Tertullian against Clement of AlexandriaIn the articles of Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria, we see that the two men adhere to the Christian religion but disagree on the the essence of Greek philosophy and learn in accordance with Christianity. Tertullian was from Carthage and therefore probably exposed to many Greek teachings. He became a Christian and openly opposed pagans and sophists (or "heretics") and emphasized the "sanctity of life and the Christian horror of violence." He believed that Greek philosophy was essentially absurd and only led people to question the Christian religion. Clement of Alexandria was a Greek Christian theologian who combined Christianity and Platonism. He credited Greek teachings with the foundation of Christianity, acting as a "schoolmaster" for the Greeks, preparing them for Christianity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayTertullian was very familiar with Greek philosophy and teachings when he grew up in Carthage. When he became a Christian, he probably found himself among Greek philosophers who questioned every aspect of the faith, using their techniques to dissect it and make it logical. Tertullian was frustrated by this and felt that Greek philosophy was preventing them from believing and basically adhering to the "blind faith" approach. In the article he talked about Aristotle who taught "the art of dialectic" and went on to say: "the art that destroys as much as it constructs." Tertullian also followed by further condemning what he saw as intellectual redundancy and nonsense of Greek philosophy. Tertullian was clearly frustrated with the sophists who questioned and did not blindly adhere to the Christian religion. Conversely, Clement of Alexandria, who successfully combined Christianity with Platonism, championed Greek learning while remaining a Christian theologian. Clement says that philosophy is "the clear picture of truth" and that "philosophy acted as a schoolmaster for the Greeks, preparing them for Christ, as the laws of the Jews prepared them for Christ." For him, Greek philosophy simply opened the way to God's teachings, "shaping character and preparing one who believes in Providence to receive the truth." He further added that by studying Greek teachings, which emphasize geometry, music, grammar and philosophy, Christians could wisely defend their faith and protect it from attacks. Unlike Tertullian, when Clement of Alexandria became a Christian, he did not feel the need to renounce Greek teachings and instead used them to support the Christian religion. This difference in thought and belief between Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria could have been due to their place and time at which they wrote the articles. Tertullian may have been surrounded by condescending and threatening philosophers at the time of writing the article. Tertullian's article seems to have been written in haste and frustration; frustration obviously caused by the sophists. In the article written by Clement of Alexandria, one feels a sense of comfort and wisdom. He seems to have written this after much thought and observation. Clement may not have been surrounded by unbelieving and authoritarian sophists. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay There could be many..