tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post1833358054243833567..comments2024-03-28T10:44:30.518-06:00Comments on American Creation: Xenophanes and MadisonBrad Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-6250729578142310972010-04-08T20:41:30.076-06:002010-04-08T20:41:30.076-06:00Interesting post. And full of unanswered question...Interesting post. And full of unanswered questions. Which is to say, a possible beginning for a very interesting study.<br /><br />It gets tangled because, around the time of Aquinas, Greek pagan influences re-shaped Christian theology. The Renaissance was surrounded by push-back against the pagan influences (including overtly pagan art). Mostly it was the rich educated elites versus the uneducated traditionalist masses, but the traditionalists found some friends among the elites (at least friends who agreed that the pagan influence went too far).<br /><br />I would be careful about references to agnosticism among the Greek philosophers. There is too much about Greek paganism that we barely understand. Some of the pre-Socratics sound agnostic to our ears, but their agnosticism was part of an extreme skepticism about all knowledge. Later philosophers questioned the multiplicity of Gods, but continued to worship them. Keep in mind that the Greeks seemed to have no problem with play that made fun of the gods. Something is going on that is different from our approach to religion and to religious skepticism. Of course, more relevant to our inquiry is: how did the Founders understand them? and, why were they so attracted to them? I look forward to seeing where your explorations take you.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165084874363214919noreply@blogger.com