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The idea was proposed by the Canadian philosopher Leslie Dewart in his 1966 book The Future of Belief: Theism in a World Come of Age as a measure to counteract the progressive alienation of Catholic doctrine from the modern worldview, which Dewart believed was caused by Catholic theology's baneful dependence on antiquated and essentially pre-modern philosophical modes of thought.[1]
Dehellenization was strongly rejected in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI in a speech called Faith, Reason, and the University: Memories and Reflections (the Regensburg lecture).[2] The speech advocates the harmony between faith and reason, arguing that Christianity is fundamentally a Hellenized religion.
Pope Benedict XVI (born Joseph A. Ratzinger) argues that several key ideas in Christian thought reveal the Hellenization of Christianity:
According to Benedict XVI, St. Paul's vision of the Macedonian man pleading with him to travel to Macedonia to help his people specifically foreshadows the necessary marriage of Biblical and Greek thought.
To demonstrate the fusion of Greek and Biblical thought, Benedict XVI refers to the opening verse of the gospel of John: "In the beginning was the word." Here "Word" translates the Greek word "logos" (λόγος), meaning not only "word" but also "reason", so the verse can be paraphrased as "in the beginning there was reason."[3]
Benedict XVI also points to the concept of voluntarism, proposed by the Franciscan Blessed John Duns Scotus and developed by later scholars into the premise that we can only know God through a voluntary decision to do so.[4]
Although Jesus's followers were reluctant to succumb to the Hellenistic rulers' attempts to force them into Greek idolatry and customs, Benedict XVI argues that they were nevertheless able to extract the most enriching element of Hellenistic thought, namely that man has not only the ability but also the obligation to think rationally.[5]
Causes of dehellenizationedit
Pope Benedict XVI proposes that a dehellenization of Christianity has stemmed from three different sources. The first stage of Christian dehellenization can be attributed to the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Reformers believed that faith had turned into a mere element in abstract philosophy, and that the religion needed to return to the idea of sola scriptura (scripture only).[6]
The second stage occurred in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries due to the theology of Adolf von Harnack. Harnack advocated focusing on the simple life of Jesus Christ, and his humanitarian message in particular. Theology and belief in a divine being, according to Harnack, was a scientific history completely separate from the modern reason of humanitarian aid.
The last stage, occurring currently in the twenty-first century, is a product of modern cultural pluralism. Cultural pluralism encourages other cultures to simply return to the simplicity of the New Testament, and infuse it with their own culture. Benedict XVI affirms that such a method cannot work because the New Testament "was written in Greek and bears the imprint of the Greek spirit."[7]
Lonergan, Bernard (1967). "The Dehellenization of Dogma". Theological Studies. 28 (2): 336–351. doi:10.1177/004056396702800206. S2CID 170345852. (review of Dewart 1966)
Ratzinger, Joseph A. (12 September 2006). "Faith, Reason, and the University: Memories and Reflections" (speech). Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
Further readingedit
Chia, Roland (2007). "Protestant Reflections on Pope Benedict XVI's Faith, Reason and the University". Dialog. 46 (1): 66–77. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6385.2007.00309.x.
Dewart, Leslie (1966). The Future of Belief: Theism in a World Come of Age. New York: Herder and Herder.
Garland, Daniel M. Jr. (2013). "Faith, Reason, and Scripture". Angelicum. 90 (4): 799–820. JSTOR 26392426.
Guerra, Marc D. (2010). "Good and bad de-hellenization". In Cowan, Bainard (ed.). Gained Horizons: Regensburg and the Enlargement of Reason. St. Augustine's Press. ISBN9781587313257.
Maher, Daniel P. (2009). "Pope Benedict XVI on Faith and Reason". Nova et Vetera. 7 (3): 625–652.
Markschies, Christoph (2012). "Does It Make Sense to Speak about a "Hellenization of Christianity" in Antiquity?". Church History and Religious Culture. 92 (1): 5–34. doi:10.1163/187124112X621581.
Miceli, Angela C. (2012). "Alternative Foundations: A Dialogue With Modernity and the Papacy of Benedict XVI". Perspectives on Political Science. 41 (1): 19–29. doi:10.1080/10457097.2012.641446. S2CID 144962852.
January 01, 1970
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources Dehellenization of Christianity news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Dehellenization of Christianity news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2022 The examples and perspective in this article may not include all significant viewpoints Please improve the article or discuss the issue December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message Dehellenization is a term used in Catholicism to refer to the idea that Christianity should be divorced from its roots in ancient Greek philosophical thought The idea was proposed by the Canadian philosopher Leslie Dewart in his 1966 book The Future of Belief Theism in a World Come of Age as a measure to counteract the progressive alienation of Catholic doctrine from the modern worldview which Dewart believed was caused by Catholic theology s baneful dependence on antiquated and essentially pre modern philosophical modes of thought 1 Dehellenization was strongly rejected in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI in a speech called Faith Reason and the University Memories and Reflections the Regensburg lecture 2 The speech advocates the harmony between faith and reason arguing that Christianity is fundamentally a Hellenized religion Contents 1 Hellenization 2 Causes of dehellenization 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Sources used 5 Further readingHellenization edit nbsp Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 Pope Benedict XVI born Joseph A Ratzinger argues that several key ideas in Christian thought reveal the Hellenization of Christianity According to Benedict XVI St Paul s vision of the Macedonian man pleading with him to travel to Macedonia to help his people specifically foreshadows the necessary marriage of Biblical and Greek thought To demonstrate the fusion of Greek and Biblical thought Benedict XVI refers to the opening verse of the gospel of John In the beginning was the word Here Word translates the Greek word logos logos meaning not only word but also reason so the verse can be paraphrased as in the beginning there was reason 3 Benedict XVI also points to the concept of voluntarism proposed by the Franciscan Blessed John Duns Scotus and developed by later scholars into the premise that we can only know God through a voluntary decision to do so 4 Although Jesus s followers were reluctant to succumb to the Hellenistic rulers attempts to force them into Greek idolatry and customs Benedict XVI argues that they were nevertheless able to extract the most enriching element of Hellenistic thought namely that man has not only the ability but also the obligation to think rationally 5 Causes of dehellenization editPope Benedict XVI proposes that a dehellenization of Christianity has stemmed from three different sources The first stage of Christian dehellenization can be attributed to the Reformation in the sixteenth century Reformers believed that faith had turned into a mere element in abstract philosophy and that the religion needed to return to the idea of sola scriptura scripture only 6 The second stage occurred in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries due to the theology of Adolf von Harnack Harnack advocated focusing on the simple life of Jesus Christ and his humanitarian message in particular Theology and belief in a divine being according to Harnack was a scientific history completely separate from the modern reason of humanitarian aid The last stage occurring currently in the twenty first century is a product of modern cultural pluralism Cultural pluralism encourages other cultures to simply return to the simplicity of the New Testament and infuse it with their own culture Benedict XVI affirms that such a method cannot work because the New Testament was written in Greek and bears the imprint of the Greek spirit 7 See also edit nbsp Catholic Church portal nbsp Ancient Greece portal nbsp Philosophy portal Christianity and Hellenistic philosophy HellenocentrismReferences editCitations edit Lonergan 1967 Ratzinger 2006 para 9 Ratzinger 2006 para 5 Ratzinger 2006 para 7 Ratzinger 2006 para 6 Ratzinger 2006 para 10 Ratzinger 2006 para 11 Sources used edit Lonergan Bernard 1967 The Dehellenization of Dogma Theological Studies 28 2 336 351 doi 10 1177 004056396702800206 S2CID 170345852 review of Dewart 1966 Ratzinger Joseph A 12 September 2006 Faith Reason and the University Memories and Reflections speech Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg Retrieved 5 January 2016 Further reading editChia Roland 2007 Protestant Reflections on Pope Benedict XVI s Faith Reason and the University Dialog 46 1 66 77 doi 10 1111 j 1540 6385 2007 00309 x Dewart Leslie 1966 The Future of Belief Theism in a World Come of Age New York Herder and Herder Garland Daniel M Jr 2013 Faith Reason and Scripture Angelicum 90 4 799 820 JSTOR 26392426 Guerra Marc D 2010 Good and bad de hellenization In Cowan Bainard ed Gained Horizons Regensburg and the Enlargement of Reason St Augustine s Press ISBN 9781587313257 Maher Daniel P 2009 Pope Benedict XVI on Faith and Reason Nova et Vetera 7 3 625 652 Markschies Christoph 2012 Does It Make Sense to Speak about a Hellenization of Christianity in Antiquity Church History and Religious Culture 92 1 5 34 doi 10 1163 187124112X621581 Miceli Angela C 2012 Alternative Foundations A Dialogue With Modernity and the Papacy of Benedict XVI Perspectives on Political Science 41 1 19 29 doi 10 1080 10457097 2012 641446 S2CID 144962852 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dehellenization of Christianity amp oldid 1149074916, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
