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Subject:	Philosophy
Topic:	Christianity
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Name:	Whitworth University (Whitworth U)
Type:	University

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Bruce Gore

Philosophy and History of Christian Thought

Video Lectures

Displaying all 39 video lectures.

Lecture 1 Play Video	Introduction to the Major Themes of Philosophy Philosophy is customarily divided into three broad branches, which are often referred to as ontology (metaphysics), epistemology (knowledge), and axiology (ethics). This lecture briefly introduces these three themes
Lecture 2 Play Video	The Ionian Philosophers Natural science is often traced to the remarkable pre-Socratic philosophers known as the Ionians. These took a naturalistic and empirical approach to learning, and in many paved the way to the scientific method of a much later age. This lecture introduces the Ionians and highlights a few of their important contributions.
Lecture 3 Play Video	The Italian Philosophers Now that we have considered the Ionian philosophers, we need to turn our attention to the other major class of pre-Socratics, the Italian philosophers. These were also Greek thinkers, but lived in Italy because of earlier migrations of Greeks in the ancient world. While the Ionians tended to rely on sensory experience as the basis for knowledge, the Italians focused instead on pure reason. This reliance on reason alone led them to some rather strange ideas, for example, that there cannot be space or motion or change! Even though their views were somewhat surprising, the contribution of the Italian pre-Socratics were quite important to later thought, especially in Plato's philosophy. We need to give them our attention, therefore, and that is the purpose of this lesson.
Lecture 4 Play Video	The Athenian Pluralists The philosophical impasse that resulted from the conflict between the Ionian empiricism and the Italian rationalism came to Athens toward the beginning of the fifth century b.c. These 'pluralists' favored democracy, and were quite influential during the so-called Greek 'golden age' of Pericles. By the time the Greeks had weathered the devastating Peloponnesian Wars of the late fifth century, however, the expectations of philosophy had greatly diminished. Skepticism pervaded the atmosphere of Greece, with Sophists and Cynics questioning whether there were ultimately any satisfactory answers to life's great questions.
Lecture 5 Play Video	The Life and Times of Socrates Although the pre-Socratic philosophers of Ionia and Italy had explored important questions, most of those questions involved matters of natural science rather than the deeper issues of human meaning and existence. The first man who really took on that subject was Socrates, who lived in the last half of the fifth century b.c. Socrates left no writings, and our knowledge of him comes almost entirely from his most famous disciple, Plato. Socrates did, however, establish the framework for the real task of philosophy, that is, to inquire into the nature of true virtue, and how language should be used to make than inquiry. Socrates's dictum that the unexamined life is not worth living has left its mark on all future philosophical discussion, and no survey of philosophy would be complete without some consideration of his contribution. Many have viewed Socrates as heroic because of his insistence that discussion and debate are always preferable to the bloodshed of the battlefield as a method of resolving differences. In this Socrates sounds like a Christian, and many in Christian history have viewed him as a good model for the ethic that Christ himself would later proclaim.
Lecture 6 Play Video	Introduction to Plato Some have argued that the most important and influential philosopher of all time is Plato, the brilliant student of Socrates who carried on and greatly expanded the tradition established by his master. Plato generally stands for an emphasis on rational truth rather than scientific and empirical fact. In this emphasis he favors the Italians over the Ionians, but he nevertheless hopes to find a synthesis between the two traditions. In this first lesson on Plato, we survey briefly his life and the ideas that he opposed. Many have noted that the battle carried on by Plato resembles the battle many Christians have fought in a world of secularism and naturalism. For this reason, Plato has often been viewed as something of a proto-Christian. It is important to temper this view, however, by noting that Platonism has obscured the value of the material world in a way that does not fairly represent a biblical balance. We will spend several lessons dealing with Plato. His importance cannot be overstated. In this first lecture we will focus primarily on his anti-Ionian outlook. Later we will take up his affirmative case for a transcendent order of truth in his world of the ideals.
Lecture 7 Play Video	Plato's World of the Forms Our next discussion of Plato focuses on the single best known aspect of his thought - the world of the forms. Plato believed that we recognize in the imperfect things of this world 'copies' of ideal things that are perfect. These perfect things are eternal and unchanging, and are known to us because we recall them from a prior existence. By setting forth this view of reality, Plato was attempting to synthesize the notion of 'being' found in Parmenides, with the idea of 'becoming' from Heraclitus. He leans toward Parmenides, however, and emphasizes that the only true knowledge must originate in his world of forms. All else amounts only to what he calls 'opinion.' Christians have seen in this theory a concept that seems quite compatible with the Christian philosophy, in so far as God represents the ultimate and eternal source of all truth, goodness, and beauty. Enthusiasm for Plato must be tempered, however, as we have noted earlier. The Christian faith also affirms the significance of this world in a way that exceeds anything found in the philosophy of this great Greek thinker.
Lecture 8 Play Video	Plato's Parable of the Cave One of the most famous illustrations from Plato involves his so-called "cave" parable. The parable is found in Book VII of Plato's Republic, and represents his introduction to a theory of practical education in his ideal society. You will read this parable in the collateral reading assignment. You will also have an opportunity to watch a short YouTube video that dramatizes the parable. The students in the video class have just watched the video as well. The cave parable is intended to show that there is a higher level of truth, but that many people never discover this higher level, being bound as prisoners in a sort of intellectual cave. All the prisoners in the cave ever see are shadows, and they come to believe that the shadows are reality. Only by escaping from the cave is it possible to experience the higher world of the forms, the world of truth rather than shadow and illusion. As we have noted before, the teaching of Plato bears some similarity to a Christian perspective, but Plato definitely stops short of a vision truly reflective of biblical teaching. It is nevertheless helpful to read his account of the cave, and to compare Plato's thought to the truths set forth in the Word of God.
Lecture 9 Play Video	Dualism in Plato One of the most influential contributions made by Plato involved the dualism inherent in his philosophy. He taught a conflict between the ideal and the receptacle, between knowledge and opinion, between soul and body. This battle is largely lost by ordinary people as they are enslaved by their lower passions, but for some, it is possible rise above the earthly attractions and contemplate higher and more significant truths. Many have again noted the striking correlation between Plato's thought, and the teaching of the New Testament. Paul says the things that are seen are temporal, but the unseen are eternal. He distinguishes the inward man and the outward man, and notes that the outward man is perishing. Most famously, he emphasizes the battle between flesh and spirit. It was this apparent parallel between Plato and Christianity that gave rise to early Gnosticism. Throughout its history, the Christian faith has been forced to draw a line between Greek and biblical views. Keep this in mind as you consider the material of this lesson.
Lecture 10 Play Video	Introduction to Aristotle Our studies now take us to the other great Greek philosopher, Aristotle. Although Aristotle was the greatest student of Plato, he took a quite different approach from that of his master. The emphasis for Aristotle focused on this world of particulars rather than Plato's world of universals. Aristotle was more of a scientist, and relied on observation rather than speculation to reach his convictions. This first lesson introduces the life of Aristotle, and mentions the major branches of his writings. Aristotle was remarkable for his ambition. He hoped and intended to cover all branches of learning, and included in his thought both the practical areas of science but also the more theoretical disciplines such as mathematics and psychology. His contribution has been recognized as crucial to the development of human thought, and truly dominated educational ideas for hundreds of years!
Lecture 11 Play Video	Aristotle's Metaphysics Our discussion of Aristotle turns now to his metaphysics, that is, his understanding of the nature of reality, of essence. Aristotle is well-known for a series of distinctions that he made, involving terms like substance and accidents, form and matter, etc. We will explore the meaning of these terms in this lecture. Aristotle's attempt to make the kinds of distinctions found here are an important reason for his significance as a scientist. He was always on a quest to bring clarity by differentiating various aspects of the subject matter under discussion. The distinctions described in this lesson have been especially important in the history of Christian thought, as is mentioned in the lecture. Aristotle's labor in refining the Greek language through his philosophical distinctions was also very important in preparing the way for the Gospel message, which made heavy use of the Greek capacity for subtlety, and we can be grateful for the contribution of this great thinker for that reason as well!
Lecture 12 Play Video	Aristotle's Categories In this lesson we turn to one of the most important aspects of Aristotle's metaphysics, his categories. At this point we see an expansion of the scientific frame of mind, as inherited from the Ionians. Aristotle describes how we are able to put things into classes, and describe them by names, as well as by attributes. This, of course, is the heart of science as a discipline of observation. As you consider this material, think about how important it is to our rationality that we are able to do this. This ability involves recognizing similarity among objects, and applying names to things sharing similar characteristics. In many ways, this power lies at the heart of that which is most distinct about human beings compared to other earthly creatures! It should not surprise us that the Bible itself begins by highlighting this very aspect of human abiity, as Adam is commanded to 'name' the animals. Be sure to think of how different is Aristotle's approach from that of Plato, as you consider this information. Plato is an 'idealist'; Aristotle, a 'nominalist.' You should be able to see the difference between those two approaches by the end of this discussion.
Lecture 13 Play Video	Aristotle's Theory of Language The next theme that will occupy our attention in our studies of Aristotle involves his analysis of the ways we use language. In his concern about classification, he realized that it was important to clarify the application of terms as precisely as possible. Otherwise our classifications would likely become ambiguous or confusing. To assist in this project, Aristotle identified three different ways in which we use langauage: univocal, equivocal, and analogical. Each of these represents an important and distinct manner in which terms are applied, and it is important to grasp these distinctions, both for understanding Aristotle, but also for understanding all attempts at human communication. In the history of Christian thought, Aristotle's treatment of this topic has been quite important. The great theologian of the middle ages, Thomas Aquinas, applied Aristotle's principles to clarify the limits of human vocabulary when it comes to the problem of trying to describe God. We will return to this question later when we take up the thought of Thomas.
Lecture 14 Play Video	Aristotle's God In this lesson we conclude our studies of Aristotle. We will cover the topics of Aristotle's understanding of God, an idea that became quite influential in subsequent philosophical speculation. We will also touch on Aristotle's theory of happiness, and the levels of happiness that he identifies. In church history there has been some controversy over whether the arguments that Aristotle offered for the existence of God are worthwhile from a Christian perspective. In future studies, we will consider the 'five ways' of Thomas Aquinas in which he seeks to prove the existence of God relying largely on Aristotle's approach. Others, like Augustine and Anselm, take a different approach that relies more heavily on inward intuition than outward evidence. For now we should simply appreciate the great achievements of Aristotle, including his perceptive insight into the nature of human happiness, and the apparent rational need for a great first cause to account for creation and our own existence.
Lecture 15 Play Video	The Epicureans We leave behind the great philosophers of Greece, Plato and Aristotle, and move forward into the period often called the 'Age of Hellenism,' that is, the age of Greek influence in the larger Mediterranean world. The conflict between Plato and Aristotle remained unresolved, and the subsequent thinkers contented themselves with lesser concerns, much as the Sophists had done in an earlier time. The first of the major Hellenistic philosophies was Epicureanism, founded by Epicurus in Athens in the year 306. Epicurus developed a fairly elaborate system of balancing pleasure against pain, in the belief that there is only material existence, and at the end of life we pass back into personal oblivion. The other important philosophy of the time was Stocism, which is introduced in this lesson, but will occupy more of our attention in the next presentation. Stoicism also despaired of answers to great metaphysical questions, focusing rather on issues of personal discipline and balance. When the Apostle Paul visited the city of Athens in the fall of the year 51 a.d., he was confronted by the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who inquired about the 'new' teaching offered by the Jewish traveler. His sermon represents the only recorded presentation of the gospel to a pagan audience, and may be found in Acts chapter 17.
Lecture 16 Play Video	Stoicism The other major Hellenistic philosophy during the period from Alexander to the dawn of the Christian era was Stoicism. Like the Epicureans, the Stoics were skeptical as to the major metaphysical issues that had occupied the minds of Plato and Aristotle. They rather focused on the practical concern of how to live a balanced and satisfying life. In this way they were like the Epicureans, who also were mostly interested in practical matters rather than the more transcendent issues of human existence. Though they were asking the same questions, the Stoics gave quite different answers from those offered by the Epicureans. The Stoics believed that the world is governed by the 'fates,' and what the fates decree cannot be changed or influenced. The only personal control available in life, in the Stoic vision, involved the inner life of peace, calm, and reason, in the face of a deterministic external world. They were thus committed to the eight principles that make up the bulk of the lecture in this lesson. Observers have from time to time noticed that the Stoic principles share some important features with the Christian ethic. Ideas of reason, logos, discipline, and moderation, all fit nicely with the Christian ethic. There are, however, important differences that separate a Stoic approach to life from that embraced by a Christian. It is important to keep track of both as we give our attention to the Stoic philosophy.
Lecture 17 Play Video	Philo of Alexandria Our studies now bring us to the beginning of the Christian era, although our first subject was a man who probably had little knowledge of Christ or the Christian movement. Philo of Alexandria lived in the first half of the first century, laboring in the city which had become the center of Hellenistic learning and philosophy. He was Jewish by tradition, but Greek by outlook, and sought to find a basis upon which to marry the Jewish scriptures to the Platonic philosophy he so highly esteemed. Philo produced a system of thought that came to be known as Jewish Gnosticism. While there were many in the Jewish world who were trying to find common ground between Jewish and Greek ideas, Philo was probably the best known and most influential. His peculiar approach to the scriptures involved a highly allegorical interpretation of the narratives of the Bible, by which he found the major themes of Greek philosophy hiding behind the people and events of sacred writings. It has been commonly understand among New Testament scholars that certain parts of the New Testament were written with the thought and influence of Philo in mind. This is especially true of the books of Colossians and Hebrews, and may also apply to the prologue of John's Gospel. For this reason alone, it is useful to have some insight into this interesting character, and we now turn to him for the bulk of this lesson.
Lecture 18 Play Video	The Christian Synthesis The Christian era began with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was not a philosopher, but his followers soon found themselves in a conversation with the philosophical traditions that had come down from Greek thinkers. Plato and Aristotle had left in their wake an unresolved tension between rationalism and empiricism, and in some important respects, the Christian movement offered a synthesis of that tension. Plato insisted on an eternal and unchanging world of forms, which he believed necessary to make sense out of the world of experience and change. Augustine would eventually locate Plato's world of forms in the mind of God, and he agreed that it was only this great divine reason that made thought and knowledge possible. Aristotle, on the other hand, emphasized the world of nature, science, observation, believing that Plato's world of forms was too speculative. This empirical emphasis of Aristotle was also satisfied by Christ, who was viewed by Christians as the eternal become temporal and earthly. The apostle wrote, 'That which was from the beginning (eternal, rational) which we have seen (temporal, empirical)...' The gap between Plato and Aristotle was bridged by God becoming man, and western philosophy reflected that synthesis from then on.
Lecture 19 Play Video	Early Christian Apologists As we move to the second century, our attention turns to the early philosophers and apologists for the Christian movement. Most of these thinkers were involved in defending Christians against very practical attacks on their well-being, rather than the attempt to work out elaborate intellectual responses to Roman paganism. It is, nevertheless, quite helpful to review the thought of these important contributors to Christian understanding, and we attempt to accomplish that in this lesson. Our main focus here is Justin Martyr (d. 165), who was the first true philosopher of the Christian faith, and who gives a very interesting insight into the life and times of Christians in the second century a.d. We also touch briefly on later thinkers, especially Irenaeus and Tertullian. As you work through this lesson, think about the great benefit that came to later generations as a result of the contributions of these courageous representatives of the early Christian movement!
Lecture 20 Play Video	Antiochan Christianity We turn our attention now to the early centuries of Christian history, and the tension that developed between two quite different visions of the Christian message. On the one hand, there were many who wished to find common ground between Christianity and Greek philosophy, producing a hybrid commonly called Gnosticism. Others hoped to define the Christian gospel in terms of traditional Jewish thought, continuing the Judaizing influence found in the New Testament. The early expression of the Jewish emphasis arose generally out the the city of Antioch, which had become a center of Jewish Christianity after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 a.d. It was the Antiochan form of Christian teaching that eventually produced Arius, the man largely responsible for the crisis known as the Arian controversy, which itself led to the Council of Nicaea. In this lesson we will be examining the earliest expression of this Jewish-oriented emphasis, and in later discussions we will see how the Antiochan influence became more refined until the church finally affirmed conclusively the doctrine of the Trinity.
Lecture 21 Play Video	Alexandrian Christianity We have introduced the beginnings of Antiochan Christianity, with its highly Jewish outlook, and now turn to the form of Christian understanding connected with the city of Alexandria. Just as Antioch emphasized the humanity of Christ, so Alexandria emphasized the divinity of Christ. Both views were correct in some measure, but both failed to fully embrace the view that would eventually define the orthodox approach to the nature of God, and the person of Christ. This lesson deals with Paul of Samosata, an Antiochan thinker, and Sabellius, a major influence in Alexandria. As you cover this material, keep thinking about the contrast between them, and also consider how both of these distorted views of Christ continue to play a role in the broader world of the Christian religion, right up to the present day. The issues under discussion here provoked a crisis in the early centuries of the Church, which itself led to the first great ecumenical council, the Council of Nicaea in 325. An understanding of the Nicene Creed requires an appreciation of the underlying themes that form the basis for these discussions.
Lecture 22 Play Video	The Council of Nicaea The conflict between the Antiochan and Alexandrian vision of Christian thought finally culminated in the first ecumenical council of the Church, the Council of Nicaea (or Nicea), which was convened by Constantine in 325. The man who brought the crisis to a head was Arius, who embraced the Antiochan view, but who labored in Alexandria. Arianism was condemned at Nicaea, but the Arian understanding of Christian teaching has continued to this day. In this lesson we examine the major tenants of Arian Christianity, and we look briefly at the 325 version of the Nicene Creed. In this important affirmation of faith, Trinity is accepted as the orthodox position, and the true deity and humanity of Christ are affirmed, although later councils would further clarify those points. Although the church has certainly added more to its understanding of the nature of God over the centuries, orthodox Christianity has never rejected this foundational statement of faith, and for that reason, this council stands as the first universal (or ecumenical) creedal statement in history. (Note to user - the PowerPoint presentation is included here, but technical difficulties prevented recording the in-class video. My apologies).
Lecture 23 Play Video	Manichaeism In the malaise that characterized Roman culture of the 3rd and 4th centuries, several religious leaders attempted to find a synthesis between the increasingly influential Christian faith on the one hand, and a lingering paganism on the other. Many of these passed with little long-term impact, but among them, two were important because of the effect each had on the life experience and thought of Augustin (or, Augustine). The first of these that we will consider is Manichaeism, and the other is Neo-Platonism. Manichaeism was founded by Mani in the mid-third century, and represented a typical example of syncretism, that is, a religion attempting to borrow from many traditions to produce a new and improved religious outlook. History is full of such attempts, but in the case of Manichaeism, the effect was exaggerated because of Augustin's participation in the movement for several years before his conversion. As you consider this material, ask yourself how similar religious movements have surfaced in contemporary culture, and how the Christian faith should respond to such movements.
Lecture 24 Play Video	Neo-Platonism The two most important non-Christian movements in religion and philosophy during the third and fourth centuries were Manichaeism and Neo-platonism. We have already considered the former, and now turn to the other, which was founded in the third century by Plotinus. We are especially interested in these two because of the impact each of them had on the thought of Augustin. When Augustin was wrestling with the problem of evil, his pastor and mentor, Ambrose of Milan, suggested that he read the writings of Plotinus, who, even though a pagan, had a much more reasonable understanding of the nature of evil than did the Manichaeans. Augustin would eventually incorporate certain aspects of Plotinus' vision into his own philosophy of the Christian faith. Some have criticized him for this, but on the whole, Christian philosophers have agreed that Plotinus offered a useful approach to the issue.
Lecture 25 Play Video	The Life of Augustine By any measure, the greatest Christian thinker of the first millennium of the church's history was St. Augustine (or Augustin), who served for most of his adult career as the bishop of Hippo, a seaport town in North Africa. Augustin would have seemed an unlikely candidate for this honor, however, given the hostile attitude he maintained toward the Christian faith for the first 30 years of his life. When he finally did come to faith, his hostility was transformed into a powerful and insightful theological mind, which shaped the direction of the Christian movement from his time on. This lecture briefly summarizes the life of Augustin, especially during his pre-Christian years, and sets the stage for several more lectures that will treat some of the better known aspects of his thought.
Lecture 26 Play Video	Overview of Augustin's Thought Augustin made such sweeping contributions to Christian understanding that it would be worth a entire course just to give a summary of the major areas of his insight. In this lecture, a short and cursory overview if provided in anticipation of a few more presentations that will explore a few of the more important areas of Augustin's philosophy and theology.
Lecture 27 Play Video	Augustin's Epistemology Relying on a generally Platonic outlook, Augustin developed a highly influential epistemology, incorporating a biblical worldview that attempted to do justice to the unique station of humanity in the creation. This lecture summarizes the more well-known features of his philosophy of knowledge.
Lecture 28 Play Video	Augustin's Epistemology (part 2) For Augustin, the possibility of knowledge requires the fundamental reality of one for whom knowledge is perfectly complete. Human knowledge depends on this prior foundational truth. As the human mind is illumined by the divine mind (his theory of illumination), it becomes possible to understand not only something of God's reality, but also the nature of the world in which we find ourselves.
Lecture 29 Play Video	Augustin's Theory of Faith The epistemology of Augustin led naturally to his understanding of the central importance of faith, not only as related to religious devotion, but also with respect to the entire idea of knowledge and learning in any discipline. For Augustin, 'faith precedes reason,' or as he put it, 'I believe in order to understand.' This axiom is not to be taken as warrant for credulity or gullibility, but rather as an explanation of how some type of belief must precede any learning experience at all.
Lecture 30 Play Video	Augustin's Understanding of the Church This presentation finishes a discussion of Augustin's view of the church, as One Holy Catholic, and Apostolic. From there we move to a discussion of one of the great controversies that occupied Augustin's attention, the Pelagian, with an introduction to the thought of Pelagius.
Lecture 31 Play Video	The Pelagian Controversy One of the most important of the disputes of Augustin's day was the so-called Pelagian Controversy, named for Pelagius, a British monk who challenged Augustin's strong view of grace in the work of salvation. It was in the context of this dispute the Augustin clarified his deep commitment to God's sovereignty in the salvation of humankind, a perspective that became highly important at the time of the Reformation. This lecture finishes a discussion of the views of Pelagius, and begins a summary of Augustin's response.
Lecture 32 Play Video	The Pelagian Controversy (cont) Philosophy
Lecture 33 Play Video	The Pelagian Controversy (concl) The aftermath of the Pelagian Controversy has echoed through church history, especially after the Reformation. Although the Reformers all followed Augustinian theology on idea of original sin and predestination, the Arminian (and later Wesleyan) view returned to a modified semi-pelagian understanding, albeit with a far more robust appreciation for the effects of the Fall. This lecture summarizes those later developments, and brings the discussion of the Pelagian controversy to its conclusion.
Lecture 34 Play Video	Anselm of Canterbury The last great Platonic theologian/philosopher of medieval Christian history was Anselm, who is best known for his so-called ontological argument for the existence of God, as well as his theory of the atonement, sometimes called the 'commercial theory,' or the 'satisfaction theory.' This lecture summarizes the first of these, and introduces the second, with the completion of the discussion coming in the next presentation.
Lecture 35 Play Video	Anselm's Cur Deus Homo This lecture completes a brief discussion of Anslem's classic treatment of the atonement, Cur Deus Homo (Why God-Man?). This presentation also introduces the life of Thomas Aquinas, and serves as an introduction to his time, with further discussion of his thought coming in later lectures.
Lecture 36 Play Video	Introduction to the Classical Synthesis This discussion finishes the summary of the life of Thomas, and launches an overview of one of his most important philosophical contributions, usually called 'The Classical Synthesis.' Thomas was attempting to meet the skepticism of his age by showing that all truth is integrated, and regardless of where a person starts their intellectual inquiry, nature or grace, the whole of the universe of truth is accessible if one reasons consistently and honestly.
Lecture 37 Play Video	The Classical Synthesis (part 2) This presentation completes a summary of the Classical Synthesis of Thomas, and introduces his 'five ways,' tradition theistic proof found in the early chapters of the Summa.
Lecture 38 Play Video	Thomas Aquinas and the Five Ways Thomas believed that the existence of God could be demonstrated rationally, and to illustrate this his employed his well-known 'five ways,' arguments borrowed from Aristotle, but fashioned according to Christian perspectives. This lecture explores those proofs.
Lecture 39 Play Video	Art, Philosophy, and the Renaissance Art tends to follow and reflect the philosophical currents of its age, and art during the Renaissance certainly served that purpose. This lecture represents a brief overview of some trends in philosophy during the Renaissance and the evidence of those tends in the art of the time.