to the act a different character. By the motive that governs the abstinence must it be determined in any case whether praise or censure is to be awarded.1 The Scythian does not refrain from such from any fear that he will degrade the worship of God, or from any right conception regarding the nature and habits of demons. But the Christians and the Jews do so in obedience to the divine commandments, and hence they will rather die than by such a lawless act defile their conception of the Supreme God.3 The Persians ́avoid altars, but they worship the sun and other works of God: this we are forbidden to do.1 4 2 We have altars, statues, and temples of our own. The soul of every just man is an altar. From it rise the prayers of a pure conscience-a sweet-smelling incense, spiritually and in very truth." Our statues are not made by worthless artisans, but are fashioned in us by the Word of God. These statues are the virtues which are imitations of the First-born of every creature, "in whom are the ideals of all the virtues."5 With such statues He who is the prototype of all statues-the only-begotten God-may fitly be honoured. And just as there is great difference in the fashioning of images and statues, as some are wonderfully perfect, like the statues of Phidias and Poly 1 vii. 63. 2 Deut. vi. 13; Ex. xx. 3-5. 3 vii. 64. 4 vii. 65. 5 ἐν ᾧ ἐστι δικαιοσύνης . . . καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀρετῶν παραδείγματα viii. 17. T cleitus, so is it with the making of spiritual statues. Some are wrought with such perfect skill that there is no comparison between them and the Olympian Zeus of Phidias; but surpassing all in the whole creation is the image in the Saviour, who said, "The Father in me." And any one who imitates Him according to his power is raising a statue after the image of the Creator, becoming an imitator of God by looking upon Him with a pure heart. These altars and temples are for the reception of the spirit of God, who dwells in those akin to Himself. Compare our altars with others, and our statues with those of Phidias, and you will see that these are lifeless and corrupted by time, while those abide in the immortal soul. So is it with temples. We have been taught that our bodies are the temple of God which it is impious to corrupt, and do not, therefore, build "soulless and dead temples to the bountiful supplier of all life." Of all temples the best and most excellent was the pure and holy body of our Saviour. And every true follower of His is a precious stone in the universal temple of God.3 Our temples are alone worthy of the divine majesty. It is not, then, as the distinctive mark of a secret society that we shrink from building temples, but because through Jesus, who is the only way of piety, we have learned the true form of serving God.4 1 viii. 17. Cf. John xiv. 10. 2 viii. 18. 3 viii. 19. 4 viii. 20. 291 CHAPTER VII. COUNTER-ATTACK ON HELLENIC PHILOSOPHY 3 AND RELIGION. HELLENIC culture found in Origen a sympathetic critic and interpreter. In this respect he was a true disciple of Clement, who assigned to Greek philosophy a divine function in the education of the world. What the law was to the Hebrews, a tutor to bring them to Christ, that philosophy was to the Greeks. It was to them a covenant,2 a preparatory training for the truth. It is of God, for understanding is the gift of God. It is a fragment of the one eternal truth, from the theology of the ever-existent Word.5 God's peculiar relation to the people of Israel does not exclude His relationship to other peoples. Into all men absolutely, but specially into those who are devoted to philosophy, a divine emanation has been instilled." Since the coming of the Word, philosophy is sup 1 Strom., i. c. 5, s. 28 (Dindorf). 3 Idem, s. 62. 4 Idem, s. 63. 6 Idem, vi. c. 8, s. 63. Cf. Psalm cxlvii. 20. 2 Idem, vi. c. 8, s. 67. 5 Idem, i. c. 13, s. 57. 7 Cohort., c. 6, s. 68. planted by Christianity, so that it is no longer necessary to go to Athens for human learning.1 Philosophy serves the purpose of sauce and dessert: the truth which is according to faith is necessary to life, like bread. Yet philosophy may still, like a flight of steps, help men into the "upper room"; it may, too, be a buttress to Christianity, as the "fence and wall of the vineyard" against sophistical attacks. These conceptions of Clement bore fruit in the mind of Origen. They both stand in this respect in striking contrast with Tertullian. To him there was and could be nothing in common "between Athens and Jerusalem, the Academy and the Church "4 One illustration will set forth their varied mental attitude. Clement, Tertullian, and Origen agree in ascribing the origin of heresies to Greek philosophy, but their view of this relation differs widely. In the eyes of Tertullian philosophy is the source and instigator of all heresies, and as such stands self-condemned.5 Clement admits that Marcion found in Plato the pretext for his foreign doctrines, but holds that in so doing he acted in a thankless and ignorant way." According to Origen, heresy was the natural result, 1 Cohort., c. 11, s. 112. 2 Strom., i. c. 20, s. 100. Cf. vi. c. 18, s. 162. 3 Strom., i. c. 20, s. 100. 4 De Præsc. Adv. Hæret., 7. 5 "Hæreses a philosophia subornantur.”—Idem. 6 Strom., iii. c. 3, s. 21. Tertullian ascribes the doctrine of Marcion to the Stoics. at least in the preliminary stages, of applying philosophical forms and methods to the study of Christianity; but to him philosophy was not on this account evil, as the study of the different heretical theories was an intellectual discipline essential to a higher grasp of Christian truth.1 I. In the judgment of Origen, not only was there no necessary antagonism between Christianity and Hellenic philosophy, but reconciliation and co-operation between them, so far as possible, was a duty.2 The reconciliation which he desiderates is a reconciliation in the sphere of ethics rather than in that of metaphysics. Co-operation is possible, for they have many dogmas in common.3 With sound philosophical opinions Christianity has no controversy.4 This policy of conciliation is commended by philanthropic considerations. When men from prejudice refuse to listen to Christian teachers, or to accept the Christian system in its entirety, it is right to enforce those common doctrines which tend to produce a healthy life, and to appeal to the indestructible instinct of right and wrong.5 What philosophy was historically -a preliminary discipline for Christianity--that it may still be to the individual adherent. So it may be the handmaid of the Gospel; for one who has been 1 iii. 13 2 iv. 83. 3 iii. 81; iv. 81, 74. |