Bettenson's Documents

Today’s reading is an alternative view to that of Justin, who held that Christians could embrace whatever was true within Greek philosophy. Tertullian is not arguing against “all truth is God’s truth.” His focus is on the mischief caused by philosophical speculation, particularly that which feeds the oppositional thinking of heretics. To Tertullian it is no accident that heretics and philosophers are interested in the same questions, and whereas philosophers, he complains, never provide answers, heretics draw heterodox conclusions to the questions raised by philosophers. But this is no mere rant employing guilt by association. Tertullian is making the important point that syncretism must be abandoned because it adulterates the more profound truths of the gospel message. It is special revelation in Christ and in the apostolic teaching, not the product of dialectic, that delineates Christian doctrine.

It was not my intention to provide a paraphrase for every entry of Bettenson. I hope to get back to reactions and comments to the historic texts, but for now it has seemed important to bring the translations up to date. The exercise seems to be good for me, however, as long as my readers understand I am striving more for the devotional value of the readings rather than for a scholarly and critical reading. But I do think you will find my paraphrases easier to understand than Bettenson’s original translations.

I also wonder what in the world Bettenson was thinking when he labeled Justin’s view of Greek philosophy as the ‘liberal” view, and calls Tertullian’s the “negative” view. Such designations are so misleading for these readings that I wondered for a moment if Bettenson actually read these selections. Taken in context their views do not contradict one another’s, although I have no interest in establishing a harmony of church fathers. There are plenty of illustrations in which fathers contradict one another, as Luther rightly pointed out. Still, in what sense does Bettenson mean liberal and negative?

Following is my paraphrase of today’s selection.

Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus (Tertullian), On the Prescription of the Heretics 7
“It is philosophy that informs the world’s wisdom. Yes, philosophy–that careless interpreter of God and what he has created. Now consider heresies. Aren’t heresies suggested by philosophy? Take the system devised by the gnostic Valentinus (100-160)with its ‘aeons’ and ‘forms’ and ‘trinity of man’ notions. All taken right out of Platonism. Marcion’s heresy has its locus in Stoicism with its idea of a ‘better god’ who is better by virtue of his ‘tranquility’. And how about these persons who teach that the soul perishes? This is taken straight from the Epicureans. And on it goes: Philosophers all teach that resurrection is poppycock; the stoic Zeno taught that matter is equated to God; Heraclitus pops up whenever there is talk about a god of fire.

“So heretics and philosophers address the same subjects in the same way. Do you see how heretics and philosophers always seem to carry on about the same topics? ‘Where did evil come from? Why evil? Where did man come from, and how did he come to be?’ Then it gets really ridiculous with someone like Valentinus. He wants to know ‘where does God come from?’ And he answers the question! ‘He comes from enthymesis and ectroma’!

“That wretched Aristotle! Blast him for teaching them dialectic–that art of building up and tearing down, so chameleon in stating the issues, so wildly speculative, so stubborn when there is a real difference of opinion, so good at creating arguments. They make themselves look ridiculous because they are always stirring up questions but never providing any answers. I ask you, what do Athens and Jerusalem have in common? (Nothing.) What does Plato’s Academy have to do with Christ’s church? (Again, nothing.) What do heretics and Christians have in common? (You know the answer.)

“To hell with all these projects to create a ‘Stoic’ or ‘Platonic’ or ‘dialectic’ Christianity! Jesus Christ has cured us of the addiction to subtle theories, and the gospel renders all mind-numbing conjectures useless.”