"Ethos" and "Logos": A Second-Century Debate Between “Pagan” and Christian Philosophers

This essay analyses the most significant sources—some overlooked so far—on the debate on ethos and logos that was lively between “pagan” and Christian philosophers in the second century ce. Epictetus’s attribution of a behaviour based on ethos to the Christians should not be regarded as utterly nega...

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1. VerfasserIn: Ramelli, Ilaria 1973- (VerfasserIn)
Medienart: Elektronisch Aufsatz
Sprache:Englisch
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Veröffentlicht: Brill 2015
In: Vigiliae Christianae
Jahr: 2015, Band: 69, Heft: 2, Seiten: 123-156
RelBib Classification:KAB Kirchengeschichte 30-500; Frühchristentum
NBF Christologie
NCA Ethik
VA Philosophie
weitere Schlagwörter:B Ethos logos Epictetus Musonius Lucian Galen Celsus Marcus Aurelius Montanism Syriac apology to Marcus Aurelius Justin Bardaisan Clement of Alexandria Origen Gregory Nazianzen Logos theology
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Zusammenfassung:This essay analyses the most significant sources—some overlooked so far—on the debate on ethos and logos that was lively between “pagan” and Christian philosophers in the second century ce. Epictetus’s attribution of a behaviour based on ethos to the Christians should not be regarded as utterly negative, but should rather be connected with his teacher Musonius’s high appreciation of ethos, even over logos. Marcus Aurelius’s and Celsus’s negative attitude toward Christianity as an obstinate, irrational habit can be explained by the possible influence of Montanism, while the Syriac apology to Marcus ascribed to Melito reacts to anti-Christian accusations of irrationality by attaching logos to the Christians and a behaviour based on a bad ethos to “paganism”—the same as was done by Clement of Alexandria, one of the Christian intellectuals most committed to demonstrating the rationality of Christian belief. Literary problems related to the apology are tackled, and parallels are pointed out with both Justin and Bardaisan, two other Christian Platonists who attempted to construe Christianity as philosophy.
ISSN:1570-0720
Enthält:In: Vigiliae Christianae
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15700720-12341205