The Emergence of Christian TheologyThere are special times of movement in the history of ideas, and one such time - as the author of this study shows - was the second half of the second century, when Christian thought showed fresh vigour. By concentrating on five seminal Christian thinkers of the second century (Justin, Athenegoras, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian), Eric Osborn illustrates how it was that Christianity made monotheism axiomatic to its central doctrinal claims while adapting, too, to the peculiar circumstances in which it developed. The stimulus for new thought came from the objections of the state, philosophers, Jews, Gnostics, and Marcion, who in different ways denied the Christian claim to faith in one God. In response, Christian thinkers argued for one God who was the first principle of being, goodness, and truth. In its presentation of the lively beginning which brought Christianity and classical thought together, this book casts light on the growth of the European intellectual tradition. |
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Contents
questions and opposition | 1 |
2 The One and the Mind | 39 |
3 The Bible as the material of theology | 69 |
4 One God as cause and father | 109 |
5 The unity of all things in Christ | 142 |
by the son and spirit | 173 |
7 One good | 197 |
8 One mind truth and logic | 240 |
Conclusion | 283 |
Appendices | 295 |
| 314 | |
| 329 | |
| 333 | |
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Common terms and phrases
apol apostles argument Aristotle Athenagoras beginning believe Bible Cels Celsus Christ Christian theology christology church claim Clement Clement of Alexandria command concept concerned confirmed creation creator crucified declared definition dial dialectic disciples divine doctrine early Christian eternal ethics faith father final find first first cause first-principle flesh fulfilled fulfilment glory Gnostics God’s gods gospel Greek haer heaven heresy heretics holy spirit human Ibid ideas identified incarnation infinite influence Irenaeus Jesus Jewish Jews John Judaism justified Justin knowledge logic Logos lord man’s Marc Marcion martyr Matt Middle Platonism monotheism Mosaic Law Moses mystery negative theology paed pagan Parmenides Paul Paul’s perfection Philo philosophy Plato Plotinus plurality praescr Prax problem prophets prot reason recapitulation rejected resurrection righteousness sacrifice salvation scripture second century soul speaks Stoic Stoicism Tertullian Testament things thought transcendent trinity true truth unity universal wisdom word Xenocrates
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Emergence of Christian Theology |
| Author | Eric Osborn |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press, 1993 |
| ISBN | 052143078X, 9780521430784 |
| Length | 334 pages |
| Subjects | › › Religion / Christian Theology / General Religion / Christian Theology / History Religion / Christianity / General Religion / Theology |
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