Author: Rev. Prof. Sorin Cosma (Caransebeș Faculty of Orthodox Theology)
Keywords: Greek world, Antiquity, Church Fathers, anthropology, sophrosyne
Abstract:
Classical anthropology, both Greek and Christian manage to develop a system and coherence of thought (philosophical, theological and so on) unequalled until today. This is because their thinking resonated less with human inspiration and more with the divine (be it in a dualistic or pantheistic manner in the Greek world or in the theandric way in Christian theology); also, because their ideals were concerned less with this life and more with the other. These common features were very important in the making of the new Christian world and Church. The meaning of temperance Sophrosyne was finally clarified and deepened through the Christian Gospel and theology; simply because Christians were thinking and working with God’s help or grace. Temperance and its corelative terms and their implication constitute the subject of this study. The subject is accompanied by numerous fragments from the classical authors, Christian and pagan, in order to exemplify its sense. Indirectly, the article is an answer to the contemporary nihilistic culture, to the post-modern theories of everything and nothing and to the self-permissive freedom, which, having no bounds, tends to lead everything to anarchy.
Pages: 68-109