[net.religion] The Gillette Challenge/Tertullian's razor

wkp@lanl-a.UUCP (10/12/84)

Jeff Gillette has suggested that we listen to Tertullian in support 
of his thesis that the early Church repudiated pagan teaching in favor
of "the porch of Solomon."
 
As an education to those who are not aware of the non-Jewish trappings
of the later Church (approx. 200 CE), it is probably worthwhile to
listen to some more words from the triumphant Father of the Church
(Tertullian) himself.  I quote from Chap. 29 in _De Spectaculis_:

     Our faith offers us so much more and something so much stronger
     [than public spectacles].  We have martyrs instead of athletes.
     If we crave blood, we have the blood of Christ...But think what
     awaits us on the day of his triumph!

     ...Yes, and there are still to come other spectacles--that last,
     that eternal Day of Judgment, that Day which the Gentiles never
     believed would come, that Day they laughed at, when this old
     world and all its generations shall be consumed in one fire.
     How vast the spectacle that day, and how wide!  What sight shall
     wake my wonder, what my laughter, my joy and exultation.... 

     And the magistrates who persecuted the name of Jesus, liquefying
     in fiercer flames than they kindled in their rage against the
     Christians!  Those sages, too, the philosophers blushing before
     their disciples as they blaze together...And then, the poets    
     trembling before the judgment seat...of Christ, whom they
     never looked to see!

     And then there will be the tragic actors to be heard, more
     vocal in their own tragedy; and the players to be seen,
     lither of limb by far in the fire; and then the charioteer
     to watch, read all over in the wheel of flame; and, next,
     the athletes to be gazed upon, not in their gymnasiums but
     hurled in the fire....
     
     Such sights, such exultation--what praeter, consul, quaestor,
     priest, will ever give you of his bounty?  And yet all these,
     in some sort, are ours, pictured through faith in...the spirit.
     But what are those things...?  Things of greater joy than
     circus, theater, or ampitheater, or any stadium, I believe.

                   [end quote]
 
So much for the "porch of Solomon"!                        

                                           bill peter
                                           los alamos (wkp@lanl)

yiri@ucf-cs.UUCP (Yirmiyahu BenDavid) (10/14/84)

Fine piece of work! My compliments.