No fair!!!! I thought that was me!!!!!!!
As to the latter characterization at least, let me offer proof. :^)
The Protestant denominations tend to have little use for classical philosophy on the grounds that it isn't "scripturally based." I imagine this has to do with St. Paul, who was so "thoroughly Jewish" that he regarded all classical philosophy as "pagan," and thus not trustworthy (according to Voegelin). It took "young radicals" like Justin Martyr to see that Christianity actually validated the insights of the great pagans, such as Plato and Aristotle; whereby in due course they entered into Christian theology, "by the back door" as it were.
Justin at least saw that this Christian theology that he encountered was a more powerful "philosophy" than any offered by the philosophical schools of his time -- or of any other time, I might add. One could further say (as Voegelin does) that without this connection to the classical past becoming explicit over time, Christianity might not have survived. If it were to depend for its life on its identification as a radical Jewish sect, it probably would not have survived....
Christian life, it seems to me, is the life of both faith and reason. The orthodox confessions of Christianity -- Eastern and Roman -- set great store by the life of reason as set forth in the classical philosophy of ancient Greece. The Eastern Orthodox give pride of place to Plato; the Roman Church after Thomas, to Aristotle (whereby you get Plato, too; for Plato was Aristotle's great teacher and a profound influence on his work. Plus Aristotle was the great teacher of Alexander, whose imperial expansion helped spread Christianity to the four quarters of the then-known world).
It seems to me that the Gospel of John has a strongly Platonist "flavor" to it. Which might have something to do with the fact that certain of my Protestant friends, whose formation is essentially Pauline, find John so puzzling....
I am now going to go hunker down in the bomb shelter.... :^)
Thank you oh so much, my dearest sister in Christ, for your splendid essay/post!
This is one contest I prefer to observe from the sidelines, if you know what I mean...
I'll be in the cheering section. Go, team!
Absent either of these whatever "it" is gets too serious..
And by being too serious also hubris..
I'm glad you raised Justin Martyr, his description of his studies in philosophy are quite revealing, as is his manner of conversion.
Personally, I do not see Paul as an enemy of Greek philosophy per se - but rather an enemy of Greek idolatry.
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. - Acts 17:22-28
Parables are like tiny "myths" which Christ spoke to hide Truth in plain sight. The characters were not, however, central to Christ's parables:
At any rate, no matter how one views the importance of the Greek philosophers, I am very sure that everything is unfolding according to God's will.