The Quest For Peace In Ancient Philosophy

AUTHOR'S MESSAGE TO READERS. No matter what our perception is in relation to the subject of war and peace in our modern times, we have an inherent obligation to inculcate a spirit of lucidity and responsibility to reject erratic and ferment principles of politics that may jeopardize our determination to make our world a peaceful place. What is required is that we open up to the truth of the past and inculcate the good principles of politics into our contemporary culture of peace. The rethinking of ancient philosophy of peace is to reanimate us once again with the wisdom of the past in our search today for order and tranquility (tranquillitas ordinis). The philosophy of peace of the ancient times is not a monolith, for sure we can detect minor deficiencies and utopian elements in it, nevertheless its profundity and uniqueness offers those who study it something exceptional, distinctive, and pure, that has stood the test of time and all forms of cultural alterations over the centuries. Ancient philosophy has introduced us to the basic truth thus; peace is inner repose and outer harmony, and the person is at peace when he is not anguished inwardly by conflicting desires whilst living in harmony with others. Ancient philosophy affirms that men are intelligent and willing beings and are naturally called to build peace in their lives and in the society, this is true because any man who has examined history and human nature will agree with me that there is no such thing as a human heart that does not crave for peace and happiness. With a good modus operandi and determination we can build sound politics and social organization of peace, because peace is the only thing that can hold the human family together.

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A dramatic tension confronts every Christian believer and interpreter of Scripture: on the one hand, we encounter images of God commanding and engaging in horrendous violence: one the other hand, we encounter the non-violent teachings and example of Jesus, whose loving, self-sacrificial death and resurrection is held up as the supreme revelation of God’s character in the New Testament. How do we reconcile the tension between these seemingly disparate depictions? Are they even capable of reconciliation? Throughout Christian history, many different answers have been proposed, ranging from the long-rejected explanation that these contrasting depictions are of two entirely different ‘gods’ to recent social and cultural theories of metaphor and narrative representation. The Crucifixion of the Warrior God takes up this dramatic tension and the range of proposed answers in an epic constructive investigation. Over two volumes, renowned theologian and biblical scholar Gregory A. Boyd argues that we must take seriously the full range of Scripture as inspired, including its violent depictions of God. At the same time, we must take just as seriously the absolute centrality of the crucified and risen Christ as the supreme revelation of God. Developing a theological interpretation of Scripture that he labels a “cruciform hermeneutic,” Boyd demonstrates how Scripture’s violent images of God are completely reframed and their violence subverted when they are interpreted through the lens of the cross and resurrection. Indeed, when read through this lens, Boyd argues that these violent depictions can be shown to bear witness to the same self-sacrificial character of God that was supremely revealed on the cross.

Happiness was a central focus of ancient philosophy: this volume traces conceptions of happiness through nearly a millennium, from the Presocratics through Plato, Aristotle, and Hellenistic philosophy to the Neo-Platonists and Augustine in late antiquity. The contributors address questions raised by ancient thinkers that are still of deep concern.

Dry examines the U.S. Supreme Court's treatment of the First Amendment freedoms of religion and speech against the founding of the American Constitution and its philosophical underpinnings.

Ancient Philosophy: A Companion to the Core Readings is designed as an approachable guide to the most important and influential works of ancient philosophy. The book begins with a brief overview of ancient Greek mythology and the pre-Socratic philosophers. It then examines a number of the most important works from Plato and Aristotle, including Euthyphro, Meno, Republic, the Categories, the Physics, and the Nicomachean Ethics, before concluding with a brief look at Hellenistic philosophy and the origins of Neoplatonism. Readers who might otherwise struggle with the original texts will find an exceedingly helpful guide in Stumpf’s clear explanations and analyses. Numerous diagrams and images are provided to aid in comprehension.

De Tranquillitate Animi is a philosophical treatise about the relation between happiness and peace of mind.