Disciplines
• Greece
• Rome
• North Africa
Classics: Classics
teaches the languages, literature, history
and philosophy of ancient Greece and Rome,
subjects both impacted by and an influence
on the growth of religions such as Christianity
in the era. Current debates about Christianity
and the nature of faith reflect philosophies
generated during this time by both Christians
and non-Christians. Debates - and shifts
in political power based on religion --
continue to influence humans' views of our
place in the world, our current religious
struggles, world geography, what it means
to be human and what constitutes a virtuous
life.
Studying the religion,
mythology, philosophy, literature, language,
history, politics, society, economics, technology,
art and architecture of this period -- Greece,
Rome, Near East, North Africa and parts
of Europe, from the 7th century B.C. to
600 A.D. -- helps us to understand beliefs
and events today.
Ancient philosophy:
Ancient philosophy covered what is now divided
into science, religion and ethics. Classical
philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle,
the Stoics and the Cynics influenced early
Christian thinkers. Early philosophers and
religious thinkers by turns faced competition
from each other and borrowed from each other
to further explain and understand their
beliefs. For example, Origen, in the third
century, claimed Plato was a proto-Christian
living 400 years before Christ, after studying
Plato's descriptions of God and comparing
them to biblical accounts. Early Christians
intertwined their beliefs with classical
learning, science and philosophy, including
ideas such as Plato and Plotinus' notions
that God could be found through contemplation
of beauty, or Gregory's doctrine that God
is incorporeal, a doctrine from Platonic
philosophy. Gregory's account of the Trinity
revolves around Aristotle's idea that things
could be divided into categories and qualities.
Influence of religion:
Religious scholars continued the study
of classical philosophy after the age of
the philosophical schools ended. Middle
Eastern Christians translated the works
of Plato, Aristotle and others into Middle
Eastern languages such as Syriac and Arabic,
preserving their ideas and influencing later
Muslim philosophers. Roman Emperor Constantine's
conversion to Christianity in the 4th century
gave the faith a dominance that has impacted
both the West and other parts of the world
inextricably in culture, social mores, geographic
expansion and spiritual teachings. Constantine's
call for Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea
in 325 decided the definition of a Christian
and what Christians believe - beliefs held
by most Christians today.
Language: The word,
"philosophy," Greek in origin,
was coined by Socrates to describe the "love
of knowledge." Developing literacy
in ancient Greek, Latin and classical languages
allows people to study classical, biblical
and religious writings and other ancient
texts. Through such study, they can examine
the beliefs, ideas, values, rituals and
traditions that have shaped these cultures,
and see ways they have changed or remained
the same from ancient to contemporary times.
From a religious perspective, this could
mean understanding the nuances of language,
culture and geography within the texts of
early Christian thinkers or the New Testament,
originally written in Greek.
Issues today:
Study of classical philosophy, religious
ideas and history can bring greater depth
to discussion and understanding of issues
such as end-of-life debates, the death penalty,
legal concepts, teaching of humanities in
public schools (of increased interest, with
greater interest in public understanding
of religion since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks), the underlying history behind
global conflicts, and the role of democracy
and religion in society. Both philosophical
and religious ideas are used to define human
values and ethics - from the environment
to poverty - and how we define our responsibilities
in the world, human motivation and the human
will.
Religions
in the Graeco-Roman World
Journal
of Hellenic Studies
Journal
of the American Academy of Religion
A
Journal of Mere Christianity
International
Review for the History of Religions
History
of Religions
Novum
Testamentum
American
Academy of Religion Syllabi Search
Greek
and Roman Religion
John Bodel
Rutgers University
Greek
Mythology and Religion
Arum Park
Amherst College
Greek
and Roman Religions
Carl Seaquist
University of Pennsylvania
Greek
and Roman Values
Walk Stevenson
University of Richmond
Religion
in Ancient Greece
Robert W. Allison and Loring M. Danforth
Bates College
The
Bible in Western Tradition
Werner H. Kelber
Rice
Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations
Association of Muslim Social Scientists of North America
Christian Academics
Evangelical Philosophical Society
Evangelical Theological Society
Mockler Center for Faith and Ethics in the Workplace
Society for Classical Learning
Society of Biblical Literature
Society of Christian Philosophers
• See a full list of professional associations and resources here.
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