Studied by 19 people
Life of Constatine - Eusebius
· Early life of Constantine
o Only contains anecdotes of Constantine’s pious actions
o Like Moses, grew up amongst non-Christians but led a godly life
o His father Constantias ruled fairly over Christian people
o Constantine was well respected by his father’s colleagues
o Drove barbarians out of his father’s lands
· Constantine concurs all of Roman Empire
o Viewed the whole world as one immense body, with Rome as its heart
o Chose to honor his father’s God, as all other pagan emperors had met with failure
o Received a vision of a cross inscribed with CONQUER BY THIS, which a vision of Christ commanded him to use against his enemies
o Created a similar cross out of gold and precious stones and hung a portrait of his family from it
o Learned the scriptures and took on priests as his council
o Maxentius killed Christian women who denied him, took his people’s lands and practiced dark magic
o Constantine easily defeats Maxentius’ armies for control of Italy
o Maxentius falls into the Tiber like Pharoah to the Red Sea
· Constantine enters Rome
o Humbly accepts joy of Roman citizens at their liberation and restoration of lands
o Constructs salutary sign of himself holding a engraved cross
o Accepted friendship of ugly bishops and was a great benefactor of the church
o Helped the poor, widows, and those with reversal of circumstances
o Sat in the midst of the holy synod
o Promoted Christians and forbade government Gentiles to make sacrifices and banned statues
o Gave money from the treasury to build churches
· Council of Nicaea
o Ordered Council of Nicaea because of infighting and Alexandrian schism, transporting men from all over the world
o Gives speech in Latin to the council expressing his want for harmony
They all celebrate Easter together
Letters of Arius and Alexander
WCH 101
· Arius’ First Letter
o God is all powerful and before all beings
o The Son was a product of the father, so there was a time when he was not
o God is considered the cause of the Son
· Alexander’s First Letter
o Accuses Arius of diminishing the Son from his divinity
o Excommunicate them for trying to seek personal gain from Christ
o Father and Son are inseparable from one another
o The Word existed before creation
o Only the father understands the mystery of the Son and vice versa
Nicene Creed
o From the council of Nicaea
o Jesus is of one substance with the father
o Anathematizes all men who claim the Son is of different substance or comes after the father
Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed
o Later form, still used today
o Jesus is of one substance with the father
o Incarnate in the Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost
o Crucified by Pontius Pilate, suffered death and was buried
o Calls the Holy Ghost the giver of life, which proceeds from father and son
No mention of excommunication
Peach Blossom Spring - Tao Qian
o Fisherman wanders upstream into cave and finds a village inside
o They plant and grow mulberry, people are happy and singing songs
o He stays several days, eating and visiting each house
Villagers are dismayed by various dynasties and ask him not to reveal their presence
The Return - Tao Qian
o He gets a magistrate job from his uncle in order to feed his family
o Feels he is betraying himself for food and clothing “mind is slave to the body”
o Leaves of his own accord after his sister’s death
o Goes home to an unruly farm, with gate shut
o Enjoys simple earthly pleasures, like family, conversation, wine, and the zither
Master Five willows - Tao qian
o His home and attire were in shambles
o Very poor, a drunkard
o Should not worry about wealth, honor, or station
Substance, Shadow, and Spirit - Tao Qian
o Man does not endure like Earth and Heaven do; man is easily forgotten
o Take earthly pleasures now while you can
o Being alive is extremely tiresome
o Do good while you can so your love will be remembered
o Surrender to the cycle of things
o Death is the same no matter what
elegy - Tao Qian
o Lived out his life for pleasure
o Does not regret his choices or his lot
o Do not honor him; recognition means nothing
· Mouzi: Disposing of Error
o Buddha may have been a teacher is the sages, though unmentioned in the Classics
o Filiality to god is more important than filiality to parents/the body
o Family life is an earthly pleasure while “doing nothing” pleases the Way
o Spirit is eternal, body decays and is the spirits roots on Earth
o There is no concept of immortality
the Lotus sutra
o It is right to use expedient means to release others of their attachments
o We cannot understand the Law without explanation from an enlightened person
o There is only one Buddha Vehicle
o Parable of the Burning House
§ Father drew out his ignorant children with a promise of various toys
§ Gave each of them the exact same ox cart as a reward
§ Teach each according to his own needs so we may all achieve the same enlightenment
o The Impoverished Son
§ Man squanders money and comes back to his father to work as a servant
§ The father, knowing expedient means, allows him to work to regain his personal sense of self
the flower garden school
o Tower of Vairocana
§ One thing permeates all other things
§ Nothing loses its individual characteristics
§ Allows buddhas to remain on earth and teach others while being fully enlightened
o Indra’s Net
§ Each jewel can be reflected in a single jewel
§ All are intertwined to make up one net
Master and his retainers form relationships that multiply without end
pure land school
o People can achieve some enlightenment by calling on the names of the buddhas
o Being reborn in a buddha land is easy to traverse, as all distractions cease
o No possibility of backsliding
confessions - augustine
· All people seek to call on and praise God, even if we do not fully know him
· God is the cause of all things
o Platonist knowledge made him arrogant, while the Scriptures brought true wisdom
o Platonist books do not teach of God’s grace or mercy
· Augustine came to believe in salvation and wanted to learn how to live in a godly way
o Goes to Simplicianus and learns of Victorinus, who made a public declaration of faith
o Augustine wishes to give up his earthly work for God’s work in following Victorinus’ example
· God brings Augustine to good by making him suffer through secular education (preference for useless learning glorified fallen angels)
· The Pear Tree
o Augustine was a victim of youthful lust
o Stole some pears for the sake of feeling wicked
o Unrestrained urge for the lowest of God’s creation
· Student at Carthage
o Burned to experience love and ruined friendship with carnality
o His love was staged, and he despised the setting/friends he became involved with
o Reading exhortation on philosophy led him to Scripture, but he was scared of being thought simple
· Earthly Love
o Christian mother sets him up with an advantageous child marriage
o Wanted to run away with friends and live in contemplation
o Had lots of sex before it came time for him to marry
· Conversion
o Was told the time was now by the Lord
o Held back by earthly vanities
o Continence encouraged him to offer his worries up to God
o Speaks his bitter contrition under a fig tree
o Heard a voice telling him to pick up and read
§ Reads passage about lewdness
§ Serentity comes to his heart
§ Mother’s mourning was converted into joy at his acceptance of God
city of god - augustine
· Chapter 4
o Eternal life is the supreme good and eternal death is supreme evil
o All earthly beauty is temporary and can be taken away by sickness or circumstance
o Virtue is a constant battle between the flesh and the spirit
§ Virtue contains temperance, prudence, and justice
o Philosophers are wrong in saying earthly happiness is possible, as they commit suicide to escape unhappiness
o Only those living by God and faith can have true virtue
· Chapter 10
o Anxiety of the devil helps us to steer closer to God
o Earthly happiness is misery compared to consummate beatitude
o We must make blessings out of earthly misfortunes
· Chapter 13
o Human peace consists of balancing our urges and ordered obedience brings peace with God
o Misery is the Order is proportional to our peace
o No nature can be devoid of good
o Even God’s gifts and natural creation have been ordered to our benefit
· Chapter 14
o Lower, earthly city serves to glory only herself
o Godly city has witness of conscience as its greatest glory
· Chapter 17
o Earthly goods are an obstruction on our journey to the city of God
o We should follow earthly laws and religious legislation on our pilgrimage
· Chapter 19
o Earthly judgements are lamentable
o Human ignorance leads to innocent men being judged
o We use sinful torture to determine guilt, but the judge is not culpable
o Language is a barrier to earthly peace and wise men should wage jut wars only
· Chapter 26
o Faith can assure our exodus from bodily Babylon to the city of god
· Chapter 27
o Earthly peace is merely a solace from unhappiness
o No peace as long as we must master our evil inclination
o Prayer can only do so much if we do not live in a godly way and master ourselves
augustine on the jews
· City of God
o The Jews are responsible for Christ’s death
o Some saw he fulfilled prophecy but others remain blinded
o God allowed the Jews to live because of their great acknowledgement of the laws and to be dispersed witnesses to his punishment
· On Christian Doctrine
o We should not take figurative language of the scriptures in a literal sense
o It is a miserable slavery to the soul
o Jews did not understand the signs God was sending; weren’t looking in the correct place
life of anthony - athanasius
· Chapter 1-5
o Anthony was a wealthy Christian from Egypt, accustomed to solitude
o Sold all his treasures according to the gospel after the death of his parents
o Went to study under various hermits and gave charitably the work of his hands
o Was well loved by the people of his village
o Devil tempted him with wealth, his sister, and images of a woman
· Chapters 8-10
o Anthony is “striped” by demons in the tombs but insists upon returning
o God shields Anthony with light when the devil manifests as beasts in the tombs
o God explains he wanted to see Anthony’s fight and did not abandon him
· Chapter 14
o Others came to learn from Anthony and were impressed by his physique and even manner
o Gave Anthony the gifts of healing, cleansing, and consoling
o Anthony convinced many to take up solitary life in the mountains
· Chapters 44-47
o Anthony used to feel shame surrounding his bodily necessities
o But rather, the body is a vessel by which we help and protect the soul
o Anthony sought to be a martyr but was kept alive for our benefit
o Anthony did not bathe
· Chapter 50
o Anthony learns to farm and protects his crops by ordering the animals
· Chapters 69-73
o Anthony despises the Arians and the people rejoice
o Anthony allows the people to crowd and touch him
o Anthony exorcises a young girl
o Anthony tells visiting philsophers to emulate his prudence by becoming Christian
o Anthony has no need to learn letters, as he was given a sound mind
· Chapter 81
o Anthony ignores letters he received from Constantine and his sons
o Tells them to remember judgement day and be fair to their people
· Chapter 87
o Anthony brought many to ascetic life and was a doctor of God’s people
· Chapter 93
o Anthony dies
o Anthony was healthy despite his old age
o The Lord illuminated him so we all may see his virtue
longer rule - basil
· Living in Retirement
o Secluded habitation removes distraction from the soul
o Will not see how other people sin
o Cannot become proficient in prayer when the soul is distracted
o Self-denial involves an entire forgetfulness of one’s past
o If you compare yourself with ordinary sinners, you will feel a sense of false righteousness
o Occupations of life will cause you to forget God
· Living in Company
o Easier to be self sufficient when you all possess a range of talents
o Easier to fulfill the law of loving others when surrounded by other people
o Have others to lift you up from your iniquities
o Prevents against self-gratification
o A multitude of gifts allows us to benefit each other and put our talents to good use
o Worthy people with which to compare ourselves
Communal life is characteristic of the saints
rule of st. benedict
· The four kinds of monks
o Caenobites are ideal and live under the rule of an abbot
o Anchorites live as hermits
o Sarabites live in small groups without a rule
o Others go around preying on the hospitality of others (the worst type)
· Characteristics of the abbot
o Is responsible for the souls of those under his charge
o Must be impartial and teach each man according to his skills
o Must punish those who do not obey his command
· Council of the monks
o Each man, no matter how novice, should have a say
o Abbott should be advised by elder members of the monastery
· Concerning Obedience, Silence, and Humility
o Is the first step to humility, each man should readily obey God and his abbot
o Monks should be reserved in speech and laughter
o Look down to remind them of their sinful nature
o Must be content in poverty
· How the monks should sleep
o Sleep several to a room, fully clothed
o All should wake readily at the call of his elder
· Excommunication
o The abbot should tend very seriously to those who have offended
o All monks who leave should be welcomed back with open arms
o All punishments should be relative
· Possessions
o Everything a monk has should be given by the monastic father
o Necessities should be divided according to need
· Manual Labor
o Idleness is the devil’s playground
o Men should work actively in the fields to provide for themselves
o Daily reading selections and prayer should keep the mind occupied
· Receiving Brethren
o Should be evaluated after a few days, and a few months before being allowed to enter
o Must vow before the community and renounce all property, signing a formal petition (parents can make this for young children)
o Nobleman may make monetary donations to the monastery
o Abbot may nominate a brother for the priesthood and abbot must be elected
desert fathers
o Always return to our cells
o Do not devour another brother
o Gave up the gospels to feed the poor
o Do not judge
o Forgive before they ask for pardon
o Do not take offense to anything
o Act according to your own spiritual way (flower)
Be gracious in condemning your brothers
cistercian fathers
o Love is a choice and can be worked at
o God is love
o Love excludes all lordship
o All love bears some semblance to God’s love
council of chalcedon
· Second Letter of Cyril to Nestorius
o Reminds Nestorius that he is responsible for the souls of the Antiochean church
o Should conform ideas to what the holy Fathers teach
o The ineffable word united ineffably in flesh, two natures exist together
o Was not born again from Mary but merely came through her
o Impassible one existed in a suffering body
· Nestorius’ Reply
o Godhead could not be passible or undergo birth and death
o Paul made the term Christ applicable to both a passible and impassible nature
o God head cannot be destroyed s there must be a manly nature
o Mary is more accurately the Mother of Christ
o Body is the temple of the Godhead, the Son
· Third Letter of Cyril to Nestorius
o Accuses Nestorius of scandalizing an entire church of people
o Says Celestine will take away his priestly power
o Defends those Nestorius has excommunicated in his wrongfulness
o Jesus always is God, even when he is a baby
o One Christ only, naturally united to the flesh
o Conjunction is not enough to signify their union
· Definition of Faith
o Opposes a duad of sons
o Christ is not capable of human suffering
o Has only heavenly substance
o Perfect in Godhead and perfect in manhood
o Consubstantial with God and with man
o Mary is the Mother of God
o Preserved and united as one
exposition of faith - third council of constantinople
· Christ has one will and divine principle
· Perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity
· One single subsistent being
· 2 naturals wills
o Do not oppose eachother
o Human will is subject to the divine will
· The flesh is all holy and blameless
· Divine and human principles of action
o Miracles and the suffering are one and the same
· Both natures are in communion with one another
corpus iuris civilus - justinian
· Credits God in military matters
· The law handed down from Rome was utterly confused
o Wants to rearrange it into a single code
o Wishes to remove any legal contradictions
· Wants to amend the entire law with Divine Aid
o Remove superfluities, correct language and wording, and supply what is lacking
o Cites the Lex Regia, which transfers all Roman power to the emperor
· Sources of Laws
o Justice gives each man his due while jurisprudence is a knowledge of human and the divine
o Law of nature includes marriage and reproduction
o Civil law is peculiar to itself and its people
o Law of nations are universally agreed upon laws
Emperor has all force of statute and can create constitutions
novella 6 - justinian
· Priesthood and imperial authority are mankind’s greatest blessings from God
o Priesthood manages the divine
o Imperial authority covers matters of man
· Emperor should be chiefly concerned with priestly honor
o They pray for his soul
o God will bless those who obey a holy rule
novella 146 on the jews - justinian
· Preface
o Jews should take heed of the prophecy in sacred texts, not just literal meanings
o Should use any language that allows them to better understand the text
· Chapter 1
o Allowing scripture in every language will prevent Hebrew translators from obscuring the true meaning of God through their interpretations
o Greek version must be taken from the seventy interpreters
o Mishnah is prohibited
§ Handiwork of man rather than the divine
o No one can be punished for reading in Greek
· Chapter 2
o Jews denying resurrection are to be expelled or executed
· Chapter 3
o This is done so that the Jews will receive hope from God in the form of Christ
· Epilogue
o Anyone who defies the emperor will receive corporeal punishment
advice to emperor justinian - agapetus
· Emperor should render firstly to God, who has granted him his power
· Should teach to cultivate justice and make yourself subject to your own laws
o Must be constantly vigilant against injustice
o God gives goodwill for the people’s benefit
o Sailor analogy
· The emperor must have a mastery of his passions
o Is an example of temperance and justice
o His reign lasts forever
o Should be a common benefactor of all
· Emperor is equal to all men in body but holds a rank similar to God’s
· If you respect your own laws, your people will follow
quran
· Surah 1 – The Opening
o God is beneficent and merciful
o Lord of the worlds, owner of judgement day, you alone do we worship
· Surah 4 – Women
o Deal well with orphans
o Marry women you can manage and give freely of their marriage portions
o Legally divide inheritance according to the Law
o Heaven is a garden of paradise while Hell is eternal fire
o Do not marry those forbidden to you
o God values good deeds over wealth
o You should not kill a believer, and all killings come with a blood price
o Worship and remember God at the proper times
o Seek pardon from God bc he is ever merciful
o God does not forgive the nonbelievers
o Jesus was a prophet, and cannot be an equal of God
· Surah 12 – Joseph
o God gave Joseph interpretation of events and a vision of the eleven planets
o Told their father a wolf had devoured Joseph
o His Egyptian master’s wife has him sent to prison
o He meets the wine presser and a bread delivery boy
§ Correctly interprets that the presser will be restored and the bread boy crucified
o Interprets the dream of the seven cows as famine
§ Is set over the storehouses of the land
§ Meets his brothers when they come for grain
§ Tells them to come back with their other youngest brother
§ Brings them in to eat and reveals himself to them
· Surah 19 – Mary
o Zachariah asked for a son by his wife Elizabeth
§ Given a sign by God of not being able to speak for three nights
o Angel came to Elizabeth’s cousin Mary
§ She agrees to carry God’s sign to humankind
§ Withdrew and had a painful birth, but was nourished by God
o Jesus tells Mary’s people he is a servant of God
o Jesus is viewed as a prophet like Abraham or Joseph
§ Says we should heed the prophets
· Surah 36 – Ya Sin
o Speaks of warning others of judgement day, but not being responsible if they choose not to hear
o Follow those who ask no reward of you
o God’s sign of judgement is his breathing life into the Earth, and his ability to destroy all
o God knows all creation and gave man dominion over all things, so we should praise him
· Surah 55 – The Beneficent
o “Which is it, the favors of your Lord that you deny?”
o God has set specific measures upon the Earth
o He has created the world and all the materials within it
o He has also created the garden of Paradise for us
· Surah 78-107
o God has appointed everything for us
o We will be restored t our bodies on judgement day
o On judgement day, those who clung to God and his precepts will be helped
o Do not defraud others
o God will reward kindness and acknowledgment of him and his creation
han yu
· Essentials of the Moral Way
o The Way can be ascribed to good men and petty men
o Accuses Daoists of belittling humaneness
o Daoists and Buddhists reject Confucius
o So many academics must now rely on the common man
o Rites are a gift from the sgaes by which we order our lives
o Buddhism requires a rejection of filiality
§ You must cultivate yourself, then your family, and this will transmit to the ruler
o Criticizes elevating barbarian practices over the way of the ancient kings
o We should overtake the homes of the rejectors and bring back filiality an humaneness
· Discourse on Teachers
o The Way can only come through a teacher, regardless of their age or station
o Grown men and scholars should not be ashamed to study under a teacher
o Students should follow the good they see in their teacher
o Teachers have merely learned the Way and practice the art of instruction
· Memorial on the Bone of Buddha
o Even if suppressing Buddhism is impossible, the emperor should not encourage it
o This should be merely for the people’s amusement
o Old ways will be corrupted and the bones may bring bad luck
o Officials should have spoken out against this choice
· Edict on the Suppression of Buddhism
o Considered a religion of idols
o Buddhism is poisoning Chinese customs and causing people to abandon family life
o Working people are not doing their jobs
o Monks and nuns returned to lay life and subjected to taxes
o Buildings destroyed and the land taken back
meditation school of chinese buddhism
· The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
o Suffered extreme poverty after his father’s death
o Heard of people visiting the Fifth Patriarch and decides to do the same
o Was sent to work in the threshing room
o Patriarch asks each disciple to write a verse explaining the original nature
§ Head monk writes in the corridor about the bodhi tree and mirror
§ Patriarch thinks it will help deluded ones remain good
§ Shows head monk has reached the gate of true understanding of the cardinal meaning
o Boy overhears the verse being recited and asks to be taken to see the verse
§ Immediately understands the cardinal meaning
§ “bodhi tree is originally not a tree”
§ He is made the sixth patriarch is secret
o People try to kill him for his dharma
o Preaches the synchronicity of meditation and wisdom
§ Samadhi is a direct mind at all times
§ There is no stop to successive thoughts
§ True Reality is the substance of thoughts
§ There is constancy of self nature
§ We must avoid delusion or falsehood of the mind
§ We should turn the Lotus with our minds
nestorian stele
o Refers to Christianity as the Religion of Light
o Lord of the Void contains 3 bodies and died for our sins
o The first people were led into sin by the devil
o Every seven days there is an audience with heaven
o Monasteries were established and churches built
o Good conscience, stillness, and compassion lead us to cultivation
o Many emperors followed this religion
chinese christian sutras
o Messiah is orbited by the Buddhas
o God is like a wind leading us to a place of contentment and great bliss
o Our sins are the result of Adam and Eve’s karma
o Must honor God, the emperor, and your parents in that order
o Handicaps are the result of previous karma
o Mo Yan became pregnant by the Cool Breeze and gave birth to Ye Su
§ He began teaching at age 12
§ Was baptized by the Brother
§ He became famous and was killed by nonbelievers
§ Refers to the apostles as the dharma kings
babylonian talmud
· Be patient in rendering decisions, bring forth many disciples, and place a fence around the Torah
· Let they house be a meeting place of scholars
o Scholars should be cautious of their words
o He who increases words causes sin
o An ignorant man cannot be pious
· Do not make prayer a routine but pray with supplication and passion
· Fear of sin should always be placed above wisdom
· Tradition is a fence around the law
· Listing of the types of man and types of temperament
· Do not turn away from the Torah, because everything you need is found within it
· Do not do any unnecessary work before the Sabbath begins
· Deeds of loving kindness are more meaningful then charity
o The law of the Torah is a law of kindness
o Basically every criminal is acquitted
o Though a person pays for injury, he is not forgiven until he begs for forgiveness
· Resurrection is inferred in the Bible
Hadith – Ibn al-Hajjaj
NAWR 170-179
· Your mother is most deserving of praise, followed by your father and your closest relatives
o We should always accord benevolent treatment to our parents
o Sons should treat kindly the loved ones of his father
· Vice rankles the mind
· It is not lawful for a Muslin to estrange himself from a brother for more than 3 days
o Do not nurse a grudge or any other aversion
o Do not cut off mutual relations
o We should have mutual love for Allah’s sake
· He who visits the sick resides in Paradise
o We find God within the sick and less fortunate
o Brings us nearer to God
· Oppression is unlawful
o The first among you and the last among you are equal in God’s eyes
· Do not take heed of allegorical interpretations but stick to what the Lord has given you
· Do not argue or dispute the meaning of the book
o Recite the quran only when there is no variance in your heart
· If knowledge was taken by God, calamity would ensue
o Ignorance leads to bloodshed on a large scale
Hadith – Bukhari
CP 34
· Muhammad dreads God more than we fear him, as he has more responsibility
· Do not become overpowered by religion
· Faith is believing in God and his angels
o Islam is worshipping properly and paying the tax
o Goodness is worshiping as if you see God
· Greatest sins are idolatry, killing your child, and adultery
· Seeking of knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim
· God takes away knowledge by calling back the scholars
The Decisive Treatise – Ibn Rushd
· Wants to study whether philosophy is allowed by Islamic Law
o Law commands philosophy and all Muslims are obligated to study it
o We should learn logic from ancient philosophers despite their being nonbelievers
· Demonstrative truth and scriptural truth cannot conflict
o We must interpret scripture until it makes sense in the world
· True Science is knowledge from God
· Scripture teaches both directly and through symbols
o Mostly literal, as it is meant to teach the masses
o Allegorical texts are meant to only be understood by the elite through demonstration
§ Masses should take these passages at their inherent meaning
§ The elite should not confuse the masses with allegorical interpretations
§ We are responsible for the souls we summon to disbelief
§ We must preserve the faith of the common man lest he perish
o As the doctor is to health, so the Legislator is to souls
o We should teach about Islam according to the Qur’an
§ All mastery is contained within this Book
o Philosophy is a friend of religion
Deliverance from Error – Al Ghazali
· Every group of people thinks they possess the correct religious philosophy
· The religion of children is an accident inflicted upon them by their parents
· Certitude is contained in things impregnable to doubt (3 is less than 10)
o Cannot fully trust the evidence of our senses
o We also cannot trust visions or dreams
· Different Kinds of Seekers of Truth
o Kalam seeks to preserve the purity of orthodox beliefs
§ Hold to the decisions and traditions of the Qur’an
o Philosophy is full of contradictions and deception
· Concerning Philosophical Sects
o Materialists
§ Atheists who reject the Creator and his Creation
o Naturalists
§ Admit the existence of a creator
§ Deny immortality of the soul and concept of resurrection
o Theists
§ Exposed the other 2 schools with unholy arguments
· Divisions of Philosophical Sciences
o Mathematics
§ The solidity of mathematics leads people to doubt uncertain religious doctrine
§ Or they condemn all exact sciences in the name of religion
o Logic
§ Religion cannot be subdivided in the way typical of logicians
§ Leads them to irreligion
o Physics
§ Is fine as long as it is acknowledged that all science is subject to God
o Metaphysics
§ Denies resurrection of the body
§ Eternal life is only spiritual
o Political Science
§ Should model society based on God’s theories given through the prophets
o Moral Philosophy
§ Many reject basic moral teachings because they come from Christians
· Sufism
o Drunkenness metaphor
o Led al-Ghazali to forsake his riches and live an ascetic life
§ God made him mute to end his temptation to teach
§ Meditated after leaving his city
§ Called back by family matters
o Seeks a state of ecstasy and an extreme of qualities
· Reality of Inspiration/Prophecy
o Humans have the ability to perceive and discriminate our sensations
o We should only have an anxiety to please God
o Prophets are doctors of our hearts
o We should only teach so others may find God, not for the sake of our own glory
· Lukewarmness of Faith
o Some say the most learned of men do not pray, so why should I
o Sufis may believe they have already reached the highest stage of worship
o May believe he has already grasped the true meaning of philosophy
Gelasius I on Spiritual and Temporal Power
· The power of priests is more weighty than that of the emperor
o Responsible for the emperor’s soul
o Emperor should subordinate himself to those of the religious order
· Emperors should obey their own laws
o All people should give devotion to the church
On the Divine Images – John of Damascus
· It is seen in scripture that God forbids the making of his Image, and any attempt to do so is considered idolatry
· It is impossible to make an image of the inconceivable God
o This was told to the Jews because of their proneness to idolatry
o We are no longer in need of warnings against such falsehoods
· Because God emptied himself to take on the form of substance, you can draw his human image
o Basically, you can draw Jesus, but not necessarily the Word
· Icons are part of God’s creation, so must be willed by him
· Corporeal models give us understanding of intangible things
· Symbols are also images
o Such as the words of the Bible or Aaron’s serpent
· We should honor the matter that wrought our salvation
God cannot make anything despicable
Iconoclastic Council
· Seventh Ecumenical Synod
o Rejected and removed every image within the Christian churches
o Holy vessels cannot be destroyed, even if they have images
§ No person should rob the church under the pretext of destroying images
o No images of Jesus or the Trinity
o No images of the Saints
· Second Council of Nicaea
o Allow images of the live saving Cross
o Holy images should be made depicting Jesus, the angels, and the saints
o We should include these images in our churches and on our vestments
o Honor given to the image passes on to the person
Popes and the Carolingian Kings
· Pope Gregory II – Appeal to Charles Martel
o Asks him to defend the Church and its chosen people
o Persecution of the Lombards
o Promises favor from the prince of the apostles (Jesus)
· Annals of Lorsch – The pope makes the Carolingian Kings
o Anointed Bonifacc with the holy oils in France
· The Coronation of Charlemagne
o The Christian people wanted Charlemagne to be made king
o Consecrated by Pope Leo
o He accepted very humbly
Donation of Constantine
· A forgery
· Basically gives all the power to the Pope
o Credits Sylvester with teaching him the ways of Christianity
o Offers Eastern Church authority to a Western pontiff
o Makes the pope a pseudo state leader
Wang Anshi
· Day by day the resources of the empire become more exhausted
· Present body of law does not accord with the government of the ancient kings
o We should always follow their general intent
· Most urgent need is to secure capable men
o Men are not properly cultivated
o Their educations are not applicable to government and they do not learn the rites
o Officials should be given a trial period to work
§ Not bogged down in their work by legal regulations
· Memorization should not be the soul of the official test
· It is not possible to have good government if officials are bound by many regulations
zhu xi
· Principle and Material Force
o Principle (li) has no corporeal form and resides in everything on the planet
§ Is completely pure
§ Adheres to material force and is prior to it
§ Refers to the Way and is eternal
o Material force (qi) is corporeal and contains the principle
§ Coarse and imperfect
§ Nourishes and develops all things
§ Principle can be affected by qi, causing it to change from person to person
o Supreme Ultimate is the principle of the highest good
§ Everything has potential for the supreme ultimate
· Human Nature vs. Nature of Things
o The fusion of principle with material force produces changes and inequalities
o People are similar in li but different in qi
o Humaneness, rightness, and decorum come from our principle
§ Humans receive more complete principle in this regard
· Buddhism
o Buddhists do not show affections in the Five Moral Relationships
o Buddhists view nature as empty
o The mind is for the acquisition of principle
§ Buddhists recognize this merely as nature
· The Great Learning
o Luminous virtue comes from Heaven and is the most complete principle
§ Can become obscured by physical endowments (qi)
§ Equal to reaching the point of utmost good
§ Knowing where to rest is the beginning, getting there is the end
§ Filiality between families leads to state filiality and overall luminous virtue
o Depends on our intention and the extension of our knowing
§ Lies in the investigation of thing
§ Will reach integral comprehension after much work
o Our virtue can lead others by example
o We must avoid self-deception and the private practice of evil
· Proclamation of Instructions
o We should encourage filiality and honor the government
o We should preserve resources and keep watch over each other
o Respect the rights surrounding marriage and be kind to others in the area
o Ministers should be chiefly concerned with controlling themselves
o Honor the dead within your resources
o Buddhism and fornication are outlawed
Augustine to Count Boniface and Faustus the Manichean
CP 55-59
· Count Boniface
o It is not impossible for men to please God while engaged in military service
§ David and Peter were soldiers
§ He did not forbid it when he advised soldiers to be content with their pay
o Praying is a form of battle against the devil
o Should not employ a gift of god against god
o Peace should be the object of your desire, war a mere necessity
§ Let necessity and not your will slay your enemies
· Reply to Faustus the Manichean
o Some actions can only be praised when required
o Abraham killing his son is bad, but doing it because god said so is compliance
o The real evils of war are love of violence
§ We should pay our taxes so that we may be protected and soldiers payed
o Soldiers are blameless in obedience to their kings
o Witnesses, martyrs, and saints are the ultimate soldiers of God
§ Show how desirable the kingdom of heaven is
§ Christian war triumphs over paganism prove God is okay with war
o Injustice a real evil of war
§ Disturbs God’s natural order
§ “whatever is good is so by divine blessing, whatever is bad is so by divine judgement”
Summa Theologica – Thomas Aquinas
· Whether it is always sinful to wage war
o Just war must be declared by a supreme authority, have a just cause, and a rightful intention
§ Authority serves the weal of the common wealth and is God’s minister
§ Passion for inflicting harm, lust for vengeance are rightly condemned in war
o War can be necessary for the common good
o We may go to war so that we have peace
· Whether it is lawful to kill the innocent
o It is unlawful to kill any man, as all men are of God’s creation
o Slaying of a sinner becomes lawful when it is for the common good
o Abraham was in the right, as God commanded the killing of an innocent
§ Obedience to God outweighs all other laws
o Slaying an innocent person harms the greater good
o Judges do not sin if they sentence a innocent man on sound evidence
· Whether it is lawful to kill in self defense
o It is lawful to defend one’s life and one’s own house
o The intention is self-defense and the death is a byproduct of that intention
§ Serves the public good
§ Is not okay in cases of vengeful spite
Qur’an on Warfare – Muhammad
· Bear with patience because patience comes solely from God
· Those who are attacked are permitted to take up arms when wronged
o Prevents destruction of holy sites and monuments
· Fighting has been ordained for you though it is hard for you
o Persecution is worse than killing
o One should never overstep the limits
· Fight the People of the Book and other nonbelievers
o Allow those who submit and agree to pay taxes live
Hadith on Jihad – Ibn al-Hajjaj
· Chapter 1 – Permission to Make a Raid
o In the early days of Islam, it was customary to allow aggressors to convert before fighting began
· Chapter 2 – Appointment of Leaders
o Leaders of armies were especially exhorted to obey Allah
o Invite them to accept Islam, migrate to another land, or join the Muslim army
§ If they do any of these do not fight them
§ If they refuse to pay taxes, fight them
· Chapter 6 – One Should Not Desire an Encounter with the enemy
o But when it happens, be firm
o Pray to Allah to grant you security
· Chapter 8 and 9
o Muhammad disapproves of killing women and children
o Permissible if done by accident in the night
· Chapter 10 – Justification for Cutting Down Trees
o Allows Allah to disgrace the evil doers
· Chapter 18 – Spoils of war
o Allah made booty lawful for them
· Women need not fight alongside men
The Pact of Umar
· Pact between Caliph Umar and the Christians of this area
· Cannot build any new churches or pray in public
· Must be hospitable toward Muslim travelers
· Cannot teach your children the Qur’an or write in Arabic
· Cannot stop our kids from converting to Islam
· Will not outdo or try to resemble Muslims
· Cannot bury our dead near Muslims
· Cannot strike a Muslim
Apology before the Caliph Mahdi – Patriarch Timothy
· Caliph is described as being sweet and benevolent
· Gospel was written by the Holy Spirit through the 4 Apostles
o Like the Qur’an coming from God through Muhammad
· Muhammad is worthy of praise as he was godly and like a prophet
· One God is constituted by God the Head, the word, and the Spirit
o Three persons in one godhead
o Three is a complete and perfect number
§ Caliph argues that 3 implies plurality
· The Prophet does not speak of this in order to protect those who are prone to polytheism
o Referred to in a veiled and symbolic way
· Humans are living, rational, and mortal beings
o God must also have 3 traits if we were made in his image
o God is Fatherhood, Filiation, and procession
· No explanation of God can ever be perfect
o We must introduce division because we are human
o No one can know God except the Spirit of God
o We use bodily metaphors because we have bodies
· Caliph postulates that the Word and Spirit are creatures of God
o Cannot be so, since the Word and Spirit were utilized in Creation
o Are incorporeal and radiate eternally from God
o Just as a king’s sons are not servants, neither are these
§ Obedience to God’s command does not equal servitude
· But Christ died, how can God die
o He merely appeared to die
o Mortal, human nature passed on when his incorporeal form was raised up
· Pearl metaphor
o We are all searching for a pearl on the floor of a dark house at night
o We all strive to pick it up, and every one thinks they have it
o Not until we extend our hands toward the light will we know who truly has the pearl
§ Pearl represents true faith in our midst
§ We all wish to possess it and think we do
§ Just as the luster of the pearl can be seen in the dark, so can rays of true faith shine in the present world through our good deeds and God’s scriptures
o May the Muslims and Christians share the finding of the pearl \n \n
Letters to Muslim Rulers – Patriarch Nicholas I Mysticus
· Authorities should foster friendship because of their mutual power, which comes from God
· There are two lordships of Earth
o Christian and Muslim Rulers
o Should not be alien to each other
· Though separated by a wall of worship, friendship elevates the human nature
Speech at the Council of Clermont – Pope Urban II
CP 73-78
· Fulcher of Chartes’ Account
o God has put you all over your families as ministers
o You are called to be shepherds
o We must act as salt for the earth
§ Only modest, faithful men can lead others to godliness
§ Correct yourselves so you may correct those subject to you
§ Keep the church and clergy and use tithes properly
o Keep the truce of peace within each diocese
o Brethren in the east have been attacked by the Turks and Arabs
§ Killed Christians and destroyed churches
§ All who die fighting will have immediate remission of sins
§ Instead of unjustly fighting the faithful, kill the barbarians
· The Gesta Version
o Many wished to take up their cross and take up their way to the Holy Sepulchre
o Anyone who wishes to save his soul should go
§ Divine mercy will provide funds
· Robert the Monk
o Persians have attacked Jerusalem, Christians are captive in their own country
§ Destroyed churches
§ Appropriated our rites
§ Let the possession of land by the unclean incite you to battle
o Do not be hindered by family or possessions
§ Liberation of the city will provide remission of sins
§ “It is the will of God”
o Not required by the feeble or old
· Balderic of Dol
o Christian brothers are oppressed and subjected to servitude
§ Christian religion is shut out of the hall of God
§ Pollution of paganism has entered Jerusalem
o Reclaim your knighthood is the East
o East fostered early Christianity
o You will get spoils of war
§ Do not be held back by the guiles of our wives
Deeds of God Through the Franks – Guibert de Nogent
· Pope Urban, named Odo, was the first French pope
o Pope Urban called on the French to battle against the Turks
o Many men came to see the Pope
· If the Maccabees were deserving of praise, so are you
· Consider with the utmost care if God is calling you to restore the faith
· Christians are forced to pay extreme taxes ad are tortured for money
· Count Robert of Normandy and two others laid siege to the city of Jerusalem
o Ambushed and broke through the walls of the city
o Went in a killed everyone
o Stole booty from the city
o Killed women along with men
§ Some jumped off buildings to avoid slaughter
§ Others were forced to move corpses before being killed themselves
§ Some, who lives were spared, were killed later after the Franks changed their minds
Fall of Jerusalem – Ibn al-Athir
· Many Egyptians payed large sums of money for their freedom
· Jerusalem was under siege before being pillaged for a week
o Entire Gentile population was put to the sword
o Some were granted their lives after surrendering
o Led to a large refugee crisis
· Poem
o So much blood there is no room for tears
o We cannot slumber as there is no shade of safety
o The pure has been defiled
o No man can remain inactive in this time of war
o We cannot shut our eyes to dishonor
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