Posted by Mary Augustina de Franco on July 20, 2004 at 10:12:54
In Reply to: Re: Measured Response posted by OldtimerToo on July 19, 2004 at 11:42:52:
Why are you making this a discussion about gnosticism when I have stated that was not the intent of my exegesis? The gnostic heresy claimed that Jesus of Narareth was never truly human, but a kind of superman-god. While gnostics may interpret St. John's Gospel as a source text that supports their heretical christology, that is not an issue of interest to me. Why does this continue to be a matter of concern to you?
The intent of my exegesis was to point out that the early Christian Church, as evidenced in the Gospel of St. John, took ideas that had been developed by the "pagan" philosophers Aristotle and Plato and used these "pagan" ideas to develop a christology, or theological understanding, of the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
The intent of the challenge I set before you is the fact that Christians have, from the earliest days of the church, incorporated "pagan" philosophies into their understanding of divine revelation and the meaning of Jesus' life and death.
If you want to avoid discussing the point I am trying to make, fine. But be aware that when you characterize New Age philosophies (yoga, for example) as pagan and somehow inherently anti-Christ in nature, I will challenge you to explain the pagan contributions to this faith you claim to embrace and uphold with such single-mindedness. I will also suggest that when you continue to post on the red herring of gnosticism, you evade discussion of the issue at hand for a reason.
I believe in the Living Word that speaks through sacred scripture. I also believe in the Incarnate Word of God among Us, the Body of Christ. When a brother wishes to discuss health and New Age philosophies, I do not fear an assault on my faith in the Living Word. This is because I have learned that Logos Theotokos--the Living Word of God among Us--was not something revealed only to the Jews in the first covenant, but primarily to the "pagan" Greeks who knew nothing of the covenant with El, YWH, the Ancient of Days.
Orthodox Jews viewed this "pagan" understanding of God--Logos Theotokos--as anathema. Without that "anathema," our own understanding of God-made-flesh would be not be possible. The Jews did not have a ontological basis for this understanding of God until they came into contact with the "pagan" Greeks and began to examine their "pagan" philosophical beliefs in light of Jewish theology. We see evidence of this process taking place in the first century B.C. in texts such as The Book of Wisdom, which is considered revelation in the catholic and orthodox Christian canon of scripture.
I suspect that protestant Christians who ignore the pagan contributions to the faith we share--particularly the christology of St. John's Gospel--fear implications of the belief that the Living Word--Logos--has existed throughout all time and human history and in all places among all people who seek to know God and the meaning of life. That is what John 1:1 says to me.
It is not possible for every person who lives now or who has ever lived on this planet to know the story of Jesus of Narazeth, to know about his life & death & resurrection. If you choose to believe that these people will burn in hell for all eternity because they were not exposed to your culturally-specific interpretation to historical events, so be it. Just be aware that there are many Christians who do not share your views, and those Christians are not afraid to look at alternative religions and non-Christian belief systems for the truth that may be revealed there. It has always been part of Christian tradition to enrich our understanding of God through examination of "pagan" philosophies. It troubles me that you have chosen to make a protest against this particular school of Christian teaching and tradition.