Christianity & Pagan Philosophy: The Academy and the Church

Help me make more videos ➤ www.catechesisvids.com A video explaining the differing understandings of the pagan philosophers through the eyes of Tertullian, St. Justin Martyr, and the Popes. Sources: Tertullian’s Prescription against Heretics (Chapter 7): https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/031... Who was Tertullian (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/1452... Proverbs 8:22 (Jesus as Wisdom): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/8 Dei verbum (Jesus as the fullness of revelation): https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_c... 1 Corinthians 1 (Factionalism): https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corint... Code of Canon Law #750 (We must assent to what the Church teaches): https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iu... Aeternis Patris: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xi... Saint Hilary of Poitiers on becoming like children: https://divineoffice.org/ord-w04-mon-or/ St. Justin Martyr First Apology: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/012... Fides at ratio (John Paul II on philosophy): https://www.vatican.va/content/john-p... Saint Anastasios of Sinai #61 (Plato legend): https://www.scribd.com/document/48457... Message of his Eminence Card. Joseph Ratzinger to the Communion and Liberation (Cl) Meeting At Rimini (24-30 August 2002): https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/co... Lecture By The Holy Father Benedict XVI at The University of Rome "La Sapienza": https://www.vatican.va/content/benedi... St. Anastasius Sinaita (Church of Panagia Theotokos - Vouliagmenis Avenue). by George E. Koronaios Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International The Statue of Socrates at the Academy of Athens. Work of Leonidas Drosis (d. 1880) by Leonidas Drosis Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, later pope Benedict XVI., in the colors of his fraternity, KDStV Rupertia Regensburg im Cartellverband. by Archiv der KDStV Rupertia Regensburg Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Pope Benedict XVI during visit to São Paulo, Brazil. by Fabio Pozzebom/ABr Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Brazil Gutenberg Bible, Lenox Copy, New York Public Library, 2009. by NYC Wanderer (Kevin Eng) Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Full quote of St. Anastasios of Sinai. I omitted the later sections since you don't need to accept the Plato legend to accept the argument: Question 61 QUESTION Well, then, should one also pray for the pagans, who finished their lives before Christ's appearance, and not anathematize them? ANSWER I. You should certainly not anathematize anyone who died before Christ’s dwelling among us. The reason is that even in Hades the announcement of Christ was made once, though only once. It was John the Baptist who took the lead and proclaimed Christ there as well. And listen to what Saint Peter says about Christ: He went and made a proclamation even to the spirits in Hades who in former times did not obey (1 Pet 3: 19). 2. Indeed there is an ancient tradition that a certain lawyer had been cursing Plato the philosopher very much; then Plato appears to him in a dream saying to him, “Sir, stop your cursing of me, because you are only doing harm to yourself. I do not deny that I was indeed a sinful man; nevertheless when Christ descended into Hades, truly there was no one who believed in him sooner than I.” 3. Do not think, when you hear this, that conversion is always possible in Hades. This is something that happened on one unique occasion, when Christ descended into the underworld in order to visit those who had fallen asleep from ages before.