Central Principles of Christianity to Reflect Platonism - Essay Example

Does Christianity Reflect Platonism? There are several branches of Christianity and hence drawing a common conclusion about the basic principles of Christianity is a broader one including all. Christianity follows monotheism along with a set of other common ethical principles. In Christianity, God is considered the ‘heavenly father’ as is taught by Jesus Christ. All Christians believe that God, in his mission to redeem the sinned humans, sent his beloved son who saved humanity through crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus Christ, through his gospel, gave clear directions about the way of life a Christian should follow; emphasizing on purity of soul by understanding the worthlessness of body, loving even the enemy, and expecting the eternal life God has offered. Similar is the philosophical notion of Platonism about God and life. Evidently Christianity was founded and nourished on the social ground where Platonism had been the key pressure. To illustrate, Christianity has a lot of similarities with the basic notions of Platonism. First of all, the Christian doctrines and Platonic principles accept the fact that spirit is superior to body and that it exists in all. In addition, Plato accepts the eternal, omnipresent and omnipotent nature of God. He also acknowledges the fact that God gives soul to human and that God created world because he is good. Platonism shows similarity in accepting the fact that God gives laws and every soul will be rewarded or punished according to its deeds. Both Platonism and Christianity maintain the concept of heaven and hell. Christianity also is based on the belief that God created the world and he created humans in his own likeness and character. Genesis 1:26 states that God created man in his own image. And it is said that ‘he made the world good; and when he saw it he was delighted’ (Genesis 1:31). Plato’s opinion is not different from this view for he says, “God made the world because he is good, and because, free from all envy or jealousy, he wished everything to be as much like himself as the creature can be like the creator”. (Timus, 30 A, as cited in Tyler, 1894, pp. 1850-1853). Christianity is entirely based on the hope of an eternal life after death. It is evident from Daniel (12) “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (12:2). In addition, Jesus Christ teaches to lay up treasures in heaven where ‘neither moth nor rust corrupt them’ (Mathew 6:20). Moreover, it is said in Romans that “if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwell in you” (Romans 8:11). Similar is the belief found in Platonism. According to Plato, (Phaedo, 114 C) after death, every soul goes to a place corresponding to its deeds while alive. If then, the wicked with curable sin nature will be left to a lower world where they shall suffer for their sins; whereas, the incurable souls will be abandoned permanently into hell. With regard to pious souls, they shall live without human bodies forever in eternal happiness with God almighty (ibid). Hence, the striking similarity between the Church and Platonism comes in the concept of heaven, hell and purgatory. Jesus says clearly that ‘it is better to pluck out your right eye if it sins because it is better to lose it than being cast into hell’ (Mathew 5:29). He also warns that “no one who speaks against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven either in this world or in the next” (Matthew 12:32). Another agreement comes in the case of body-soul interaction. Bible says “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) The concept that Platonism cherishes also is similar because it says that external aspects or diseases of the body can little harm the soul; whereas vice, can worsen the moral quality of one’s soul (Republic, p. 610). Another vital resemblance is seen in the ideology of non-retaliation and non-resistance. Jesus directs on the Mount that ‘do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.’ In the same way, Plato reminds that ‘it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong’ (Gorgias 479 E, 508 C). Obviously Platonic school was of great influence on Christianity as it had contributed many Platonist leaders to Christianity. St. Augustine was the most eminent one among them who later played a major role in laying the theological foundation of the Catholic Church. As Christian examiner (1830, p. 312) comments, the church fathers heavily depended on other sources and let their learning damage the simplicity of their faith. Although the integration of Platonism into Christianity underwent several phases of perceptional dilemma, eventually it reached Christianity so as to meet cultural competence. Mysticism, demonology, neo-Platonism, and Paganism are the various developmental stages of this process. As the Platonic scholars entered the Church, they had a propensity to maintain some part of their perceptional choices which would par with the Christian principles. Since many of them assumed the leadership of the church, the influence was of double impact. As mentioned earlier, the concept of purgatory is an example of Platonic view which bible has hardly stated about. It can be concluded that Christianity, to a great extent, reflects the principles of Platonism. The spiritual philosophy of Plato is well described in the dialogues such as the Phaedo, Republic, Laws, and Gorgias. Platonism was the major factor of philosophical as well as spiritual influence during the early stages of the growth of Christianity. Plato’s philosophy is highly spiritual in nature, which seldom contradicts with the essential Christian doctrines regarding the benevolent nature of God, the worthlessness of body and the supremacy of soul, the promise of a heavenly life after final judgment, and reward or punishment according to the life on earth. References Plato (360 B. C.) & Jowett, B. (1955). The Republic. Plain Label Books. Plato. (360 B. C.) & Jowett, B. (2008). Laws. Forgotten Books. Plato. (360 B. C.) & Jowett, B. (2008). Phaedo. Forgotten Books Plato. (380 B. C.). (2008). Gorgias. Forgotten Books. Tyler, W. S. (1984). “Platonism and Christianity”, In P. Schaff (Ed.). A religious encyclopedia or dictionary of biblical, historical, doctrinal, and practical theology. Edn3, Toronto: FunK & Wagnalls Company. 1850-1853. Retrieved from http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/platonism-tyler.html Christian Examiner and General Review(1830). Gray & Bowen. The University of Michigan.(digitized, 2007). Retrieved from http://books.google.co.in/books?id=hT04AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Read More