The Word
This is an attempt to trace a concept from it origin in the Western canon through several transmutations and comparisons then on to its disregard in our modern secular society.
Some traditional uses of the word Logos:
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Logia, the sayings of Jesus. Logic, the science of the formal principles of reasoning. Logography ancient Greek writers in prose. Logos, a common term in ancient philosophy and theology. It expresses the idea of an imminent reason in the world, and, under various modifications, in Indian, Egyptian and Persian systems of thought. Hellenic Logos, is a relation or reason and is objective like a law of nature that gives order and regularity to the movement of things and makes the system rational.Platonic Logos, the ordering principal is nous or sophia not logos. Johannine Logos, recalls the opening of Genesis and can not be derived from the Old Testament. Hebrew Logos, any communication of God to man, especially via a prophet. In the Wisdom Literature (grammatically feminine in gender) she is the divine artificer and draws man to God. Philo's Logos, syncretism of Greek with Hebrew. The Logos is divine (theos) but not God ( o theos), so like God but not absolute. Gnostic Logos, is one mediator among many, while the Johannine Logos is the one and only mediator. Irenaeus et. al. Logos, started from Christ as the Son who reveals the Father through incarnation and redemption, while the term Logos is used for the more limited purpose of relating Christ as Son to the universe as its creator, rather than a pre-existent Logos to God. |