THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1879

THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

ED. D. M. CANRIGHT.

GREAT POPULARITY OF THE ECLECTIC SCHOOL.

We will briefly notice how popular and extensive this school became. All agree that it acquired a wonderful degree of eminence, and soon extended itself over most of the Roman empire and eclipsed the glory of all other sects. To this effect writes Mosheim: “While the emperors and magistrates were striving to subvert the Christian commonwealth by means of laws and punishments, it was assailed with craft and subtilty, during this whole century, by the philosophers of the Ammonian school, who assumed the name of Platonists, extended their disciples over nearly all the Roman empire, and gradually obscured the glory of all other sects.” Again: “The school of Ammonius, the origin and dogmas of which have been already stated, gradually cast all others into the background. From Egypt it spread in a short time over nearly the whole Roman empire, and drew after it almost all persons inclined to attend to metaphysical studies. This prosperity of the sect was owing especially to Plotinus, the most distinguished disciple of Ammonius, a man of intellectual acumen, and formed by nature for abstruse investigation; for he taught first in Persia, and after ward at Rome and in Campania, to vast concourses of youth; and embodied his precepts in various books.” Says Enfield: “The pernicious influence of the Eclectic system, both upon opinions and manners, through many succeeding ages, will be seen in the sequel.”

Says Mosheim: “It is almost incredible what a number of pupils, in a short time, issued from the school of this man [Ammonius]. But among them no one is more celebrated than Porphyry, a Syrian, who spread over Sicily and many other countries the system of his master, enlarged with new discoveries and sedulously polished. At Alexandria, almost no other philosophy was publicly taught from the time of Ammonius down to the sixth century.”

The first step which was taken toward apostasy was attending the school and cultivating a taste for its philosophy. An eminent historian says: “Of these [changes] the most considerable and important are to be attributed to a taste for the cultivation of philosophy and human learning, which, during the preceding [first] century, if not altogether treated with neglect and contempt by the Christians, had at least been wisely kept under, and by no means permitted to blend itself with religion; but in the age of which we are now treating [the second century], burst forth on a sudden into a flame, and spread itself with the utmost rapidity throughout a considerable part of the church. This may be accounted for, in some measure, from its having been the practice of the many Greek philosophers, who, in the course of this century, were induced to embrace Christianity, not only to retain their pristine denomination, garb, and mode of living, but also to persist in recommending the study of philosophy, and initiating youth therein. In proof of this, we may, from amidst numerous other examples, adduce in particular that of Justin, the celebrated philosopher and martyr. The immediate nursery, and very cradle, as it were, of Christian philosophy, must, however, be placed in the celebrated seminary which long flourished at Alexandria under the denomination of the Catechetical School. For the persons who presided therein in the course of the age of which we are treating, namely, Pantaenus, Athenagoras, and Clement of Alexandria, not only engaged with ardor in the cultivation of philosophy themselves, but also exerted their influence in persuading those whom they were educating for the office of teachers in the church to follow their example in this respect, and make it their practice to associate philosophical principles with those of religion.”

The reason why that heathen doctrine spread so widely and so rapidly in the church, is shown by the following from an eminent historian: “Many from the different sects of philosophers, especially from the Platonists, and also from among the rhetoricians, embraced Christianity; and they were honored for their erudition and talents by being made bishops and presbyters.” The learned Platonic Christians, being now made teachers and ministers in the various churches, soon disseminated their Platonic doctrine of the soul everywhere throughout the Christian church.

And the same author says: “In fact, there are but few points of Christian theology which the teachers who were inflamed with this eager desire to produce a union between Christianity and philosophy left untouched.” Another historian bears this testimony: “Very soon after the rise of Christianity, many persons who had been educated in the schools of the philosophers becoming converts to the Christian faith, the doctrines of the Grecian sects, and especially of Platonism, were interwoven with the simple truths of pure religion. As the Eclectic philosophy spread, heathen and Christian doctrines were still more intimately blended, till at last both were almost entirely lost in the thick clouds of ignorance and barbarism which covered the earth.” Of the Eclectic school he says: “The muddy waters sent forth from this polluted spring were spread through the most celebrated seats of learning, and were even permitted, as we shall afterward see, to mingle with the pure stream of Christian doctrine.” Once more: of the teachers of the church, he says: “Through several centuries they partook of the spirit of the Alexandrian school, and the Eclectic method of philosophizing Platonized Christianity.”

Though this is astonishing beyond measure, yet we readily see how it was accomplished. All the sects of heathen philosophers except the Platonic denied any future life to man; but Plato strongly contended for a future state of rewards and punishments. This naturally led the Christians to regard the Platonists as friends and allies upon this great question of the fact of a future life, though they differed as to how it was to be obtained. Christians rested their hope upon the resurrection of the dead as promised in the Bible. At this the heathen philosophers mocked as being unreasonable and unphilosophical, as they cared nothing for what the Bible said. See their answer to Paul at Athens in Acts 17. Now the Platonists came in with their philosophical argument to meet their antagonists, and prove a future life by means of the soul’s immortality. In this way reason and philosophy could be made to support the hope of the simple-minded Christians, which before rested solely upon the promise of the Scriptures. The promise of relief and help, and of having a more philosophical faith, was a very flattering one. As Eve listened to, and was beguiled by, the serpent, so they listened to these philosophers, were flattered with their praises, accepted their help, adopted their notions, and finally united with them.

Reader, here is the origin of the present orthodox doctrine of immortal souls, disembodied spirits, ghosts, eternal hell, etc. Thus the learned commentator on Cudworth’s Intellectual System says: “The Platonic philosophy, indeed, which was approved by the ancient Christians, has been abandoned, and another substituted in its place; but the dogmas and conclusions derived from it have been retained by most men in all their pristine integrity; and any one conversant with the ancient philosophy, might write a long and copious commentary upon the relics of the Platonic philosophy among Christians. Thus happens it with mortals. The primary and fundamental doctrines of a sect are very often repudiated by those who preside over communities; while they either are unwilling to interfere with the consequences and institutions that proceed from them, owing to their ignorance of their origin, or are unable to do so, because the people are not easily prevailed upon to abandon inveterate customs. In the course of time, many opinions and rites are held sacred, which those who are addicted to them would hold in far different estimation if they were thoroughly aware of their origin.”

Yes; the immortal-soul theory is a relic of Platonic philosophy which thousands would quickly drop did they know its origin.

PLATONISM OPPOSED.

But was all this heathen philosophy and pagan doctrine received into the church without opposition? No, indeed. Many, nay, all, of the more pious men warmly opposed it, for they foresaw its effects. Mosheim thus records the controversy: “The rise, however, of this taste for philosophical speculation, and the ascendancy which they perceived it gradually acquiring in the minds of so many of their teachers, became a source of the most poignant regret to all such as continued steadfastly attached to that ancient and simple species of piety which had been delivered down by the apostles and their disciples, inasmuch as they saw reason to fear that the cause of celestial truth might be thereby materially injured, as in reality proved to be the case, and that divine wisdom would not long retain either its proper value or dignity in the estimation of mankind. In consequence of this, the Christian church became divided into two parties, which opposed each other with the utmost warmth. The issue of this dispute, which lasted for a considerable while, at length was, that victory declared itself in favor of the patrons of philosophy, and that those teachers came to be most respected, who, in unfolding the doctrines of religion, called in the aid of philosophical principles and precepts.” This was the very thing against which Paul had warned the church: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy.” Col. 2:8. The better class of Christians remembered this, and were opposed to receiving this heathen philosophy into the church.

In his “Ecclesiastical History,” Mosheim, after naming the class who were in favor of introducing Platonism into the church, adds: “But a great majority thought otherwise.” “But gradually the friends of philosophy and literature acquired the ascendancy. To this issue Origen contributed very much; for, having early imbibed the principles of the new Platonism, he inauspiciously applied them to theology, and earnestly recommended them to the numerous youth who attended on his instructions. And the greater the influence of this man, which quickly spread over the whole Christian world, the more readily was his method of explaining the sacred doctrine propagated.” Hence, in a short time, Bible truth and those who advocated it were put down and held in contempt. Says our author: “There were various persons of this sort in the fourth century, who were disgusted with the progress of superstition and of errors respecting the true nature of religion, and who opposed the general current; but the only fruit of their labor was, that they were branded with infamy.” Rome came in and condemned them as heretics, and thus silenced all opposition.