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Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

Title:Discussions from a Christian Perspective
Notice:Prostitutes and tax collectors welcome!
Moderator:CSC32::J_CHRISTIE
Created:Mon Sep 17 1990
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1362
Total number of notes:61362

900.0. "Philo Judaeus and Logos theology" by CSC32::J_CHRISTIE (Most Dangerous Child) Fri Apr 15 1994 03:03

Philo Judaeus, also Philo of Alexandria (1st century BC-1st century AD),
Jewish-Hellenistic philosopher; although considered the greatest
Jewish philosopher of his age, he appropriated so completely the
doctrines of Greek philosophy he must also be considered a Greek
philosopher who combined the elements borrowed from various sources
into an original unity.

To Philo the divinity of Jewish law was the basis and test of all true
philosophy.  He maintained that the greater part of the Pentateuch,
both its historical and legal portions, could be explained allegorically,
and that its deepest and truest significance is to be found through such
interpretation.

The divine image in which persons were created and through which they
participated in the deity was made possible by an extension of God
which Philo called Logos.


The foregoing encyclopedic excerpts were made possible thanks to
Funk & Wagnall.

Richard
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
900.1AKOCOA::FLANAGANhonor the webFri Apr 15 1994 13:2114
    So Philo by merging Hebrew and Hellenistic thought transformed the
    Judaic concept as Wisdom as the extention of God imaged as Feminine, to
    Logos as the extension of God imaged as Masculine?
    
    It doesn't stop.  Every time I discover something new, I get tons of
    new things that I need to research.
    
    But there is great joy in new discoveries.  I think the wisdom
    literature may be my next theological pursuit.
    
    Thanks Richard for the lead.
    
    
    Patricia
900.2CSC32::J_CHRISTIEMost Dangerous ChildFri Apr 15 1994 16:269
    .1 Patricia,
    
    	I'm hesitant to say that it was all that clear-cut and simple,
    but Philo was very influencial in his lifetime and immediately
    following.
    
    Shalom,
    Richard
900.3May have lived during same timeCSC32::J_CHRISTIEMost Dangerous ChildFri Apr 15 1994 16:286
    Also, interestingly, Philo may have been a contemporary of Jesus
    of Nazareth.
    
    Peace,
    Richard
900.4AKOCOA::FLANAGANhonor the webFri Apr 15 1994 17:1010
    I know that it is not simple but it is an area that is fascinating.  In
    feminist literature for instance, some feminist claim that the
    Patriarchal nature of Christianity and the tension within Christianity
    regarding human sexuality, originates form the merging of Judaism and
    Hellenism.  The absolute Hellenist duality between body and spirit, man and
    woman, light and darkness are seen as a negative influence in
    Christianity.  I'm not sure I buy the argument but I certainly want to
    understand it more.
    
    Patricia
900.5CSC32::J_CHRISTIEMost Dangerous ChildThu Apr 21 1994 21:0415
Note 51.57 referring to 51.56:

>>    10.  Philo and others did not regard the Apocryphal books as
>>    inspired

>Philo was a Jew.  He didn't recognize the NT as inspired either.  Want
>to trust him?

Let's cut Philo some slack here.  Chances are that Philo, like Jesus, never
read any of the New Testament writings.  Even if he had, he would not have
known the writings would someday be up for canonization.

Peace,
Richard