"Hellenization of Christianity" a bad thing?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Without reading his articles, I suppose there is some "tainting" of Christian thinking with Greek thought, specifically, it's focus upon empiricism and some of its sexuality. That would be the only reason I can imagine a Christian can bemoan association with Greek culture and thought.

Our society would not be as prevalent and successful without the development of Greek thought, or so I believe.

Beyond that, Hellenization of Christianity is itself what Talmage and others called a "great apostasy." More than just a mere tainting, don't you think? The concept of a great apostasy, I'm afraid, repudiates 3,000 years of history, which, for better or worse, made us what we are. It's not just that our society would not be as prevalent and successful without development of Greek thought; it's that our society is unimagineable without it. The same is true about Judaism, and the alloy of Judaism and Hellenism called Christianity. These are all the same statements.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

The concept of a great apostasy, I'm afraid, repudiates 3,000 years of history, which, for better or worse, made us what we are.

What a vague statement. What exactly is that supposed to mean?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Beyond that, Hellenization of Christianity is itself what Talmage and others called a "great apostasy." More than just a mere tainting, don't you think? The concept of a great apostasy, I'm afraid, repudiates 3,000 years of history, which, for better or worse, made us what we are. It's not just that our society would not be as prevalent and successful without development of Greek thought; it's that our society is unimagineable without it. The same is true about Judaism, and the alloy of Judaism and Hellenism called Christianity. These are all the same statements.

Some society would exist, it just wouldn't exist in its current form. Whether our society is better or worse, we can never know or appreciate.

To the extent Hellenic thought changed Christ's teachings in a way not intended, then that is apostasy. To the extent priesthood authority was lost, I don't see a relation to Greek thought. That would have been more a Roman effort during the first century, than a Greek effot.

Society would have existed, but we can't imagine its complexion without Hellenization.