Greek Philosophy-Did It Enrich Christianity?

AMONG those who had a definitive influence on "Christian" thought, "Saint" Augustine holds an undisputed position. According to The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Augustine's "mind was the crucible in which the religion of the New Testament was most completely fused with the Platonic tradition of Greek philosophy; and it was also the means by which the product of this fusion was transmitted to the Christendoms of medieval Roman Catholicism and Renaissance Protestantism."

Augustine's legacy is indeed enduing. Speaking of the extent to which the Greek philosophy has influenced Christendom, Douglas T. Holden stated: " Christian theology has become so fused with Greek philosophy that it has reared individuals who are a mixture of nine parts Greek thought to one part Christian thought."

Some scholars strongly believe that such philosophical influence enhanced Christianity in its infancy, enriched its teaching, and made it more convincing. Was this the case? How and why did the influence of Greek philosophy take place? Did it, in fact, enrich or did it pollute Christianity?

It is enlightening to trace a number of developments from the third century B.C.E. to the fifth century C.E. through an examination of four strange terms: (1) "Hellenized Judaism," (2) "Christianized Hellenism," (3) "Hellenized Christianity" (4) "Christian philosophy."

Next time: "Hellenized Judaism"

Watchtower, 1999