One of its first leaders was clement of alexandria a. Hermeneutics is a discipline that deals with biblical interpretation. Before there was the printed bible as we know it, scrolls and manuscript fragments were scattered from the east to the west, copied from earlier sources by scribes, or translated from material in different languages. Scripture hides its true meaning behind the literal words.
This kind of hermeneutics approaches the bible and looks at it in three levels. Cyril, are all to a greater or lesser extent infected with the predilection for allegory. Little is known lucian himself but from his influence came a more grammatical and historical method of interpreting scripture and doctrine. School of antioch part 1 what does it mean to say that the interpretive theories that were proposed at the school of antioch were generally created in opposition to the excesses of the alexandrian method of biblical interpretation or exegesis. We have tried to restrict our illustrations to a minimum, leaving that part of her. Lectures in the school of antioch saint mary coptic. The fame of the alexandrian school goes back to the exegetical approach started by lucian and dorotheus, in their struggle against gnosticism, arianism and appolinarianism kihn 1880. The alexandrian school the basics of philos approach to interpretation were continued in the christian school of interpretation, which developed in this same city. In its more moderate form it set the christological pattern for many centuries. The teachers and students of the school also known as the didascalium were influential in many of the early theological controversies of the christian church. The alexandrian theologians who followed him, from st. While the alexandrian school adopted the hypostasis union or the nature union of the. In antioch, during this same period, reigned the school of lucian. Alexandrian text by tommy wasserman the new testament came into being over a long period of time.
Any study of typology in recent days must account for allegory and elucidate if any distinction should be maintained between the two. This group was known by this name because the advocates of this tradition were based in the city of antioch, one of the major cities of the ancient roman empire. The two great schools of biblical interpretation in the early christian church incorporated neoplatonism and philosophical beliefs from platos teachings into christianity, and interpreted much of the bible allegorically. Alexandrian and antiochene fathers late church fathers middle ages 5901517 the reformation post reformation 15501800 modern era 1800present reading. Alexandria was a remarkable center of learning due to the blending of greek and oriental influences, its. Pdf historical survey of biblical interpretation ron j.
School of antioch, christian theological institution in syria, traditionally founded in about ad 200, that stressed the literal interpretation of the bible and the completeness of christs humanity, in opposition to the school of alexandria see alexandria, school of, which emphasized the. Commentary upon the gospel according to saint luke by. The interpretation of origen was a problem to earlier ages. He believed that the bible contained different levels of meaning in order to make the scriptures relevant to.
The catechetical school of alexandria was a school of christian theologians and priests in alexandria. He was a bible teacher in the town of his birth, alexandria, and then later, he established a bible school in caesarea. Philo compares the literal sense of scripture to the shadow which the body casts, finding its authentic, profounder truth in the spiritual meaning. Scholarius, the first patriarch of constantinople under the turks, made his own synthesis. Before there was the printed bible as we know it, scrolls and manuscript fragments were scattered from the east to the west, copied from earlier sources by scribes. Under its earliest known leaders pantaenus, clement, and origen, it became a leading centre of the allegorical method of biblical interpretation, espoused a rapprochement between greek culture and christian faith, and attempted to assert orthodox christian. Alexandrian school interpreted the holy scripture according to the allegorical method of exegesis, which had long been used by the greek philosophers for interpreting the poets. Jewish scholars such as the religious philosopher philo also adopted it. The school of antioch came on the scene comparatively late. The school of alexandria and the use of allegorical method by. This school includes clement of alexandria, origin, jerome and augustine.
The metaphor of marriage in hosea leif fredheim go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the lord hosea 1. The catechetical school in alexandria has delivered a number of prolific scholars and writers during the first centuries of the common era, up to its demise by the end of the 4th century. The struggle to determine whether the text could or should be read literally or figuratively led origen. However, allegorical interpretations had also entered biblical understanding with the alexandrian school of thought. The notion that there existed a distinction between socalled alexandrian and antiochene exegesis in the ancient church has become a common assumption among theologians. Jewish scholars such as the religious philosopher philo also adopted it for the interpretation of the old testament to. Rather, both alexandrian and antiochene theologians were expedient hermeneuts, meaning they utilized whichever exegetical practice allegory, typology, literal, historical that would supply them with their desired theology or interpretive conclusion. It was one of the two major centers of the study of biblical exegesis and theology during late antiquity, the other being the school.
Birthplaces of manuscript lines and a key to identifying gods word in acts, saul becomes paul vs. Patristic exegesis and theology westminster theological seminary. The division between alexandrian and antiochene schools is a modern artificial. Paragraph and chapter divisions are not inspired, but they do aid us in identifying thought units. The founder of bri also owns two businesses that may be a help to you. By far, the largest school was the museum, which was founded by ptolemy and became the most famous school in the east.
Aparticularlyblatant,andalmosthumorous,examplewillservetoillustrate the influence of this twoschools idea upon us. One must keep in mind that the antiochene school reacted against the alexandrian allegorical approach. Interpretation must move from a deductive approach of the whole to an inductive approach to the parts. Rees states, the most renowned intellectual institution in the early christian world was undoubtedly the catechetical school didascaleion of alexandria, and its primary concern was the study of the bible, giving its name to an influential tradition of scriptural interpretation. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1. The alexandrian school is a collective designation for certain tendencies in literature, philosophy, medicine, and the sciences that developed in the hellenistic cultural center of alexandria, egypt during the hellenistic and roman periods.
An unfortunate credit to lucians account was that two of his pupils would be among the foremost heretics in early church historyarius and eusebius of nicomedia. The alexandrian school of biblical interpretation was soon challenged by the leaders of antioch where the antiochene school of interpretation arose. Under its earliest known leaders pantaenus, clement, and origen, it became a leading centre of the allegorical method of biblical interpretation, espoused a rapprochement between greek culture and christian faith, and. The material has been, therefore, kept general, and individual instructors may make their own emphases. Therefore, this study guide commentary is designed to help the student analyze the structure of each literary unit by paragraphs.
School of alexandria institution, alexandria, egypt. The founders of the alexandrian school of christian theology. For this very reason, the biblical book of hosea has frustrated and intrigued scholars for over two millennia. Alexandrian school of interpretation, which often ignored the historical context and the plain sense meaning of a text. Clement accepted the allegorical method of plato and. Needless to comment, cyrils own interpretation of one of the gospels focuses a crucial eye on a major source for understanding early christianity. A large number of references from the alexandrian school of platonism in late antiquity.
Long before the establishment of christianity in alexandria, the city was famous for its many schools. He famously castrated himself so he could tutor women without suspicion, and he risked his life countless times in encouraging martyrs. The alexandrian school with its platonic emphasis was the popular school of its time. Fuller describes origens allegorical method of interpretation and asserts that it came directly from philo of alexandria and was. The coptic church was compelled to excommunicate him. They succeeded in arousing a considerable opposition to premillenarians of their days even if it was at the price of subverting not only the millennial doctrine but all other christian.
Some writers on hermeneutics devote considerable space to detailed exposition or illustrations. The basics of philos approach to interpretation were continued in the christian school of interpretation, which developed in this same city. Introduction to historical theology the patristic period c. The love of allegorical interpretation was characteristic. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1 many scholars attribute the problem of the christological formula concerning the nature of christ miaphysis and dyophyses to the controversy between the alexandrian and the antiochian theology. It was one of the two major centers of the study of biblical exegesis and theology. Allegorical interpretation was rejected by scholars in the protestant reformation. The founders of the alexandrian school of christian theology were clement of alexandria and origen. Make note of their respective leaders and methodologies.
The school of antioch versus the school of alexandria. The school of alexandria part i an introduction to the. Feb 18, 2014 unlike the alexandrian school, lucian was not keen on the allegorizing method of exegesis and preferred a much more literal interpretation. Alexandria was the secondmost important city in the roman empire, after rome itself. Clement accepted the allegorical method of plato and applied it to the nt scriptures. Antioch and alexandria are as diametrically opposed in character and in fruit as are god and satan, as are good trees and evil trees matt 7. The alexandrian school of theology which came into prominence about 300 a. An allegorical interpretation requires an extratextual grid or key, which is used to warrant an explanation. It soon became the political capital of egypt and a center of hellenistic culture, featuring one of the greatest libraries of the. Jul 19, 2011 alexandrian hermeneutics as popularized by origen, who was the student of and successor of clement, introduced the allegorical method of interpretation. The interpretation of the bible vii ix 3 8 17 28 39 52 63 73 83 92.
Indeed, neither school of interpretation sanctioned the practice of just one exegetical method. Antiochene methods of interpretation in the development of the christian church, the period lasting from the council of nicaea until the council of chalcedon in 451 is considered by some scholars to be the golden age of patristic exegesis. The main difference however is that the alexandrian school did not believe the literal interpretation was always correct or was even to be preferred, while the antiochene school sought to detail the common meaning of the text, unless spiritualizing was the obvious answer due to the intrinsic properties of the text in question. In the third century the alexandrian school, led by origen, the vehement opponent of millenarianism belief in a literal, future year millennium,6 developed a spiritual or allegorical approach to revelation that allowed them to avoid accepting a literal year reign of christ on the earth. In the 1959 edition of the encyclopedia britannica, a church historian writes that origen was the most distinguished and most influential of all the theologians of the ancient church, with the possible exception of augustine. The school of alexandria adopted the allegorical interpretation of the holy scripture, believing that it hides the truth. The patristic period is a vital point in the history of christianity since it contexturalizes the early christian information from the time of the death of the last apostle john which runs roughly about 100 a.
It was named for its founder, alexander the great, who built the city after his conquest of egypt 331 b. The alexandrian and antiochian christological thoughts1 many. Interpreting scripture according to the scriptures. The western writers say, where origen was good, no one is better, where he was bad, no one is worse9. This is a draft paper on allegorical hermeneutics, how it is being practice. The school of antioch was one of the two major centers of the study of biblical exegesis and theology during late antiquity. One of the earliest theologians of the church age was a man named origen who was born in the year a. As we look back on the early theologians of the church age, something of great significance surfaces. Complications arise with the notions of figural reading, allegorical interpretation or typological interpretation.
Indeed, neither school of interpretation sanctioned the practice of just one. Cyril represented the extremely influential alexandrian school of early christianity that gave the church much of the material that would lead eventually to the doctrine of the trinity. Because the bible is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice, lets study what the bible practice is regarding alexandria, egypt. Introduction to historical theology the patristic period. Philos method of interpretation, christianized it, giving it a christological and more spiritual understanding3. During the patristic era, the alexandrian and antiochene hermeneutics seem to have laid the history of the hermeneutics that we are using today. And with these kinds of hermeneutics we could draw out which one should be embraced by the church in relation to our. Philos method of interpretation, christianized it, giving it a christological and more spiritual. Origin in the third century had been largely responsible for introducing allegorical interpretation, the allegorical interpretation of scripture into the alexandrian church and that was always characteristic of the way in which it approached the bible and indeed the way it approached reality, the way of thinking, that the true reality what. It describes the cohesion between judaism and christianity and various. Clement of alexandria and philo represent two adherents to the alexandrian school, which believed that each word in the biblical text was chosen for a precise. Report first 75 pages of collateral reading from approved list. Allegorism was well established in alexandrian judaism, especially by philo, who made a systematic use of it to bridge the chasm between the old testament revelation and the platonic philosophy. Unlike the alexandrian school, lucian was not keen on the allegorizing method of exegesis and preferred a much more literal interpretation.
School of alexandria, the first christian institution of higher learning, founded in the mid2nd century ad in alexandria, egypt. While the alexandrian school adopted the hypostasis union or the nature. One of its influential teachers, clement, said there were five possible ways to interpret any passage of the bible. Pdf compare and contrast the theological schools of. Mar 17, 2004 origen of alexandria origen was a theologian, philosopher, and devoted christian of the alexandrian school.
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