*note Subject change Subject was "Original Sin" and is now "Historical Influences"
Judy wrote: > I've never ever read Augustine. How does > he weasel his way into "everyone's" thinking > when he's been dead for so long? This is a good question, Judy. I think those who lack an understanding of the answer to this question tend to have a lot of trouble understanding the comments of those who study history. Augustine continues to have an influence because people continue to read him and appreciate him. He was quoted profusely by the Reformers like Calvin and Luther. In turn, the educational systems continue to base their framework of understanding partly on him. You may never had read him personally, but there is little doubt that you have read ideas from those who have read him, or at least read something down the line from someone who had read him. In the same way, we Christians hold views that were not only influenced by other Christians like Augustine, but also Greeks like Plato and Aristotle. It might be said that Plato is a pillar of Christian thought the way Aristotle is a pillar of scientific thought. Now many Christians have not read Plato and many scientists have not read Aristotle, but when historians and philosophers read these guys, they can observe that many systems of thought are ultimately derived from their writings. Needless to say, the works of all of these guys are still in print, indicating a demand from scholars to read their works. I would like to point out one thing that very much illustrates historical influences upon thought. If you ask the average person in the United States what the oldest church is, most people will probably answer that it is the Roman Catholic Church. If you ask them what church traces its roots all the way back to the first century, again, many will answer that it is the Roman Catholic Church. Now those who answer this way have probably never really read the history books in order to have this perception. It is simply passed on to them by word of mouth. When one does study history and is objective enough to consider historical sources not just from the West and the Roman Catholic Church, but also the historical records of the Eastern Churches, the oldest churches such as the Antioch church or the Jerusalem church, a different picture emerges. Roman Catholicism did not really exist as its own sect until 1054. Now if you read the historical writings of the Roman Catholic Church, they trace their popes all the way back to the apostle Peter of the first century. The problem is that their history is slanted. They present it in a way that gives them historical credibility and authority. If you consult the history books of the East, the picture is much different. Over hundreds of years, the Roman Bishop was slowly given a supremacy over the other bishops of the church. The reason for this had to do with the rule of the Roman empire. For awhile this was accepted, but schisms flared from time to time until in 1054, there was a final split in which the Roman Catholic Church split from the churches of the East and declared themselves the true church. If you ask someone in the Eastern Orthodox Church what the oldest church is, he will immediately say it is the Eastern Orthodox Church. Why is it that most in the West do not have this perception. Well, a historian readily knows that all of our educational systems were originally founded by Roman Catholics. Although most are currently very secular, they were founded originally by the Roman Catholic Church. Therefore, the things taught in school over the next several hundreds of years are tainted by this historical foundation. Even if a person went to a private Protestant school, knowledge is always passed on from a basis in history, and so the concept that the Roman Catholic Church is the oldest church simply permeates the minds of our society, even though most have probably never really studied the history of it in order to make an informed decision. They simply parrot what is popularly disseminated and seems to make sense to them. Judy, have you ever taken a history or philosophy class at the university level? I'm just curious, if you don't mind sharing. If you haven't, I may try and take some time to explain some things that might help you to understand how what we do today and how we think has a foundation in history. Peace be with you. David Miller. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
