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The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

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    VIII. Bowman American Tract-Arrays Plato Against Paul

    A stimulating American tract, presenting a series of cogent contrasts, was issued by W. H. BOWMAN in 1937. It says so much in such a small compass, and is so pertinent, that we quote five key paragraphs, as a sample of lesser writings circulating in North America on this issue in this fourth decade. Paul, the Christian apostle, and Plato, the heathen philosopher, are set forth as in irreconcilable conflict in their teaching. Here is Bowman’s lead-off paragraph.CFF2 797.5

    1. PAUL’S “REVELATION” V. PLATO’S “SPECULATION.”

    In terse phrasings it begins with the problem of “human destiny“:CFF2 797.6

    “The great theological question now agitating modern Christendom is whether they will take Paul or Plato for a standard in settling the question of human destiny. Paul teaches that immortality is conditional; Plato, that it is unconditional. Pauline theology gives immortality on account of character, while Platonic philosophy gives it without character. The immortality that Plato teaches becomes a system of woe; that of Paul, one of happiness. Plato’s was speculation; Paul’s was REVELATION” 7373) W. H. Bowman, Paul or Plato?—A Comparison of Their Teachings on the Question of Immortality, pp. 3, 4.CFF2 798.1

    2. “REVIVAL” OF DEAD V. “SURVIVAL” OF SOUL

    Again, “philosophic assumption” is set over against “a divinely revealed fact“:
    “Paul teaches that immortality is conferred on us by a resurrection; Plato, that we have it without a resurrection. Paul teaches that a resurrection from the dead is an absolute necessity in order to have future life; Plato teaches us that death liberates our immortal (?) souls, and gives us more freedom than we could have in the body. Plato teaches that the body is non-essential; Paul declares that unless it (the body) is raised from the dead, all who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. Paul taught the revival of the dead; Plato taught the survival of the soul. Plato’s theory is a philosophic assumption; Paul’s, a divinely revealed fact.” 7474) Ibid., p. 4.
    CFF2 798.2

    The conflict is irreconcilable.CFF2 798.3

    3. PAUL ACCORDS WITH SCRIPTURE; PLATO CONTRADICTS IT

    The scriptural basis and agreement of Paul with Scripture and its perversion and defiance by Plato are next portrayed:
    “Plato contradicted Bible writers; Paul agrees with them. Plato’s theory necessitates the change of plain statements of Scripture into figurative language; while Paul’s harmonizes with the entire Bible. Plato teaches that men are judged at death; Paul, that the executive judgment is at the second coming of Christ. Paul taught the gift of God was eternal life. Plato taught that we had it already. Paul teaches that we are to put on immortality at the resurrection; Plato teaches that we are to put off mortality at death. Paul teaches that death is an enemy; Plato teaches that it is a friend. Paul teaches that Christ brought immortality to light; Plato claims to have discovered it beforehand. Paul teaches that ‘the wages of sin is death;’ Plato teaches that the man can never die, no matter how much he sins.” 7575) Ibid., pp. 4, 5.
    CFF2 798.4

    4. PAUL HONORS BODY; PLATO DEPRECIATES IT

    Platonic Dualism is then placed in contrast with Paul’s treatment of the unity of the “whole man”CFF2 798.5

    “Plato teaches that all men are naturally immortal and as incapable of dying as God himself. Paul teaches that the ‘first man was of the earth, earthy;’ Plato, that the real man is a spirit and not material. Plato taught that the body was a clog, a shackle, a prison house, and to be dropped at death; Paul taught that the body was for the Lord, a temple for the Holy Spirit, a subject of redemption, and to be raised from the dead in glory, honor, incorruptibility, and immortality. Plato taught that the soul was immortal, and could not die, could not perish, could not be destroyed and would exist forever; Paul taught that the whole man, soul and body, was mortal and corruptible, could die, could perish, could be destroyed, and, in agreement with St. John, that only ‘he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.’” 7676) Ibid., pp. 5, 6.)CFF2 799.1

    Bowman thus lifts his voice against “Platonized theology.” 7777) Ibid., p. 6. And he proceeds to list a whole regiment of Platonic phrases that appear in popular theology in conflict with the terms of Holy Writ.CFF2 799.2

    5. STOCK PHRASES OF “PLATONIZED THEOLOGY” LISTED

    Here is Bowman’s tabulation of common phrases echoing Plato’s contentions and flaunting Paul’s inspired teachings, in an attempt to show how far popular theology has drifted from the Bible platform. They form an imposing array, and are extracted from religious books, periodical columns, prayer books, hymnals, ministers’ manuals, tombstones, and such:CFF2 799.3

    “‘Death is the gate to glory,’ ‘the soul can never die,’ ‘immortal soul,’ ‘never dying soul,’ ‘disembodied souls,’ ‘immortal spirit,’ ‘glorified spirits,’ ‘deathless spirit,’ ‘spirit world,’ ‘glory land,’ ‘the upper fold,’ ‘the brighter home above,’ ‘the upper and better kingdom,’ ‘the home of disembodied souls,’ ‘gone to the spirit land,’ ‘is safe in heaven,’ ‘has passed over to the other side,’ ‘has gone to be an angel,’ ‘our baby is now a little cherub in heaven,’ ‘there is no death,’ ‘death is another life,’ ‘the body is only a cage,’ ‘friends of yore have flown to heaven, springing from their house of clay,’ ‘the remains,’ ‘what is in the coffin is not the man,’ ‘his soul is now burning in hell,’ ‘sinner if you don’t repent you will go to hell when you die, and burn there forever,’ ‘repent, and you can go to heaven when you die,’ ‘eternal hell,’ ‘never ending torment,’ ‘eternal misery,’ ‘endless pain,’ ‘everlasting torture,’ ‘eternal sorrow,’ ‘the place where memory never fades, and conscience always stings,’ and a multitude of such phrases.” 7878) Ibid., pp. 6, 7.CFF2 799.4

    The clash of such with Scripture cannot be gainsaid, according to Bowman.CFF2 800.1

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