CWC-Unit 1 (Bethel University)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, historical figures, and philosophical concepts from CWC-Unit 1 at Bethel University.

Alexander the Great

Born in Macedonia and educated in Greek by Aristotle. Invaded the Persian Empire, and conquered 20+ countries. Was the driving force behind Hellenization. Was the reason Greek became main language and culture. Died in Babylon after founding several Hellenistic kingdoms (Jerusalem, and Alexandria).

Athenian Democracy

Power to the People, Polis; Athens has games, military, and govt. system; by 5th century BC polis was governed by citizens; no one foreign born, slaves, or women were citizens.

Socrates

(470-399 BC) Known as the "gadfly" (a Mediterranean bug that only went away if it was killed). Focused on Philosophers v. Sophists. Believed in using reason (or rhetoric) and accepting authority. Was sentenced to death due to crimes committed by a character in a play who was also named Socrates, died from Hemlock.

Plato

(427-347BC) Student of Socrates, believed in Tripartite of the Soul. Taught with parables and dialogs; he enjoyed conversation.

Tripartite Soul

Plato's idea: Appetite, Spirit, Reason = Unjust; Reason, Spirit, Appetite = Just.

Aristotle

(384-322 BC) Plato's student; focused on Internal Character (thoughts, feelings, actions); state of eudaemonia; Doctrine of the Mean; "complete friendship" = Bad company corrupts good character, importance of choosing proper community, routine, mentors, and friends.

Eudaemonia

A flourishing life; state is a creation of nature, man is by nature a political animal; when they have a character that allows them to live harmoniously in communities; to find a good character, look at habits and dispositions.

Doctrine of the Mean

Virtue of character is about feeling and action; these admit of excess, deficiency, and the mean (middle).

Pericles

Athens' greatest leader; popular with the people because he created big jobs and tasks, which gave more people jobs; created a strong military; great speaker; politician during Golden Age; funeral oration after the Peloponnesian War (Here is what makes Athens different/ why fighting is worth it).

Aristotle and Plato Differences and Similarities

Similar: importance of moral virtue; importance of education; find answers through reason. Different: answers found in ordinary, earthly human experience (Aristotle); "Practical Wisdom" = of concrete, not abstract.

Roman Republic

The period from 507 to 31 B.C.E., during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate.

Philosophy

Philo Sophia = Love of Wisdom.

Sophists

Greek teachers of philosophy, reasoning, and public speaking; {perversion of reason}.

Polis

People came together 4 times per year; laws were made by assembly; Trial by Jury (what killed Socrates).

Hellenization

The spread of Greek culture, greatly due to Alexander the Great; Antiochus wanted to make everyone Greek.

Logos

Logic/ Reason.

Homer

(700 BC) Greek author who wrote epic poetry; Iliad and the Odyssey.

Maccabean Revolt

(167-160 BC) Judean rebellion led by Judas Maccabeus against Seleucid Empire; "hook" of the story: placement of Greek statuary (idol) in the Jewish Temple; a rebellion against forced assimilation; resulted in a compromise allowing independent Jewish religious practice; Hanukah is a celebration of the temple being restored; creates the Palestinian world Jesus is born into.

Christian Apologists

2nd and 3rd century writers who engaged with Greco-Roman culture to make intellectual arguments for Christian belief; Defended the faith they committed themselves to; dispelled rumors about half-truths of Christian beliefs and rituals.

Gnostics

Christ was a spirit that descended from Heaven, took over the body of Jesus, and returned to Heaven at the crucifixion; influenced by Platonic philosophy (Allegory of the Cave); spirits from the spiritual world are trapped in the physical world.

Tertullian

Lawyer and theologian in Carthage; Critical of other apologists use of Greek philosophy because of 1. division in philosophy could cause divisions in the church, and 2. "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?".

Civil Religion

(490s-340s) Parthenon was the place of worship (give money not animals, counts as a sacrifice and paying taxes).

Monotheism

Belief in one God.

Marcion

(85-160 AD) Early church leader; one to come up with the canon of scripture, very influential and informative in formulating criteria for New Testament canonical inclusion; rejected Jewish Scriptures, argued that god portrayed in the Jewish scriptures (What we call the OT) is a false representation; the teachings of Jesus not compatible with the god of the OT.

Judaism

A religion with a belief in one god. It originated with Abraham and the Hebrew people. Yahweh was responsible for the world and everything within it. They preserved their early history in the Old Testament.

Roman Empire

An empire established by Augustus in 27 BC and divided in AD 395 into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern or Byzantine Empire.

Justin the Martyr

First apologist (2nd century); One who defends the faith; Was martyred for refusing to sacrifice to idols.

Anthony of Egypt

(252-356 AD) Both of his parents died; seals himself in a cave to live simply (MATT 19:16-22); demons tear at his flesh, but he calls them out since they can only hurt him physically, not spiritually; God opens the roof of the cave,-> "where have you been Lord?" "I was waiting to see your response"; Anthony stays for 40 years, comforts those facing persecution.

Constantine

(274 CE - 337 CE) Edict of Milan; put an end to persecution; showed favor to Christians because of what God told him; many want to join the church; Took part in the council of Nicea.

Battle of Milvian Bridge

"In this you shall conquer"; Constantine has troops paint the Chi Rho on their shields after God showed it to him; Maxentius's horse kicks up and throws him off, dropping him into the river and drowning him; Constantine begins to show favor to the Christians.

Perpetua

(200 AD) lots of pressure to defy her faith by her family; Was born into a good family; Was ultimately martyred in Carthage for her beliefs.

Augustine

(354AD) Most influential figure of the church since Paul; lived during the transition form the ancient to the medieval world; key figure in shaping the medieval church; thinker for Catholics and protestants; wrote confessions.

Donatism

Sacraments are valid based only on the moral purity of the person administering them; Augustine says that sacraments are valid "ex opere operato" meaning on account of the work which is done.

Pelagius

Did not believe in Original Sin; humans have a range of choices between sin and good; Augustine says before the fall there was a range, after the fall there was only sin, and after heaven there is only good.

Paterfamilias

The idea that the male is the head of the family; traditionally the father.

Edict of Milan (313 AD)

An edict of toleration; did not make Christianity the religion of the area, but it legalized it; put an end to persecutions; Constantine showed favor to the Christians; many wanted to join the church.

Council of Nicea (325 AD)

Called by Constantine to settle the Arian debate; Arius was declared a Heretic; Nicean Creed is formed (St. Nick hits Arius with a stick!).

Confessions

An autobiography of Augustine; detailed in each era of his life.

Problem of Evil

If God created everything and God is all good, where did evil, where did evil come from?

Great Persecution

The violent program initiated by Diocletian in 303 to make Christians convert to traditional religion or risk confiscation of their property and even death.

Arianism

A heresy claiming that Jesus and God are separate, or "There was when he was not".

Monasticism

"White Martyrdom,"; Staying in a place without distraction that provokes temptation to allow a battlefield for spiritual warfare; Allowed an escape from persecution and the worldly church of the empire.

Original Sin

After the fall, we are all born into a state of Sin, meaning that even babies are born as sinners.

Manichaeism

A blend of Christianity, Persian religion, and mythology, astrology, and Greek philosophy; Provided an answer for the Problem of Evil.

The City of God

Written to comfort the Christians after Rome had been sacked by the Visigoths; Responding to the charges that Christians were responsible for the fall of Rome; Looks into relationship between Christianity and the secular world (Earthly= love of self to contempt of God, Heavenly= love of God to contempt of self).

Fall of Western Roman Empire (Internal Causes)

Political Instability (civil wars, 26 emperors in 50 years, 24 in the 5th century, so Diocletian splits it in half in order to narrow down Emperor options); Economic Weakness (constant war draining resources, empire stopped expanding, high taxes); Inflation (debased currency); Moral Decline (declining birthrate, over reliance on slave labor, bread and circuses, loss of Roman values or "Romanitas").

Fall of Western Roman Empire (External Causes)

Weak Military; Difficult to protect border; Germanic mercenaries paid to defend; Battle of Adrianople; Emperor Theodosius; Invasions (Visigothic kind Alaric attacks Rome in 402, Christmas Day in 406 the Alans, Vandals, and Suaves cross the Rhine river and invade Italy); Sack of Rome (Visigoths attack Rome in 410, Romans trade land for peace); Visigoths and Vandals; Last Emperor of Rome (Germanic king deposed by "Romulus Augustus," {Romulus founded Rome, Augustus founded the Roman Empire} retires to a monastery).

Emperor Theodosius

Gives Visigoths land for peace; in 380 makes an orthodox Christianity the official religion of the Empire.

Battle of Adrianople

Visigoths pushed east into Rome by the Huns; Visigoths defeat the Roman military at Adrianople; Emperor Valens is killed, Theodosius takes over.

Visigoths

Germanic tribe; Invade Spain in 429 and establish a kingdom lasting until 711.

Vandals

A group of invaders from North Africa; Sack Rome in 455.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern half of Rome in Constantinople that continues after the fall ; becomes center of trade and commerce; Heirs of Rome- Byzantine continues for 1000 years.

Just War

What defines the right to go to war. Criteria: Just authority, Just Cause, Just Intention, Last Resort; Should consist of: Proportionate Response, Discrimination, and Responsibility (bad effects are not intended).

Justinian

Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

Pacifism

The belief that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.