Tag: Philosophy
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Epiphany, Philosophy and Natural Theology
“And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and…
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Epistemology – Part 1: Knowledge
Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that deals with what we can know and the nature of our knowledge. The Greek term episteme means “knowledge.” Therefore, epistemology is the study of knowledge, or how we know what we know. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, JTB (justified true belief) has been the standard understanding…
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Apologetics and Catechesis – Part 1
After nearly three decades of both teaching and pastoral ministry, I can confidently state that apologetics and catechesis have a mutually beneficial relationship with one another. Where you have supportive apologetics, you also have better informed catechesis. And where you have informed catechesis, you also have an openness to apologetics. Afterall, we are commissioned to…
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Athens and Jerusalem
Toward the end of the second century, the theologian Tertullian asked, “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church?” In these questions from Tertullian, a display of Christian theological resistance to Greek philosophical influence is evident. But already in the first century, the Apostle Paul…
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Overview of Philosophy
The word philosophy means “the love of wisdom.” Philosophy is the combination of two Greek terms: phileo and sophos. Phileo is a Greek term for “love.” Sophos is the Greek term for “wisdom.” Socrates (469 – 399 BC) lived in ancient Greece and is considered to be the father of Western philosophy. Eastern sages like…
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Paul and the Philosophers
The Old Testament contains themes regarding Jesus and the resurrection which Paul explains and develops in the New Testament (Acts 17:1-15). During Paul’s missionary journey into Athens, he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons. He reasoned in the marketplace on a daily basis with the common people. Paul even reasoned with…
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Going Live
By the end of July 2024, Blog by Boethius is going live. You are invited to join me in better understanding the role of philosophy in teaching theology. I look forward to sharing future posts with you that are both encouraging and enlightening. ~ Boethius ~