Religion and Theology

Western civilization was formed from four distinct traditions the Graeco-Roman culture, Christianity, the Reformation and Enlightenment movements, and the Industrial Revolution. Perhaps, among the four traditions, Christianity is the most pervasive and dramatic force of Western culture. Indeed, as Huntington argued, Christianity is perhaps the heart of Western civilization. Christianity institutionalized the sanctity of the individual believer and promoted the idea of a universal church. The individual is not simply a living entity  he is a being who possessed spirit, body, and soul. In short, the individual is first and foremost the object of Gods love. Guided by Christian fidelity, the Church instructed the nations of Europe to respect and obey Gods commandments, to refrain from wars, and to recognize a common heritage. As Toynbee correctly observes Christianity has one universal message  One Faith, One Church, and One Emperor. To this day, this Euro-Christian unity is still pervasive especially in Catholic countries (some scholars argued that the European Union was an offspring of this Euro-Christian unity). Christianity also promoted the Church-state divide. The Church called for submission to an authority higher than secular rulers. This idea evolved into a new idea the separation of powers. The Church might have opposed the separation of the state and the church, but unconsciously promoted the idea of the political-religious divide.

The Graeco-Roman tradition owes its existence from the Christian religion. After the fall of Rome, Europe descended into anarchy. Warring kingdoms fought for control over the former territories of the Roman Empire. If not for the Church, the Graeco-Roman tradition would have been completely lost. Under the guidance of Pope Gregory the Great, the Church preserved Roman and Greek manuscripts and sought to convert the warring barbarians into the Christian faith.

The victory of Constantine the Great at Milvian Bridge over his rival marked the birth of a Christian Empire. Constantines preoccupation with the Christian religion forced the eradication of paganism in the Empire. For the first time in history, Christianity had become the unifying force in Europe, hence the term Christendom. The Church institutionalized Christianity, gave it an immediate and recognizable form, and sought to extend its influence in other parts of Europe.

Western politics, law, and literature has had been shaped by Christian tradition. Christianity provided the common dictums for instructions and complemented secular ideas. This synthesis of ideas led to a revival of the Graeco-Roman tradition.  As a result, the Church founded centers of learning, monasteries, and universities to develop what had been lost.

Philosophy is often called the handmaid of theology. Christianity enhanced and extended Greek and Roman philosophy. St. Thomas Aquinas revived Aristotelianism and gave it a Christian color. This synthesis had several implications in the fields of science, law, art, and literature. In science, empiricism had become the rule of thumb of inquiry. In law, the study of the Canon law formed the foundation of modern legal scholarship. In art and literature, Christianity influenced the development of the Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque tradition.

In sum, Christianity is the definitive force of Western civilization. It defines the political, cultural, moral, and legal history of Western thought.

The Theology of St. Augustine
For almost 100 years, Augustines philosophy formed the basis of Christian faith. Augustine is credited for having developed the concept of original sin. The concept of original sin is crucial in the development of Christian faith because it expounded the necessity of salvation.

His comments on the book of Genesis are commendable. He argued that the six-day creation is a structured framework of faith  a spiritual rather than physical manifestation of the Divine essence.  Adam and Eve, the forebears of man, are created mortals prior to the fall. However, according to him, man shares in Gods sovereignty in creation. When God said Let us create man in our own image (Book of Genesis), God intended man to be the co-steward of creation. Man, therefore, according to Augustine, is the ultimate expression of Gods magnanimity and love.

Augustines defense of the dual nature of Christ is a central point of Western Christianity. He argued that Christ is both man and God. In order to serve humanity, Christ must be human, able to share in humanitys fragile nature. However, Christ is also part of the Godhead. His divinity is the reason why man is created. As Augustine argues God is not an arrogant expression of power, He is good, justice, humility, and love.

Another important theme in Augustines theology is the concept of physical distance. God is outside the bounds of time  yet an active force in history. God is not part of creation  yet the formal substance of creation. Because God is outside the material world, His existence is distinct from mans existence. It would be an underestimate to say that God is a non-corporeal being  God is a Spirit who cannot be found in the physical world. However, because of His infinite love for humanity, God is active in history. As Michael Schmaus argues The entire history is God revealing itself to humanity, a progression directed to mans salvation.