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Adiaphoron ( / æ d ɪ ˈ æ f ə r ɒ n , æ d i ˈ æ f ə r ɒ n / ; plural: adiaphora ; from the Greek ἀδιάφορον (pl. ἀδιάφορα ), meaning "not different or differentiable") is the negation of διαφορά diaphora , "difference".

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110-532: In Cynicism , adiaphora represents indifference to the vicissitudes of life through ascetic practices which help one become free from influences – such as wealth, fame, and power – that have no value in nature. Examples include Diogenes ' practice of living in a tub and walking barefoot in winter. Similarly, the Stoics distinguish all the objects of human pursuit into three classes: good, bad, and adiaphora (indifferent). Virtue , wisdom , justice , temperance , and

220-469: A cross necklace that is worn for the rest of their life as a "sign of the triumph of Christ over death and our belonging to Christ" (though it is replaced with a new cross pendant if lost or broken). This practice of baptized Christians wearing a cross necklace at all times is derived from Canon 73 and Canon 82 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (Synod) of Constantinople , which declared: ...all

330-573: A neologism unknown in the Septuagint and other pre-Christian Jewish texts. This broadness in the meaning of baptízein is reflected in English Bibles rendering "wash", where Jewish ritual washing is meant: for example Mark 7:4 states that the Pharisees "except they wash (Greek "baptize"), they do not eat", and "baptize" where báptisma , the new Christian rite, is intended. Two nouns derived from

440-435: A body, He would hand over these bodiless gifts as naked [gifts] to you. But because the soul is closely linked to the body, He hands over the perceivable ones to you with conceivable things. (Chrysostom to Matthew, speech 82, 4, c. 390 A.D.) 2. The removal of clothing represented the "image of putting off the old man with his deeds" (as per Cyril, above), so the stripping of the body before for baptism represented taking off

550-701: A case of scandal and confession. By 1576, both extremes were rejected by the majority of Lutherans led by Martin Chemnitz and the formulators of the Formula of Concord . In 1577, the Formula of Concord was crafted to settle the question of the nature of genuine adiaphora , which it defined as church rites that are “neither commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God.” However, the Formula added believers should not yield even in matters of adiaphora when these are being forced upon them by

660-421: A day's walk from Nazareth , was particularly notable as a centre of Cynic philosophy, and Mack has described Jesus as a "rather normal Cynic-type figure." For Crossan, Jesus was more like a Cynic sage from a Hellenistic Jewish tradition than either a Christ who would die as a substitute for sinners or a messiah who wanted to establish an independent Jewish state of Israel. Other scholars doubt that Jesus

770-404: A dialogue. Cynicism came to be seen as an idealised form of Stoicism, a view which led Epictetus to eulogise the ideal Cynic in a lengthy discourse. According to Epictetus, the ideal Cynic "must know that he is sent as a messenger from Zeus to people concerning good and bad things, to show them that they have wandered." Unfortunately for Epictetus, many Cynics of the era did not live up to

880-526: A fundamental doctrine. Later he was persuaded to accept a compromise known as the Leipzig Interim , deciding that doctrinal differences not related to justification by faith were adiaphora or matters not essential for salvation. Melanchthon's compromise was vehemently opposed by Matthias Flacius and his followers in Magdeburg , who went to the opposite extreme by claiming that adiaphora cease to be such in

990-512: A hypothetical common source for the gospels of Matthew and Luke , has strong similarities to the teachings of the Cynics. Scholars on the quest for the historical Jesus , such as Burton L. Mack and John Dominic Crossan of the Jesus Seminar , have argued that 1st-century AD Galilee was a world in which Hellenistic ideas collided with Jewish thought and traditions. The city of Gadara , only

1100-532: A life of Cynic poverty in Athens. Cynicism gradually declined in importance after the 3rd century BC, but it experienced a revival with the rise of the Roman Empire in the 1st century. Cynics could be found begging and preaching throughout the cities of the empire, and similar ascetic and rhetorical ideas appeared in early Christianity . By the 19th century, emphasis on the negative aspects of Cynic philosophy led to

1210-415: A life of self-sufficiency ( autarkeia ), austerity ( askēsis ), and shamelessness ( anaideia ). There are many anecdotes about his extreme asceticism (sleeping in a tub), his shameless behaviour (eating raw meat), and his criticism of conventional society ("bad people obey their lusts as servants obey their masters"), and although it is impossible to tell which of these stories are true, they do illustrate

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1320-404: A link between baptism and regeneration, but insist that it is not automatic or mechanical, and that regeneration may occur at a different time than baptism. Churches of Christ consistently teach that in baptism a believer surrenders his life in faith and obedience to God, and that God "by the merits of Christ's blood, cleanses one from sin and truly changes the state of the person from an alien to

1430-591: A liquid dye) or "perishing" (as in a ship sinking or a person drowning), with the same double meanings as in English "to sink into" or "to be overwhelmed by", with bathing or washing only occasionally used and usually in sacral contexts. The practice of baptism emerged from Jewish ritualistic practices during the Second Temple Period , out of which figures such as John the Baptist emerged. For example, various texts in

1540-495: A manner reminiscent of dogs. They sought to free themselves from conventions; become self-sufficient; and live only in accordance with nature. They rejected any conventional notions of happiness involving money, power , and fame , to lead entirely virtuous, and thus happy, lives . The ancient Cynics rejected conventional social values, and would criticise the types of behaviours, such as greed, which they viewed as causing suffering. Emphasis on this aspect of their teachings led, in

1650-500: A morsel held in the hand into wine or of a finger into spilled blood. A possible additional use of the verb baptízein to relate to ritual washing is suggested by Peter Leithart (2007) who suggests that Paul's phrase "Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead ?" relates to Jewish ritual washing. In Jewish Greek the verb baptízein "baptized" has a wider reference than just "baptism" and in Jewish context primarily applies to

1760-584: A person is initiated, purified, or given a name. Martyrdom was identified early in Christian church history as " baptism by blood ", enabling the salvation of martyrs who had not been baptized by water. Later, the Catholic Church identified a baptism of desire , by which those preparing for baptism who die before actually receiving the sacrament are considered saved. In the Methodist tradition, Baptism with

1870-560: A popular criticism of the Christians and it continued on into the 4th century. Baptism Baptism (from Koinē Greek : βάπτισμα , romanized:  váptisma , lit.   'immersion, dipping in water') is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three times, once for each person of

1980-557: A position is rare among modern Presbyterians. The Puritan position on worship is thus in line with the common saying regarding adiaphora: “ In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity .” Latitudinarianism was initially a pejorative term applied to a group of 17th-century English theologians who believed in conforming to official Church of England practices, but who felt that matters of doctrine , liturgical practice, and ecclesiastical organization were of relatively little importance. Good examples of

2090-536: A tool to signal the user's dissociation from physical labour, that is, as a display of conspicuous leisure, and at the same time it also has an association with sport and typically plays a part in hunting and sports clothing. Thus, it displays active and warlike qualities, rather than being a symbol of a weak man's need to support himself. The staff itself became a message of how the Cynic was free through its possible interpretation as an item of leisure, but, just as equivalent,

2200-401: A translation of both verbs. Zodhiates concludes that the washing of the hands was done by immersing them. The Liddell–Scott–Jones Greek-English Lexicon (1996) cites the other passage (Luke 11:38) as an instance of the use of the verb baptízein to mean "perform ablutions", not "submerge". References to the cleaning of vessels which use βαπτίζω also refer to immersion. As already mentioned,

2310-510: Is Cyril of Jerusalem who wrote "On the Mysteries of Baptism" in the 4th century (c. 350 AD): Do you not know, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into His death? etc... for you are not under the Law, but under grace. 1. Therefore, I shall necessarily lay before you the sequel of yesterday's Lecture, that you may learn of what those things, which were done by you in

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2420-677: Is a requirement for salvation and a sacrament , and speak of " baptismal regeneration ". Its importance is related to their interpretation of the meaning of the "Mystical Body of Christ" as found in the New Testament. This view is shared by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox denominations, and by churches formed early during the Protestant Reformation such as Lutheran and Anglican . For example, Martin Luther said: To put it most simply,

2530-497: Is a sacrament of initiation into the life of the children of God ( Catechism of the Catholic Church , 1212–13). It configures the person to Christ (CCC 1272), and obliges the Christian to share in the church's apostolic and missionary activity (CCC 1270). The Catholic holds that there are three types of baptism by which one can be saved: sacramental baptism (with water), baptism of desire (explicit or implicit desire to be part of

2640-824: Is a school of thought in ancient Greek philosophy , originating in the Classical period and extending into the Hellenistic and Roman Imperial periods . According to Cynicism, people are reasoning animals, and the purpose of life and the way to gain happiness is to achieve virtue , in agreement with nature, following one's natural sense of reason by living simply and shamelessly free from social constraints. The Cynics ( Ancient Greek : Κυνικοί , Latin : Cynici ) rejected all conventional desires for wealth, power, glory , social recognition , conformity , and worldly possessions and even flouted such conventions openly and derisively in public. The first philosopher to outline these themes

2750-422: Is almost universally the practice today, baptismal robes. These robes are most often white, symbolizing purity. Some groups today allow any suitable clothes to be worn, such as trousers and a T-shirt —practical considerations include how easily the clothes will dry ( denim is discouraged), and whether they will become see-through when wet. In certain Christian denominations, the individual being baptized receives

2860-528: Is always with him/her, it reminds the child that Jesus died on the Cross to save him/her, that Jesus Christ is our Only Savior and the True God. By wearing a cross the child feels the love of God and gives the child hope and strength to overcome any obstacle in his or her life. There are differences in views about the effect of baptism for a Christian. Catholics, Orthodox, and most mainline Protestant groups assert baptism

2970-496: Is extremely common among Christian denominations, some, such as Quakers and The Salvation Army , do not practice water baptism at all. Among denominations that practice baptism, differences occur in the manner and mode of baptizing and in the understanding of the significance of the rite. Most Christians baptize using the trinitarian formula "in the name of the Father , and of the Son , and of

3080-500: Is filled with such upstarts, particularly with those who enter the names of Diogenes, Antisthenes, and Crates as their patrons and enlist in the Army of the Dog," and Aelius Aristides observed that "they frequent the doorways, talking more to the doorkeepers than to the masters, making up for their lowly condition by using impudence." The most notable representative of Cynicism in the 1st century CE

3190-556: Is immerse/immersion, it is not true that the words can simply be reduced to this meaning, as can be seen from Mark 10:38–39, Luke 12:50, Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16, and Corinthians10:2." Two passages in the Gospels indicate that the verb baptízein did not always indicate submersion. The first is Luke 11:38, which tells how a Pharisee, at whose house Jesus ate, "was astonished to see that he did not first wash ( ἐβαπτίσθη , aorist passive of βαπτίζω —literally, "was baptized") before dinner". This

3300-452: Is only partly dipped in water; they thus speak of immersion as being either total or partial. Others, of the Anabaptist belief, use "immersion" to mean exclusively plunging someone entirely under the surface of the water. The term "immersion" is also used of a form of baptism in which water is poured over someone standing in water, without submersion of the person. On these three meanings of

3410-505: Is practiced in several different ways. Aspersion is the sprinkling of water on the head, and affusion is the pouring of water over the head. Traditionally, a person is sprinkled, poured, or immersed three times for each person of the Holy Trinity , with this ancient Christian practice called trine baptism or triune baptism . The Didache specifies: This is how you should baptize: Having recited all these things, [the first half of

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3520-635: Is practiced in the Orthodox and several other Eastern Churches. In the Latin Church of the Catholic Church, baptism by submersion is used in the Ambrosian Rite and is one of the methods provided in the Roman Rite of the baptism of infants. It is seen as obligatory among some groups that have arisen since the Protestant Reformation , such as Baptists . The Greek-English Lexicon of Liddell and Scott gives

3630-401: Is sated; to clothe myself as well; and out of doors not [even] Callias there, with all his riches, is more safe than I from shivering; and when I find myself indoors, what warmer shirting do I need than my bare walls? Diogenes (c. 412–323 BC) dominates the story of Cynicism like no other figure. He originally went to Athens, fleeing his home city, after he and his father, who was in charge of

3740-403: Is that the dog is a good guard, and they guard the tenets of their philosophy. The fourth reason is that the dog is a discriminating animal which can distinguish between its friends and enemies. So do they recognize as friends those who are suited to philosophy, and receive them kindly, while those unfitted they drive away, like dogs, by barking at them. Cynicism is one of the most striking of all

3850-483: Is the passage that Liddell and Scott cites as an instance of the use of βαπτίζω to mean perform ablutions . Jesus' omission of this action is similar to that of his disciples: "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash ( νίπτω ) not their hands when they eat bread". The other Gospel passage pointed to is: "The Pharisees...do not eat unless they wash ( νίπτω ,

3960-539: Is the short path to virtue." The classical Greek and Roman Cynics regarded virtue as the only necessity for happiness, and saw virtue as entirely sufficient for attaining it. Classical Cynics followed this philosophy to the extent of neglecting everything not furthering their perfection of virtue and attainment of happiness, thus, the title of Cynic , derived from the Greek word κύων (meaning "dog") because they allegedly neglected society, hygiene, family, money, etc., in

4070-497: Is usually translated as "indifference". Unlike in Stoicism and Cynicism, In Pyrrhonism adiaphora has no specific connection to morality, but indicates things that cannot be logically differentiated, while Aristotle uses "adiaphora" to mean "undifferentiated by a logical διαφορά / differentia ." In Christianity , adiaphora are matters not regarded as essential to faith , but nevertheless as permissible for Christians or allowed by

4180-503: Is worn for the rest of their life, inspired by the Sixth Ecumenical Council (Synod) of Constantinople . Outside of Christianity, Mandaeans undergo repeated baptism for purification instead of initiation. They consider John the Baptist to be their greatest prophet and name all rivers yardena after the River Jordan . The term baptism has also been used metaphorically to refer to any ceremony, trial, or experience by which

4290-515: The Church (Sunday) School children [must] wear a cross knowing how spiritually beneficial it is for them. By wearing a cross the child is protected from evil forces, it invites the grace of the Holy Cross of Christ, it brings His Divine blessing upon the child, it gives the child a sense that he or she belongs to Christ, that he or she has a special identity, that of a Christian, it is a reminder that Christ

4400-554: The Cynosarges gymnasium at Athens. The word cynosarges means the "place of the white dog". It seems certain, however, that the word dog was also thrown at the first Cynics as an insult for their shameless rejection of conventional manners, and their decision to live on the streets. Diogenes, in particular, was referred to as the "Dog", a distinction he seems to have revelled in, stating that "other dogs bite their enemies, I bite my friends to save them." Later Cynics also sought to turn

4510-593: The Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) corpus at Qumran describe ritual practices involving washing, bathing, sprinkling, and immersing. One example of such a text is a DSS known as the Rule of the Community , which says "And by the compliance of his soul with all the laws of God his flesh is cleansed by being sprinkled with cleansing waters and being made holy with the waters of repentance ." The Mandaeans , who are followers of John

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4620-510: The Desert Fathers ) also had direct connection with the Cynics, as can be seen in the wandering mendicant monks of the early church, who in outward appearance and in many of their practices differed little from the Cynics of an earlier age. Emmanuel College scholar Leif E. Vaage compared the commonalities between the Q document and Cynic texts, such as the Cynic epistles . The epistles contain

4730-462: The Early Middle Ages infant baptism became common and the rite was significantly simplified and increasingly emphasized. In Western Europe Affusion became the normal mode of baptism between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, though immersion was still practiced into the sixteenth. In the medieval period, some radical Christians rejected the practice of baptism as a sacrament. Sects such as

4840-419: The Hellenistic philosophies . It claimed to offer people the possibility of happiness and freedom from suffering in an age of uncertainty. Although there was never an official Cynic doctrine, the fundamental principles of Cynicism can be summarized as follows: Thus a Cynic has no property and rejects all conventional values of money, fame, power and reputation. A life lived according to nature requires only

4950-561: The Holy Spirit " (following the Great Commission ), but Oneness Pentecostals baptize using Jesus' name only . The majority of Christians baptize infants ; many others, such as Baptist Churches , regard only believer's baptism as true baptism. In certain denominations, such as the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, the individual being baptized receives a cross necklace that

5060-674: The Puritans , which after the English Civil War was rejected by the Anglicans , distinguishes between elements or acts of worship (worship proper) and the circumstances of worship. The elements of worship must be limited to what has positive warrant in Scripture, a doctrine known as the regulative principle of worship . In this framework, the elements of worship have included praise (the words and manner of music), prayer, preaching and teaching from

5170-651: The Teaching , "The Way of Life and the Way of Death"] baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in running water. If you do not have running water, then baptize in still water. The water should be cold, but if you do not have cold water, then use warm. If you have neither, then just pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Both

5280-654: The Tondrakians , Cathars , Arnoldists , Petrobrusians , Henricans , Brethren of the Free Spirit and the Lollards were regarded as heretics by the Catholic Church. In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther retained baptism as a sacrament, but Swiss reformer Huldrych Zwingli considered baptism and the Lord's Supper to be symbolic. Anabaptists denied the validity of the practice of infant baptism, and rebaptized converts. Baptism

5390-549: The Trinity . The synoptic gospels recount that John the Baptist baptised Jesus . Baptism is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. Baptism according to the Trinitarian formula , which is done in most mainstream Christian denominations, is seen as being a basis for Christian ecumenism , the concept of unity amongst Christians. Baptism is also called christening , although some reserve

5500-424: The modern understanding of cynicism to mean a disposition of disbelief in the sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions. The term cynic derives from Ancient Greek κυνικός (kynikos)  'dog-like' and κύων (kyôn)  ' dog ' ( genitive : kynos ). One explanation offered in ancient times for why the Cynics were called "dogs" was because the first Cynic, Antisthenes, taught in

5610-456: The 4th and 3rd centuries BC, including Onesicritus (who sailed with Alexander the Great to India), the skeptic Monimus , the moral satirist Bion of Borysthenes , the legislator Cercidas of Megalopolis , the diatribist Teles and Menippus of Gadara . However, with the rise of Stoicism in the 3rd century BC, Cynicism as a serious philosophical activity underwent a decline, and it is not until

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5720-426: The 4th century, Maximus of Alexandria , although a Christian, was also called a Cynic because of his ascetic lifestyle. Christian writers would often praise Cynic poverty, although they scorned Cynic shamelessness, Augustine stating that they had, "in violation of the modest instincts of men, boastfully proclaimed their unclean and shameless opinion, worthy indeed of dogs." The ascetic orders of Christianity (such as

5830-477: The Baptist , practice frequent full immersion baptism ( masbuta ) as a ritual of purification. According to Mandaean sources , they left the Jordan Valley in the 1st century AD. John the Baptist , who is considered a forerunner to Christianity, used baptism as the central sacrament of his messianic movement. The apostle Paul distinguished between the baptism of John, ("baptism of repentance") and baptism in

5940-513: The Bible, the taking of vows, and the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper , while the circumstances of worship have included the building and its necessary furniture and the time of day for worship. The circumstances of worship are considered adiaphora, although they must be done for edification and to promote peace and order (compare 1 Corinthians 14:26–33 ; Romans 14:19 ). According to

6050-401: The Greek loss of independence under Philip and Alexander three centuries earlier, may have led to a sense of powerlessness and frustration among many people, which allowed a philosophy which emphasized self-sufficiency and inner-happiness to flourish once again. Cynics could be found throughout the empire, standing on street corners, preaching about virtue. Lucian complained that "every city

6160-473: The Greek verb baptízein does not exclusively mean dip, plunge or immerse (it is used with literal and figurative meanings such as "sink", "disable", "overwhelm", "go under", "overborne", "draw from a bowl"), lexical sources typically cite this as a meaning of the word in both the Septuagint and the New Testament . "While it is true that the basic root meaning of the Greek words for baptize and baptism

6270-467: The Holy Spirit , has referred to the second work of grace, entire sanctification ; in Pentecostalism, the term Baptism with the Holy Spirit is identified with speaking in tongues . The English word baptism is derived indirectly through Latin from the neuter Greek concept noun báptisma (Greek βάπτισμα , ' washing, dipping ' ), which is a neologism in the New Testament derived from

6380-560: The Roman era that Cynicism underwent a revival in the first century AD. There is little record of Cynicism in the 2nd or 1st centuries BC; Cicero (c. 50 BC), who was much interested in Greek philosophy , had little to say about Cynicism, except that "it is to be shunned; for it is opposed to modesty, without which there can be neither right nor honor." However, by the 1st century CE, Cynicism reappeared with full force. The rise of Imperial Rome , like

6490-515: The West, this method of baptism began to be replaced by affusion baptism from around the 8th century, but it continues in use in Eastern Christianity . The word submersion comes from the late Latin ( sub- "under, below" + mergere "plunge, dip") and is also sometimes called "complete immersion". It is the form of baptism in which the water completely covers the candidate's body. Submersion

6600-485: The Westminster Confession 20.2, the conscience is left free in general belief and behavior within the realm of whatever is not “contrary to the Word. However, specifically concerning worship and religious faith, the conscience is free from whatever is “besides” Scripture; that is, one is free to worship and believe only according to whatever has positive warrant in Scripture. Presbyterians who have subscribed to

6710-469: The Westminster Confession, for instance, sometimes considered the questions of musical instruments and of the singing of hymns (as opposed to exclusive psalmody ) not drawn directly from the Bible as related to the elements of worship, as not optional circumstances. Thus, they rejected musical instruments and hymns because they believed these were neither commanded by Scripture, nor deduced by good and necessary consequence from it. However, adherence to such

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6820-464: The actual practitioners of Cynicism. The final Cynic noted in classical history is Sallustius of Emesa in the late 5th century. A student of the Neoplatonic philosopher Isidore of Alexandria , he devoted himself to living a life of Cynic asceticism. Some historians have noted the similarities between the teachings of Jesus and those of the Cynics. Some scholars have argued that the Q document ,

6930-407: The amount of water was inconsequential and defended immersion, affusion, and aspersion practices (Epistle 75.12). As a result, there was no uniform or consistent mode of baptism in the ancient church prior to the fourth century. By the third and fourth centuries, baptism involved catechetical instruction as well as chrismation , exorcisms , laying on of hands , and recitation of a creed . In

7040-399: The ancient world by their apparel—an old cloak and a staff. The cloak was an allusion to Socrates and his manner of dress, the staff to the club of Heracles. These items became so symbolic of the Cynic vocation that ancient writers accosted those who thought that donning the Cynic garb would make them suited to the philosophy. In the social evolution from the archaic age to the classical ,

7150-458: The apparently new rite of báptisma . The Greek verb báptō ( βάπτω ), ' dip ' , from which the verb baptízō is derived, is in turn hypothetically traced to a reconstructed Indo-European root * gʷabh- , ' dip ' . The Greek words are used in a great variety of meanings. βάπτω and βαπτίζω in Hellenism had the general usage of "immersion", "going under" (as a material in

7260-462: The baptism "λοχείαν", i.e., giving birth, and "new way of creation...from water and Spirit" ("to John" speech 25,2), and later elaborates: For nothing perceivable was handed over to us by Jesus; but with perceivable things, all of them however conceivable. This is also the way with the baptism; the gift of the water is done with a perceivable thing, but the things being conducted, i.e., the rebirth and renovation, are conceivable. For, if you were without

7370-427: The bare necessities required for existence, and one can become free by unshackling oneself from any needs which are the result of convention. The Cynics adopted Heracles as their hero, as epitomizing the ideal Cynic. Heracles "was he who brought Cerberus , the hound of Hades, from the underworld, a point of special appeal to the dog-man, Diogenes." According to Lucian , "Cerberus and Cynic are surely related through

7480-446: The broad character of the man, including an ethical seriousness. Crates of Thebes (c. 365–c. 285 BC) is the third figure who dominates Cynic history. He is notable because he renounced a large fortune to live a life of Cynic poverty in Athens. He is said to have been a pupil of Diogenes, but again this is uncertain. Crates married Hipparchia of Maroneia after she had fallen in love with him and together they lived like beggars on

7590-498: The centuries preceding the Cynics. In the early 6th century BC, Anacharsis , a Scythian sage, had combined plain living together with criticisms of Greek customs in a manner which would become standard among the Cynics. Perhaps of importance were tales of Indian philosophers, known as gymnosophists , who had adopted a strict asceticism . By the 5th century BC, the sophists had begun a process of questioning many aspects of Greek society such as religion , law and ethics. However,

7700-646: The church founded by Jesus Christ), and baptism of blood ( martyrdom ). In his encyclical Mystici corporis Christi of June 29, 1943, Pope Pius XII spoke of baptism and profession of the true faith as what makes members of the one true church, which is the body of Jesus Christ himself, as God the Holy Spirit has taught through the Apostle Paul: By contrast, Anabaptist and Evangelical Protestants recognize baptism as an outward sign of an inward reality following on an individual believer's experience of forgiving grace. Reformed and Methodist Protestants maintain

7810-611: The church. What is specifically considered adiaphora depends on the specific theology in view. The issue of what constituted adiaphora became a major dispute during the Protestant Reformation . In 1548, two years after the death of Martin Luther , the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V tried to unite Catholics and Protestants in his realm with a law called the Augsburg Interim . This was rejected by Philipp Melanchthon , because it did not ensure justification by faith as

7920-409: The crucifixion of the "old man" of the repentant sinner in preparation for baptism. Changing customs and concerns regarding modesty probably contributed to the practice of permitting or requiring the baptismal candidate to either retain their undergarments (as in many Renaissance paintings of baptism such as those by da Vinci , Tintoretto , Van Scorel , Masaccio , de Wit and others) or to wear, as

8030-406: The dog." The Cynic way of life required continuous training, not just in exercising judgments and mental impressions, but a physical training as well: [Diogenes] used to say, that there were two kinds of exercise: that, namely, of the mind and that of the body; and that the latter of these created in the mind such quick and agile impressions at the time of its performance, as very much facilitated

8140-480: The early church, many of the writings from the ancient church appeared to view this mode of baptism as inconsequential. The Didache 7.1–3 (AD 60–150) allowed for affusion practices in situations where immersion was not practical. Likewise, Tertullian (AD 196–212) allowed for varying approaches to baptism even if those practices did not conform to biblical or traditional mandates (cf. De corona militis 3; De baptismo 17). Finally, Cyprian (ca. AD 256) explicitly stated that

8250-418: The idea of cosmopolitanism : when he was asked where he came from, Diogenes replied that he was "a citizen of the world, ( kosmopolitês )." The ideal Cynic would evangelise; as the watchdog of humanity, they thought it was their duty to hound people about the error of their ways. The example of the Cynic's life (and the use of the Cynic's biting satire ) would dig up and expose the pretensions which lay at

8360-399: The ideal: "consider the present Cynics who are dogs that wait at tables, and in no respect imitate the Cynics of old except perchance in breaking wind ." Unlike Stoicism, which declined as an independent philosophy after the 2nd century CE, Cynicism seems to have thrived into the 4th century. The emperor Julian (ruled 361–363), like Epictetus, praised the ideal Cynic and complained about

8470-534: The inner chamber, were symbolic. 2. As soon, then, as you entered, you put off your tunic; and this was an image of putting off the old man with his deeds. Having stripped yourselves, you were naked; in this also imitating Christ, who was stripped naked on the Cross, and by His nakedness put off from Himself the principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them on the tree. For since the adverse powers made their lair in your members, you may no longer wear that old garment; I do not at all mean this visible one, but

8580-505: The late 18th and early 19th centuries, to the modern understanding of cynicism as "an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others." This modern definition of cynicism is in marked contrast to the ancient philosophy, which emphasized "virtue and moral freedom in liberation from desire." Various philosophers, such as the Pythagoreans , had advocated simple living in

8690-428: The later simplicities of pure Cynicism. In the list of works ascribed to Antisthenes by Diogenes Laërtius , writings on language , dialogue and literature far outnumber those on ethics or politics , although they may reflect how his philosophical interests changed with time. It is certainly true that Antisthenes preached a life of poverty : I have enough to eat till my hunger is stayed, to drink till my thirst

8800-658: The latitudinarian philosophy were found among the Cambridge Platonists . The latitudinarian Anglicans of that period built on Richard Hooker 's position in Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity , which states God cares about the moral state of the individual soul and that matters such as church leadership are “things indifferent”. However, they took the position far beyond Hooker's own and extended it to doctrinal matters. Cynicism (philosophy) Cynicism ( Ancient Greek : κυνισμός )

8910-404: The lexicographical work of Zodhiates says that, in the second of these two cases, the verb baptízein indicates that, after coming from the market, the Pharisees washed their hands by immersing them in collected water. Balz & Schneider understand the meaning of βαπτίζω, used in place of ῥαντίσωνται (sprinkle), to be the same as βάπτω, to dip or immerse, a verb used of the partial dipping of

9020-418: The like, are denominated good; their opposites were bad . Besides these there are many other objects of pursuit such as wealth , fame , etc., of themselves neither good nor bad. These are thought therefore in ethics to occupy neutral territory, and are denominated "adiaphora". This distinction amounts practically to an exclusion of the adiaphora from the field of morals . In the context of Stoicism adiaphora

9130-469: The masculine Greek noun baptismós ( βαπτισμός ), a term for ritual washing in Greek language texts of Hellenistic Judaism during the Second Temple period , such as the Septuagint . Both of these nouns are derived from the verb baptízō ( βαπτίζω , ' I wash ' transitive verb ), which is used in Jewish texts for ritual washing, and in the New Testament both for ritual washing and also for

9240-452: The masculine noun baptismós "ritual washing" The verb baptízein occurs four times in the Septuagint in the context of ritual washing, baptismós ; Judith cleansing herself from menstrual impurity, Naaman washing seven times to be cleansed from leprosy , etc. Additionally, in the New Testament only, the verb baptízein can also relate to the neuter noun báptisma "baptism" which is

9350-406: The mint at Sinope , got into trouble for falsifying the coinage. (The phrase "defacing the currency" later became proverbial in describing Diogenes' rejection of conventional values.) Later tradition claimed that Diogenes became the disciple of Antisthenes, but it is by no means certain that they ever met. Diogenes did however adopt Antisthenes' teachings and the ascetic way of life, pursuing

9460-427: The most immediate influence for the Cynic school was Socrates . Although he was not an ascetic, he did profess a love of virtue and an indifference to wealth, together with a disdain for general opinion. These aspects of Socrates' thought, which formed only a minor part of Plato 's philosophy, became the central inspiration for another of Socrates' pupils, Antisthenes.[[Antisthenes ]] Cynics were often recognized in

9570-460: The name of Jesus, and it is questionable whether Christian baptism was in some way linked with that of John. However, according to Mark 1:8, John seems to connect his water baptism as a type of the true, ultimate baptism of Jesus, which is by the Spirit. Christians consider Jesus to have instituted the sacrament of baptism. Though some form of immersion was likely the most common method of baptism in

9680-586: The old man, which waxes corrupt in the lusts of deceit. May the soul which has once put him off, never again put him on, but say with the Spouse of Christ in the Song of Songs, I have put off my garment, how shall I put it on? O wondrous thing! You were naked in the sight of all, and were not ashamed; for truly ye bore the likeness of the first-formed Adam, who was naked in the garden, and was not ashamed. 3. Then, when you were stripped, you were anointed with exorcised oil, from

9790-431: The one who is baptized and the one who baptizes should fast beforehand, along with any others who are able, the one that is baptized being told to fast for a day or two. The word " immersion " is derived from late Latin immersio , a noun derived from the verb immergere ( in – "into" + mergere "dip"). In relation to baptism, some use it to refer to any form of dipping, whether the body is put completely under water or

9900-501: The ordinary word for washing) their hands thoroughly, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they wash themselves (literally, "baptize themselves"— βαπτίσωνται , passive or middle voice of βαπτίζω )". Scholars of various denominations claim that these two passages show that invited guests, or people returning from market, would not be expected to immerse themselves ("baptize themselves") totally in water but only to practise

10010-403: The partial immersion of dipping their hands in water or to pour water over them, as is the only form admitted by present Jewish custom. In the second of the two passages, it is actually the hands that are specifically identified as "washed", not the entire person, for whom the verb used is baptízomai , literally "be baptized", "be immersed", a fact obscured by English versions that use "wash" as

10120-525: The power, effect, benefit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is to save. No one is baptized in order to become a prince, but as the words say, to "be saved". To be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil and to enter into the kingdom of Christ and live with him forever. The Churches of Christ ," Jehovah's Witnesses , Christadelphians , and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints espouse baptism as necessary for salvation. For Roman Catholics, baptism by water

10230-456: The practice of virtue; but that one was imperfect without the other, since the health and vigour necessary for the practice of what is good, depend equally on both mind and body. None of this meant that a Cynic would retreat from society. Cynics were in fact to live in the full glare of the public's gaze and be quite indifferent in the face of any insults which might result from their unconventional behaviour. The Cynics are said to have invented

10340-544: The primary meaning of the verb baptízein , from which the English verb "baptize" is derived, as "dip, plunge", and gives examples of plunging a sword into a throat or an embryo and for drawing wine by dipping a cup in the bowl; for New Testament usage it gives two meanings: "baptize", with which it associates the Septuagint mention of Naaman dipping himself in the Jordan River , and "perform ablutions", as in Luke 11:38. Although

10450-406: The public ceased carrying weapons into the poleis . Originally it was expected that one carried a sword while in the city. However, a transition to spears and then to staffs occurred until wearing any weapon in the city became a foolish old custom. Thus, the very act of carrying a staff was slightly taboo itself. According to modern theorists, the symbol of the staff was one which both functions as

10560-462: The root of everyday conventions. Although Cynicism concentrated primarily on ethics , some Cynics, such as Monimus , addressed epistemology with regard to tuphos (τῦφος) expressing skeptical views. Cynic philosophy had a major impact on the Hellenistic world, ultimately becoming an important influence for Stoicism . The Stoic Apollodorus , writing in the 2nd century BC, stated that "Cynicism

10670-423: The streets of Athens, where Crates was treated with respect. Crates' later fame (apart from his unconventional lifestyle) lies in the fact that he became the teacher of Zeno of Citium , the founder of Stoicism . The Cynic strain to be found in early Stoicism (such as Zeno's own radical views on sexual equality spelled out in his Republic ) can be ascribed to Crates' influence. There were many other Cynics in

10780-474: The trappings of sinful self, so that the "new man", which is given by Jesus, can be put on. 3. As Cyril again asserts above, as Adam and Eve in scripture were naked, innocent and unashamed in the Garden of Eden, nakedness during baptism was seen as a renewal of that innocence and state of original sinlessness. Other parallels can also be drawn, such as between the exposed condition of Christ during His crucifixion, and

10890-575: The verb baptízō (βαπτίζω) appear in the New Testament: the masculine noun baptismós (βαπτισμός) and the neuter noun báptisma (βάπτισμα): Until the Middle Ages , most baptisms were performed with the candidates naked—as is evidenced by most of the early portrayals of baptism (some of which are shown in this article), and the early Church Fathers and other Christian writers. Deaconesses helped female candidates for reasons of modesty. Typical of these

11000-544: The very hairs of your head to your feet, and were made partakers of the good olive-tree, Jesus Christ. 4. After these things, you were led to the holy pool of Divine Baptism, as Christ was carried from the Cross to the Sepulchre which is before our eyes. And each of you was asked, whether he believed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and you made that saving confession, and descended three times into

11110-400: The water, and ascended again; here also hinting by a symbol at the three days burial of Christ.... And at the self-same moment you were both dying and being born; The symbolism is threefold: 1. Baptism is considered to be a form of rebirth—"by water and the Spirit" —the nakedness of baptism (the second birth) paralleled the condition of one's original birth. For example, John Chrysostom calls

11220-448: The wisdom and (often polemical) ethics preached by Cynics along with their sense of purity and ascetic practices. During the 2nd century, Justin Martyr clashed with Crescens the Cynic , who is recorded as claiming the Christians were atheotatous (“the most without a god”), in reference to their rejection of the pagan gods and their absence of temples, statues, or sacrifices. This was

11330-776: The word "christening" for the baptism of infants . In certain Christian denominations, such as the Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Assyrian Church of the East, and Lutheran Churches , baptism is the door to church membership , with candidates taking baptismal vows . It has also given its name to the Baptist churches and denominations . Certain schools of Christian thought (such as Catholic and Lutheran theology) regard baptism as necessary for salvation , but some writers, such as Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531), have denied its necessity. Though water baptism

11440-412: The word "immersion", see Immersion baptism . When "immersion" is used in opposition to "submersion", it indicates the form of baptism in which the candidate stands or kneels in water and water is poured over the upper part of the body. Immersion in this sense has been employed in West and East since at least the 2nd century and is the form in which baptism is generally depicted in early Christian art. In

11550-522: The word to their advantage, as a later commentator explained: There are four reasons why the Cynics are so named. First because of the indifference of their way of life, for they make a cult of indifference and, like dogs, eat and make love in public, go barefoot, and sleep in tubs and at crossroads. The second reason is that the dog is a shameless animal, and they make a cult of shamelessness, not as being beneath modesty, but as superior to it. The third reason

11660-573: The “enemies of God's Word.” The Lutheran Augsburg Confession states that true unity of the Church is enough to allow for agreement, concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and administration of the Sacraments . It also posits that merely human traditions, namely extrabiblical rites or ceremonies, need not be the same across all congregations. The Westminster Confession of Faith , a confession of faith written by

11770-406: Was Antisthenes , who had been a pupil of Socrates in the late 400s BC. He was followed by Diogenes , who lived in a ceramic jar on the streets of Athens . Diogenes took Cynicism to its logical extremes with his famous public demonstrations of non-conformity, coming to be seen as the archetypal Cynic philosopher. He was followed by Crates of Thebes , who gave away a large fortune so he could live

11880-494: Was Demetrius , whom Seneca praised as "a man of consummate wisdom, though he himself denied it, constant to the principles which he professed, of an eloquence worthy to deal with the mightiest subjects." Cynicism in Rome was both the butt of the satirist and the ideal of the thinker. In the 2nd century CE, Lucian, whilst pouring scorn on the Cynic philosopher Peregrinus Proteus , nevertheless praised his own Cynic teacher, Demonax , in

11990-448: Was deeply influenced by the Cynics and see the Jewish prophetic tradition as of much greater importance. Many of the ascetic practices of Cynicism may have been adopted by early Christians , and Christians often employed the same rhetorical methods as the Cynics. Some Cynics were martyred for speaking out against the authorities. One Cynic, Peregrinus Proteus , lived for a time as a Christian before converting to Cynicism, whereas in

12100-474: Was its message of strength—a virtue held in abundance by the Cynic philosopher. The story of Cynicism traditionally begins with Antisthenes (c. 445–365 BC), who was an older contemporary of Plato and a pupil of Socrates. About 25 years his junior, Antisthenes was one of the most important of Socrates' disciples. Although later classical authors had little doubt about labelling him as the founder of Cynicism, his philosophical views seem to be more complex than

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