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Jesus Christ and philosophy

• Μαράς, Αναστάσιος Γ.

During the early years of Christianity, the various Greek philosophical schools which flourished in the Roman Empire rejected the message of the new religion, deeming it incompatible with their ontological and metaphysical views, despite the fact that the hope for a spiritual renewal was widespread in the pagan world. Christian Apologists undertook the task to defend their faith against these attacks (which were favoured by the negative attitude of the Empire due to the Christians’ refusal to adhere to the institutionalized cult of the Emperors), garnering arguments from the very teachings of pagan philosophers, which led to a certain interaction between the two currents. On the other hand, Gnosticism, with its ambiguous teachings, constituted a major threat to nascent Christianity, until the Ecumenical Synods defined Christian orthodoxy as opposed to the various doctrines professed by Jews, pagan philosophers, Gnostics and heretics.

• Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

• Θρησκεία
• Φιλοσοφία