Philosophy, Rhetoric and Catholicism

[MysticMissMisty]

Hello.

I was just reading 1 Corinthians 1 and was struck by the fact that Paul seems there to speak against or at least to diminish the role that both philosophy and rhetoric should play within Christianity.

He states, among other things, that the use of human rhetorical skill empties the Gospel of its power. He also speaks against the power of human wisdom by stating that God saw fit to confound the wise by the simplicity of the Gospel. Paul, indeed, states that he simply preaches Christ crucified (implicitly with nothing more philosophically or rhetorically complex than that.). Elsewhere, Paul seems to condemn philosophy outright, seemingly stating that engaging in it only leads to the ruin of Christians through, among other things, leading to a puffed-up nature/opinion of oneself.

So, then, why, exactly has and does the Catholic Church embrace both philosophy and rhetorical training within the Christian context? Does this not run counter to the teaching of the Holy Spirit through Paul?

Thanks.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

After reading 1 Cor. 1 and 2, I gather that St. Paul is referring to what we today would call rationalism and skepticism.

 

[Beryllos]

Some truths are sensed in the heart rather than the mind.

 

[ontheway1]

So, then, why, exactly has and does the Catholic Church embrace both philosophy and rhetorical training within the Christian context? Does this not run counter to the teaching of the Holy Spirit through Paul?

Pual would probably have no problem debating faith with philosophers. In his letters he is addressing people who lack the knowledge and discipline of a philosphical argument, so he is probably instructing the flock not to engage in discussions based on opinions, with people who may also have strong opinions or feelings. Sort of, like the response I just gave you now.

 

[rom]

I was just reading 1 Corinthians 1 and was struck by the fact that Paul seems there to speak against or at least to diminish the role that both philosophy and rhetoric should play within Christianity.

Be careful how you read Holy Scripture. Words are sometimes used to mean the exact opposite of what the words literally mean. For example, in 1 Cor 1:25, St. Paul said, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Clearly, he was not speaking of God’s “foolishness,” but of His wisdom. And he was not really talking about God’s “weakness,” but about His strength. So, when you read in 1 Cor 1:19: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,” what is being referred to is not the wisdom of the philosophers, but the sophistry of the fools. For there were many people during the time of St. Paul who used apparently sound, but actually faulty arguments to deceive the untrained, and these people were called sophists. They were the exact opposite of true philosophers. St. Paul was not trying to diminish the role of philosophy; he was trying to destroy the influence of sophistry in understanding Christianity.