Greek View
It is important to critique certain traditional Christian understandings of the afterlife and the state of the world, drawing distinctions between biblical and Platonic perspectives. The idea that the physical world is inherently unredeemed or inferior, a view often associated with Platonic dualism and is to be rejected.
Plato's philosophy posits a dualism between the physical and the spiritual, suggesting that the material world is a shadow of the true, perfect, and eternal forms. This leads to a devaluation of the physical, material existence in favor of the spiritual realm. In Christian thought, this Platonic influence has sometimes manifested in the notion that the material world is inherently fallen and corrupt, and that true redemption is found in escaping the physical for the purely spiritual.
We challenge this perspective by emphasizing the goodness of creation and God's commitment to the redemption of the entire cosmos. He stresses that the Christian hope is not about escaping the world but about the renewal and transformation of all creation. In this view, the world is not unredeemed by nature but is in a process of becoming redeemed through God's ongoing work in history, culminating in the resurrection and the establishment of the new creation.
There are several areas in modern Christianity where Platonic dualism has influenced thought and practice. He critiques these dualistic tendencies, advocating instead for a more integrated and holistic understanding of creation, redemption, and eschatology.
1. **Body-Soul Dualism**: In some Christian traditions, there is a sharp distinction between the body and the soul, with the soul being considered the true essence of a person and the body as a temporary, less important vessel. This perspective can lead to a devaluation of physical existence and material concerns, echoing Plato's separation of the eternal forms from their imperfect physical manifestations.
2. **Heaven-Earth Dualism**: The idea that heaven is the ultimate goal and true home of Christians, with earth being a transient and inferior place, reflects Platonic dualism. This view can lead to an escapist mentality, where the focus is on leaving the physical world behind rather than seeking its transformation and renewal.
3. **Sacred-Secular Divide**: We also critique the division between the sacred and the secular in modern Christianity. This dualism can result in viewing certain activities (such as prayer and worship) as inherently more valuable than others (such as work and social engagement), neglecting the holistic nature of Christian discipleship and mission.
4. **Eschatology**: In some eschatological views, the emphasis is on the soul's journey to heaven after death, rather than the resurrection of the body and the renewal of the entire creation. This perspective diminishes the biblical hope of a new heaven and a new earth, where God's kingdom is fully realized.
5. **Gnosticism**: In this we see echoes of ancient Gnosticism, which held a disdain for the material world and emphasized secret spiritual knowledge, in some modern Christian movements. These tendencies can lead to an inward-looking, spiritualized faith that neglects social justice, ecological responsibility, and the embodied nature of human existence.
In response to these dualistic tendencies, we call for a theology that affirms the goodness of creation, the bodily resurrection, and the ultimate redemption of the entire cosmos. He emphasizes that salvation is not about escaping the material world but about its transformation and renewal through God's redemptive work.
Plato's dualism is to be contrasted with the Hebrew Israelite view by highlighting their fundamentally different understandings of the world, the body, and the ultimate destiny of creation. Here's a detailed look at the differences:
1. **Worldview and Cosmology**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: Plato's philosophy posits a sharp distinction between the physical and the spiritual realms. The material world is seen as a lesser, imperfect copy of the true, eternal, and perfect forms that exist in a transcendent, non-material realm. The physical is thus devalued in comparison to the spiritual.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: The Hebrew worldview, as reflected in the Old Testament, sees the material world as good and created by God. There is no inherent opposition between the physical and the spiritual. Instead, the world is seen as the arena of God’s creative and redemptive activity.
2. **Body and Soul**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: In Platonic thought, the soul is the true essence of a person, eternal and trapped in the physical body. The body is viewed as a temporary and often problematic vessel that the soul must ultimately escape to achieve true knowledge and existence.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: The Hebrew view does not separate the body and soul in the same way. Humans are seen as a unified whole, with body, soul, and spirit integrated. The physical body is an essential part of human identity and existence, created by God and declared good.
3. **Salvation and Redemption**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: Salvation, in a Platonic framework, involves the soul’s escape from the physical world and return to the realm of perfect forms. It is an individual and spiritual ascent away from material existence.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: Salvation in the Hebrew context is holistic, involving the renewal and restoration of the entire person and the entire creation. It is not about escaping the world but about God’s redemptive work within it. The hope is for the resurrection of the body and the renewal of the earth.
4. **Eschatology and Ultimate Hope**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: The ultimate hope in Platonic thought is to transcend the physical and dwell in the realm of perfect, immaterial forms. The material world is ultimately left behind.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: The ultimate hope in the Hebrew Scriptures is the coming of God’s kingdom on earth, the resurrection of the dead, and the renewal of all creation. The physical world is transformed and perfected, not abandoned.
Christian theology, influenced by biblical revelation, should align more closely with the Hebrew Israelite view than with Platonic dualism. The goodness of creation, the importance of bodily resurrection, and the hope for the renewal of the entire cosmos, as opposed to the Platonic devaluation of the material and the aspiration to escape it.
Plato's philosophy posits a dualism between the physical and the spiritual, suggesting that the material world is a shadow of the true, perfect, and eternal forms. This leads to a devaluation of the physical, material existence in favor of the spiritual realm. In Christian thought, this Platonic influence has sometimes manifested in the notion that the material world is inherently fallen and corrupt, and that true redemption is found in escaping the physical for the purely spiritual.
We challenge this perspective by emphasizing the goodness of creation and God's commitment to the redemption of the entire cosmos. He stresses that the Christian hope is not about escaping the world but about the renewal and transformation of all creation. In this view, the world is not unredeemed by nature but is in a process of becoming redeemed through God's ongoing work in history, culminating in the resurrection and the establishment of the new creation.
There are several areas in modern Christianity where Platonic dualism has influenced thought and practice. He critiques these dualistic tendencies, advocating instead for a more integrated and holistic understanding of creation, redemption, and eschatology.
1. **Body-Soul Dualism**: In some Christian traditions, there is a sharp distinction between the body and the soul, with the soul being considered the true essence of a person and the body as a temporary, less important vessel. This perspective can lead to a devaluation of physical existence and material concerns, echoing Plato's separation of the eternal forms from their imperfect physical manifestations.
2. **Heaven-Earth Dualism**: The idea that heaven is the ultimate goal and true home of Christians, with earth being a transient and inferior place, reflects Platonic dualism. This view can lead to an escapist mentality, where the focus is on leaving the physical world behind rather than seeking its transformation and renewal.
3. **Sacred-Secular Divide**: We also critique the division between the sacred and the secular in modern Christianity. This dualism can result in viewing certain activities (such as prayer and worship) as inherently more valuable than others (such as work and social engagement), neglecting the holistic nature of Christian discipleship and mission.
4. **Eschatology**: In some eschatological views, the emphasis is on the soul's journey to heaven after death, rather than the resurrection of the body and the renewal of the entire creation. This perspective diminishes the biblical hope of a new heaven and a new earth, where God's kingdom is fully realized.
5. **Gnosticism**: In this we see echoes of ancient Gnosticism, which held a disdain for the material world and emphasized secret spiritual knowledge, in some modern Christian movements. These tendencies can lead to an inward-looking, spiritualized faith that neglects social justice, ecological responsibility, and the embodied nature of human existence.
In response to these dualistic tendencies, we call for a theology that affirms the goodness of creation, the bodily resurrection, and the ultimate redemption of the entire cosmos. He emphasizes that salvation is not about escaping the material world but about its transformation and renewal through God's redemptive work.
Plato's dualism is to be contrasted with the Hebrew Israelite view by highlighting their fundamentally different understandings of the world, the body, and the ultimate destiny of creation. Here's a detailed look at the differences:
1. **Worldview and Cosmology**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: Plato's philosophy posits a sharp distinction between the physical and the spiritual realms. The material world is seen as a lesser, imperfect copy of the true, eternal, and perfect forms that exist in a transcendent, non-material realm. The physical is thus devalued in comparison to the spiritual.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: The Hebrew worldview, as reflected in the Old Testament, sees the material world as good and created by God. There is no inherent opposition between the physical and the spiritual. Instead, the world is seen as the arena of God’s creative and redemptive activity.
2. **Body and Soul**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: In Platonic thought, the soul is the true essence of a person, eternal and trapped in the physical body. The body is viewed as a temporary and often problematic vessel that the soul must ultimately escape to achieve true knowledge and existence.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: The Hebrew view does not separate the body and soul in the same way. Humans are seen as a unified whole, with body, soul, and spirit integrated. The physical body is an essential part of human identity and existence, created by God and declared good.
3. **Salvation and Redemption**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: Salvation, in a Platonic framework, involves the soul’s escape from the physical world and return to the realm of perfect forms. It is an individual and spiritual ascent away from material existence.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: Salvation in the Hebrew context is holistic, involving the renewal and restoration of the entire person and the entire creation. It is not about escaping the world but about God’s redemptive work within it. The hope is for the resurrection of the body and the renewal of the earth.
4. **Eschatology and Ultimate Hope**:
- **Plato’s Dualism**: The ultimate hope in Platonic thought is to transcend the physical and dwell in the realm of perfect, immaterial forms. The material world is ultimately left behind.
- **Hebrew Israelite View**: The ultimate hope in the Hebrew Scriptures is the coming of God’s kingdom on earth, the resurrection of the dead, and the renewal of all creation. The physical world is transformed and perfected, not abandoned.
Christian theology, influenced by biblical revelation, should align more closely with the Hebrew Israelite view than with Platonic dualism. The goodness of creation, the importance of bodily resurrection, and the hope for the renewal of the entire cosmos, as opposed to the Platonic devaluation of the material and the aspiration to escape it.
