When Athens Met Jerusalem: An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought

by John Mark Reynolds

IVP Academic

Since Classical education is one of the most popular approaches used by home educators, and especially Christian home educators, its foundational use of Greek thought has raised critical questions as to the conflict between "Athens and Jerusalem." The Greek philosophers are viewed by some as pagans to be shunned. Others see a development of thought and ideas through the Greek philosophers that formed a framework that made it possible for non-Jewish cultures at the time of Jesus and for centuries afterwards to understand the gospel.

John Mark Reynolds founded the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola University, a thoroughly Christian program that incorporates key elements of the Great Books/Classical approach to education. From the vantage point of his own personal studies of Plato as well as years of teaching, Reynolds has much to say about the connections between Athens and Jerusalem. He is clearly in the second camp as a proponent of the study of Greek philosphy.

In When Athens Met Jerusalem, Reynolds actually provides the reader with a short course in Greek philosophy. One of the most valuable aspects of his presentation lies in the way he walks the reader through the progression of ideas in a chronological fashion. He often mentions "current events" at the time to provide context and understanding. In end, the reader should be able to see how Greek thought actually prepared the mediterranean cultures for the coming of Jesus and the gospel message.

This is more than an academic issue. In our postmodern society, where truth is a debatable concept, the questions raised by the ancient philosophers often prove to be one of the few ways to engage in conversations about the reality of truth. Reynolds writes through a Christian lens, focusing primarily upon the questions that are most pertinent to our quest for ultimate truth. For example, he discusses Plato's cosmological ideas presented in Phaedo to demonstrate the shift away from the Homeric belief in the pantheon of gods. He talks about the "gods" being "servants of an even deeper Mind." The cosmos of Plato is rational rather than chaotic. "Plato's universe is the product of Mind; Homer's universe was not a product at all, but an accident"(p. 121).

In the final chapter, Reynolds advocates the value of a classical education as the vehicle for studying the books that informed the development of western civilization, not only for the sake of knowledge, but as a means to help us explore ways to address human problems, including the purpose of life.

When Athens Met Jerusalem targets an adult audience. Reynolds sometimes moves very quickly through forests of characters and ideas, and it might be easy to get lost among the ancients and their writings if you do not already have at least some exposure to works such as The Illiad, The Odyssey, and Plato's Republic. In my opinion, those most likely to benefit from this book are those tackling classical education but who lack a classical background themselves. Other Christians interested in apologetics and philosophy might also find this a valuable "survey" course in Greek thought or a framework within which they can read the Ancient Greeks with greater understanding.

Review posted August 2009.