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Wilfrid Laurier University *

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103

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Religion

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Oct 30, 2023

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pdf

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Uploaded by BarristerMorning11994

Lesson 5 Christianity: Love as an Ascent to God Judaic Influence: We explore how the Judaic understanding of love, particularly during the Second Temple period, played a crucial role in shaping the foundation of the Christian tradition. This period corresponds with the time of Jesus's ministry. Historical Background: Around 1000 BCE, King David established Jerusalem as the Jewish homeland's capital, following the liberation from Egyptian captivity led by Moses. His son, King Solomon, built the first temple in the 10th century BCE. The Babylonians destroyed this temple in 586 BCE, leading to a 50-year exile in Babylon for the Israelites. The Persians later conquered the Babylonians, enabling some Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Second Temple in 515 BCE. This temple stood until its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE. Jewish Concepts in Christianity: The influence of Jewish ideas about love on Christianity is evident. However, it's intriguing that Platonic notions of love also found their way into Christian thought. This is attributed to the widespread dissemination of Hellenistic culture and philosophy, especially after Alexander the Great's conquests. Transformation of Plato's Ideas: Christian thinkers adopted Plato's concepts, particularly those from the "Symposium." These ideas underwent some changes and reinterpretations, leading to what is known as Neo-Platonism. This transformation of Plato's ideas is vital for understanding Christian thought on love. Ontological Rootedness: We explore the concept of Ontological Rootedness introduced in the previous lesson, deepening our understanding. This idea is essential for comprehending both Simon's critique and the historical evolution of the concept of love. Ascent Tradition: Similar to Plato's ascent towards Beauty, Christian love is seen as a journey towards God, the source of all love. We examine this transformative journey, drawing parallels with Plato's ascent and the Judaic moral journey, which emphasizes obeying YHWH's command to love both God and one's neighbors. New Testament Analysis: We conclude by analyzing passages from the New Testament, the sacred scriptures of Christianity, to gain insights into how love is envisioned in the Christian tradition.

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