The Pope in Greece at the sources of the dialogue between Christianity and philosophy (Greek ties etc)

The Pope in Greece at the sources of the dialogue between Christianity and philosophy Francis's visit, which begins today in Athens and will continue until 6 December, will also be an opportunity to reflect on the origins of Christianity, on the proclamation of the Word in lands shaped by classical and philosophical thought. Professor Rocco Pezzimenti, professor of Political Philosophy at Lumsa University: "We would be making a mistake in saying that Christianity has settled on Greek philosophical culture. Christianity has debated with this and gives it a new discourse "

Amedeo Lomonaco - Vatican City Francis' pilgrimage to Greece is intertwined with the history of Christianity and Western civilization. The encounter of Christian values ​​with those of Hellenic culture is crucial for the spread of Christianity, not only in Europe. As Saint John Paul II also recalled during his apostolic journey to Greece in 2001, "the work of philosophers and the first Christian apologists allows us to initiate, in the following of Saint Paul and his speech in Athens, a fruitful dialogue between the faith Christianity and philosophy ". The comparison of Christianity with Greek philosophy leads to a dialogue that develops between concordant elements and substantial novelties, linked to the proclamation of the Gospel.

From Athens to Rome The relationship between Christianity and philosophy is also testified by images, which pilgrims and people from all over the world can admire in the Vatican. Among these, the famous fresco "The School of Athens" by Raphael in the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican Museums. Inserted in a grandiose Renaissance architecture, it is inspired by Bramante's project for the renovation of the early Christian basilica of San Pietro. The image, also shown at the head of this article, presents the most famous philosophers of antiquity. Some are easily recognizable: in the center Plato, pointing upward with a finger and holding his book Timaeus, is flanked by Aristotle. Pythagoras is depicted in the foreground intent on explaining. Lying on the stairs is Diogenes. Heraclitus is leaning against a block of marble, intent on writing on a sheet. In the scene also appear Euclid, who teaches geometry to the students, Zoroaster with the celestial globe and Ptolemy with the terrestrial one. "Made of the continuous encounter between heaven and earth".

One of the most famous frescoes by Raphael found in the Vatican depicts the so-called School of Athens. At its center are Plato and Aristotle. The first with the finger pointing upwards, towards the world of ideas, we could say towards the sky; the second extends his hand forward, towards the viewer, towards the earth, concrete reality. It seems to me an image that well describes Europe and its history, made up of the continuous encounter between heaven and earth, where heaven indicates the openness to the transcendent, to God, who has always characterized the European man, and the terra represents his practical and concrete ability to face situations and problems. Relationship between Christian faith and philosophy The first fathers of the Church reflected, above all, on the Platonic and Neoplatonic world to describe a fundamental "leap": from the logos, at the center of the reflections of many Greek philosophers, to the truth announced by Jesus. Dwelling on the relationship between Christian faith and philosophy, the Professor Rocco Pezzimenti, professor of political philosophy at Lumsa University, first of all points to a scene: that of Calvary and the Cross.

We are talking about the relationship, in the first centuries after the birth of Jesus, between the Christian faith and philosophy. What are the distinctive features of the encounter between the classical thought of Greek civilization and early Christianity? We can start from the Gospel verses of John at the moment in which Christ is condemned to the Cross. John is the only apostle present and reminds us that the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" is in three languages: in Greek, in Latin and in Aramaic. So in the local language, in that of Eastern culture and in the language of Western culture. This is a very singular fact that we do not have in other moments of history to testify to this extraordinary synthesis which then, immediately, will develop. If we think of Saint Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles basically follows this inscription on the Cross perfectly. She is of Jewish education and carries with her that sense of philosophy of history and salvation that other cultures did not have. He writes in Greek, he is a Roman citizen and in the Letter to the Romans he reaffirms the importance of law and law. Paul, the apostle himself says at the end of the greetings in the Letter to the Romans, wanted to spend a few days in Rome and then go to the Iberian peninsula and evangelize those lands too. Paul summarizes the inscription on the Cross and is the synthesis of ancient cultures.

Who are the Greek philosophers and thinkers who had an influence, not a secondary one, in early Christianity? The discourse is quite varied: today we usually think of Aristotle, but the impact with Christianity will come many centuries later, at the beginning of the second millennium. Above all, we must think of the Platonic and Neoplatonic world. We can see this, above all, in patristics and also in Latin patristics: the Neoplatonism that many, for example, wanted to highlight in Augustinian philosophy. We also keep in mind that recent studies - at the Augustinianum there are great scholars who analyze this phenomenon - have also seen the influence of the philosophy of Varro and Cicero who, after all, were affected by Stoicism (especially Cicero). It is no coincidence that Augustine himself says he converted by reading Cicero and a work (editor's note: the title of this text is "Hortensius") that we unfortunately do not have today because it has been lost. Therefore the relationship with the Greek culture and, in a broad sense, with the Mediterranean culture is diversified according to the centuries. But at the beginning we have above all the Hellenistic schools and this instance of a Neoplatonic type. Then, in the following centuries, there will be the recovery of another strand of philosophy.

How much have Greek thought and Hellenic culture influenced the development of Christianity, not only in Europe and in the Mediterranean basin?

They have had a great impact: it would be enough to think that the New Testament is all written in Greek. So even the words, the words are of this magnitude. However, we would make a mistake in saying that Christianity has settled on Greek philosophical culture: with this Christianity has debated and gives a new discourse to this. Just think of some characteristics absent in Greek culture, albeit great. One of these is the sense of history: eschatology which is absent in the Greeks because they live a concept of eternal return, as Nietzsche would say. History is something that repeats itself mechanically. Christianity, on the other hand, gives a sense of the uniqueness of the event, of the uniqueness of the person, of the uniqueness of the soul. There are also enormous political and social impacts: Christianity is opposed to slavery which, on the other hand, was such by nature in Greek culture. In the Latin world there is already a step forward because slavery is such by right and therefore it is possible to be freed, to become freed. Christian culture gives a definitive blow to all of this. I also add other news: Christianity is not class: there is no difference between Greek and Jewish, between man and woman. There is no difference of sex, between cultures. Everyone is led to this vision of God. And then we must add one very important thing, still very much underestimated today: the importance that Christianity gives to work. Let's not forget that work in the ancient Latin word means fatigue. The toil was of the slaves and this was also such in the Greek world: the free person contemplated, he was a philosopher. And this for Christianity is a novelty that, even today, we find it hard to perceive in all its significance.

The Greek concept of paidèia (or education, training) - according to which culture is the pivot to elevate man beyond his biological needs - is one of the starting points of the encounter between Christianity and Hellenism. The man who has faith must, in some way, understand what he believes in and this requires a path of knowledge for the believer. Unlike the paidèia present in the Hellenic world, in Christianity, however, man is man not in what he knows, but in that he loves and can love because he was first loved by God. Love is therefore the cornerstone for Christians and this is one of the greatest steps of Christianity beyond classical Greek thought ... This is so and I would add that culture, from the Christian point of view, is enriched with contents that classical cultures do not have. The word culture literally means "growth". Not surprisingly, the term agriculture refers to the cultivation of fields. This requires patience, dedication, hope and constancy which are all Christian virtues. Culture in a broad sense for Christianity adapts to the life of every man: food, work, the way of dressing are culture. It would be enough to think of Saint Paul, the man of the culture of the people, of dialogue. Hence the moral, the behavior. Christianity gives an incredible boost because all men and women live in culture in their daily life, in their customs, in their spirit of faith. And therefore, necessarily, in their love because you have to pay attention and dedication to everything you do.

TRANSLATION OF: FROM ITALIAN TO ENGLISH: https://www.vaticannews.va/it/papa/news/2021-12/viaggio-papa-francesco-grecia-dialogo-fede-cristiana-filosofia.html