Philosophy

Greek philosophy encountered biblical faith at multiple points in the intertestamental and NT periods. The Septuagint translation (3rd–2nd century B.C.) made Jewish scriptures accessible to the Greek world, and Jewish thinkers such as Philo of Alexandria attempted to synthesize Mosaic revelation with Platonic philosophy. The NT itself reflects awareness of Greek philosophical traditions: Paul's Athens sermon at the Areopagus (Acts 17:22–31) engaged Stoic and Epicurean philosophers directly, quoting Greek poets (Aratus, Cleanthes) while proclaiming the resurrection — the point at which his audience divided.

Paul warns the Colossians against "philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition... and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8), while the prologue of John's Gospel employs the philosophical concept of the Logos (John 1:1) to present Christ as the divine Word who orders and sustains all things. The patristic church engaged Greek philosophy extensively, with Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen using philosophical categories to articulate Christian theology, while others (Tertullian) remained suspicious of Athens's relationship to Jerusalem.