Peloponnesian Road Trip

6/3/15

Beginning our trip through Eleusis- where people went to foretell future, peek into afterlife, temple of Demeter, where she gave her son the ability to farm grains, telesterion is the inner sanctuary, Elysian mysteries, regarded by Plato as reverential, sitting in darkness with symbol of flame, putting you out of you comfort zone to face fear so you no longer fear death, played Persephone and Demeter history, process here for 8 days, causes sacrifices and transformations of our mind and our life here, initiation into these mysteries is similar to initiation into philosophy, process of becoming and habituating, you're not going to emerge unchanged, there is an illumination in the darkness, seeing truth, aletheia, unconcealment, revel was, makes clear previous obscurities, hard to communicate what happened here with fullness or without suffering consequences, perhaps you can show them, full sanctuary and religious buildings for devout, some carry gifts on their heads for the gods, their holy trinity of Demeter, Persephone, and triptolimos, her son, immortal boy, burned him in her torch, represent burned crops, guarantees growth next, island of salamis across the way, 

Theseus in the shaping of democracy in Athens from the aristocratic Hercules- very similar to Hercules, linked to past, much like democracy to aristocracy

Peloponnesian separated by Corinth or isthmos canal

Corinth- St. Paul knew about elysinian mysteries, tries to explain what Christians believe, if Christ resurects, the dead are also raised, death is the final enemy, what is sown is perishable, what is risen is immortal, death where is your sting, references to grain much like Demeters symbol at Elysas, a mystery like no other, one you must speak about in the good news unlike the secrecy at Elysas, city begins 12th c bc with Doric tribes, warrior conquering mentality, think Spartan military state, rather than peaceful Corinthian trading tradition, 146 bc the city is devastated by Romans who made an example of them, it was a political center for the Greek world, for 100 years no one lived here until Julius Caesar gives his legioners his land, grows again to be multicultural city Paul arrives in, different backgrounds, sinful city, Paul reminds them not to fall back in old ways, must have a lot of money to live there, Korinth iasisthi(do everything God says not to do), temple prostitutuon, city high on a rock to spot all the vulnerable spots on the shores, where Sisyphus, bellephoron, and Jason and Medea have lived, ancient city is primarily temple of Apollo, Paul was here for 1 and half years, most successful, largest Basillica in early Christianity, strong Jewish community, mosaics demonstrate Arcadia, land of plenty, rural, roman personification of gods and cities, acts 18 Paul leaves Athens to come to Corinth, comes to stay with the Jews, Priscilla and Acilla, reasoned in synagogue with them but then went to Gentiles when he was opposed, made his living through tent making, trying to make his own way and be independent of others such as wealthy benefactors that he'd be indebted to, he can wander as wants

Ending in the lovely town of Nafplio

Biblical Heritage (Corinthian letters)

In A Week in the Life of Corinth, we are introduced two parallel stories that converge. One is the disciple Paul who wants to show the Corinthians a higher expression of love, agape not eros, leading them from a life of excess and materialism to sharing and faith in higher things such as God. The other story is of Nicancor, a freedman of an aristocrat Erastos, as he returns from sailing from Roma to Corinth across the Adriatic February to transact a business deal for getting Carerra marble on Erastos' behalf. He takes note of how uncivilized Romans were in comparison to Greeks. Then he introduces Paul's story line, describing it as a strange eastern religion that Erastos had been ascribing to in a house church. They "met under the cloak of darkness in a home without priests, temples, or sacrifices. And then there was all the singing and prophesying.... Wondered if they had the mania associated with the oracle at Delphi." The accusations continue as he describes Christianity partaking in cannibalism because they ate the body and drank the blood of Jesus Christ. However, these beliefs are from the outsider's perspective, and soon Nicanor will be face to face with the religion and gain a different belief. For now, Nicancor is more concerned with the conflict of loyalty to Erastos while being bribed by his political nemesis, Aumelion. He is faced with ratting out Erastos in partaking in Christianity to his political competition for aedile for his own social and monetary gain. Being enslaved by him and having served Erastos his whole life, Nicanor questions the obligation and mercy he should show him now as he is finally free. The slave trade is a prominent business in Corinth as it is the junction of two sea ports. The variety of people in Corinth were not determined only by skin color but more specifically nationality as there was prejudice surrounding citizenry, whether or not you were truly Roman. This location was ideal for Paul, not only because there was a large Jewish community there where he can begin to plant himself but also because this neck could connect him to many worlds, making Corinth an ideal outlet to begin the spread of the Good News. 

Social World (Nic Ethics Book 9) 

Aristotle makes the claim that one can only have so many friendships of virtue. So what kind of friendships are your 1000 Facebook "friends"? Most of them are not of virtue, where their desires should be the same as ours and aiming for the same good. For a mythological example of this, Odysseus and Penelope exhibit the same cunning mind and loyalty to one another. For a Christian example, one characteristic of the church is being of one mind in Christ- one good that is in sharing God's kingdom. With this Christian perspective in mind, it is important to note that Aristotle forgets forgiveness and grace in his requirements of friendship. Perhaps those are characteristic of a New Testament framework, rather than a Roman or Greek perspective of justice. Aquinas completes Aristotle's philosophy with the Christian perspective. Aristotle continues his discussion of friendship by stating that self love is the foundation of all true friendships. As you must do what you believe is good for your friends sake, you must also do what is good for yourself. If you live well together by sharing each other's joys and pains, you must be able to endure your own joys and pains. The good man is a friend to themselves because they will extend this love with themselves. My question is: Does the love for yourself have to be equal to the love you give? Or is the mark of a generous person when your love for yourself is less than your love for others?If the virtue of this self-love is generosity and the vice is narcissism, you must be conscious to avoid the other vice that completely neglects who you are. "Now if you're not sure of who you are, you are defined by your relationships" as Ellen said so wisely. Relationships with others are subject to change, but your relationship with yourself is the longest and surest one you're going to have in this life. The golden rule extends both ways, it involves loving yourself in the right way. 

Recently I tried out a therapist at Baylor's Counseling Center because I was struggling with exhausting physically and emotionally (per usual for the college student I suppose). The instant I pleaded my case to her she diagnosed me with "being a caretaker." I was guilty of the second vice. By giving too much time to others, I was not exhibiting Aristotle's virtue of generosity and was instead acting like a doormat. Because of this, I was also attracting the type of people that took advantage of caretakers. My exhaustion was caused by having too many friendships of inequality, whether either of us realized it or not. 

This prompted a reflection of whether or not you can be friends with bad people and how to you identify unhealthy relationships. Aristotle brings up the danger of being corrupted by people with lesser virtue and, therefore, they should be avoided. But perhaps as a Christian we must adopt of policy of being a friend to them but not necessarily with them, because they are going to relationships of inequality. If bad people are filled with too much self love with their own interests at heart, a noble person will extend an unselfish love, with eudaimōn as the end accomplished by unselfish means. As Christians, loving ourselves is achieved through loving God and, therefore, loving His people.