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Common Sense  /  Chapter 19, Part 2: Greek Philosophy and Early Christianity  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 1
Bercot argues that accusing the early Christians of borrowing their faith from Greek philosophy is irresponsible unless someone can show the same teachings in the philosophers’ writings. What does this challenge us to examine about the way modern Christians sometimes accept historical or theological claims without evidence?
Another way to ask: Bercot says it is wrong to claim early Christians borrowed from Greek philosophy unless we can prove it from the philosophers’ own writings. What does this teach us about accepting church history or theology claims without evidence?

Direct Answer

It challenges modern Christians to test historical and theological claims by evidence rather than repetition, suspicion, or scholarly-sounding accusations. According to the transcript, a claim should not be accepted unless those making it can actually demonstrate it from the relevant sources.

Support from Transcript

- Bercot calls the charge that early Christians borrowed from Greek philosophy “one of the most irresponsible” accusations. - He says it is “usually” made by someone who has read neither “the early Christian works nor those of the Greek philosophers.” - The accuser is described as “quite unable to show you where” the same teachings appear in Greek philosophers’ writings. - He compares the accusation to other unsupported claims, such as Moses borrowing from Hammurabi or Daniel from Zoroaster. - He concludes there is “no more evidence” for Christian borrowing from Greek philosophy than for those other claims.

Discussion Follow-ups

This invites Christians to ask whether they accept claims because they are documented or merely because they are commonly repeated.

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