Philo- Bridge Between the Testaments

Author

Val Jean E. Swanson, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University

Date of Award

2-21-2005

Document Type

Graduate Paper

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Church History

Department

School of Theology and Seminary

First Advisor

Dan McKanan

Subject Categories

Christianity | Jewish Studies | Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

This was a foundational study—of the man, his place and time in the history of the world (ca. 20 BCE-50 CE, Alexandria, Egypt), his role and theological position in Judaism. One of the intentions of the research project was to produce a somewhat general but inclusive picture of this very significant Jewish theologian, in order to better understand his life as a 'religious outsider' in a pluralistic pagan and global setting. Related more significantly to the foregoing statements were questions concerning his understanding of the Holy One of Israel and his approach to living the Judaic life in such a cultural atmosphere. Not only should this knowledge assist in understanding one Jewish perspective of God existing at the time of Jesus' life on earth, but such a taste of the man and his time's also seems essential to the project's primary purpose, that of ascertaining how, why, and in what manner, Philo's approach to reading and interpreting the Tanakh, the Hebrew Scriptures, would become so influential to certain early Church Fathers, in particular to Origen.

Comments

Access restricted to College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University on-campus users.

Recommended Citation

Swanson, Val Jean E., "Philo- Bridge Between the Testaments" (2005). School of Theology and Seminary Graduate Papers/Theses. 1546.
https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/sot_papers/1546