writings of four Greek authors. This includes Homer, Lysias, Apollonius, and Plutarch, to understand the worship many had practice during the Hellenistic Age.

There has been a lot of controversy over whether philosophy is needed or should be a part of Christianity. An early church father Tertullian said that we only needed the Bible and that we did not need philosophy at all. He said the Bible was enough. Clement of Alexandria believed that Greek philosophy was the handmaid of theology. “…before the advent of the Lord, philosophy was necessary to the Greeks for righteousness. And now it becomes conducive to piety; being a kind of preparatory training to those who attain to faith… philosophy was given to the Greeks directly and primarily, till the Lord should call the Greeks. For this was a schoolmaster to bring “the Hellenic mind,” as the law, the Hebrews, “to Christ.” Philosophy, therefore, was a preparation, paving the way for him who is perfected in Christ.” Justin believed that all