Mobile Ed: CS321 Introduction to Plato’s Republic: A Christian Reading (8 hour course - audio)

by Chip Bennett; Warren A. Gage

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2019

Overview

Join Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage as they explore Plato’s Republic. Beginning with an introduction to Greek philosophy and literature, they lay a strong foundation for ideas and categories that will help you better read the works of Plato. They then examine Plato’s Republic, introducing each of its ten books and tracing the ideas and themes found within them. Dr. Bennett and Dr. Gage conclude with a discussion of various Christian principles that you can extract from reading the Republic and apply when reading the New Testament.

Course Outline

Introduction

• Introducing the Course
• Introducing Warren Gage
• Introducing Chip Bennett
• Introduction to the Great Conversation
• Approaching the Great Books
• The Great Conversation Illustrated: The School of Athens

Unit 1: Introduction to Greek Political Philosophy

• An Introduction to Hellenistic Thinking
• Section Introduction
• Two Diagnostic Questions That Determine Your Political Perspective
• The Seven Titles to Rule
• Application: Jesus Gives Up the Seven Titles to Rule
• Aristotle’s Four Definitions: Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric, Poetry
• Aristotle’s Ethics
• The Three Parts of the Soul
• The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Soul
• The Civil War in the Soul
• Application: The Three Parts of the Soul in Books, Television, and Movies
• The Three Possible Political Regimes
• The Ecclesiastical Regimes
• Transition: The Problems with Political Regimes
• The Strengths and Weaknesses of Democracy
• Is Democracy at War with Nature?
• The Quarrel between the Rich and the Poor
• The Tyrant
• Polybius’s Wheel

Unit 2: The Great Quarrels: The Quarrel between Poetry and Philosophy

• Section Introduction to the Quarrels
• Poetry and Philosophy: Different Expressions of Truth
• The Quarrel between Philosophy and Poetry: A History
• Application: Who Are the Modern Philosophers and Poets?
• The Philosophers: The Arche and Logos
• Transition to the Poets and Poetry: Four Gestures of the Soul
• The Genre of Epic and the Genre of Lyric
• The Genre of Tragedy and the Genre of Comedy
• The Four Genres in Genesis 1–3 and the Greek Poets
• Introduction to Hesiod and Homer
• Introduction to Hesiod
• Hesiod: The Three Generations of Gods
• Hesiod: The Olympian Gods
• Hesiod: The Birth Narratives of Semele and Dionysus
• The Lessons of Hesiod: Appreciation for Christian Faith
• Introduction and Background to Homer: The Trojan War
• Homer: The Shield of Achilles

Unit 3: The Great Quarrels: The Quarrel between the City of God and City of Man

• Introduction to the Quarrel between the City of God and City of Man
• The History of the Quarrel between the City of God and City of Man
• The Choice of the Heavenly City
• The Quarrel Seen in the Greek Poets
• The Founding of the City of God vs. City of Man

Unit 4: Commentary on Plato’s Republic

• Introducing Plato’s Republic
• Philosophic Background for the Coming of the Gospel
• Becoming Aware of a Common Literary Figure Found in the Republic and the Bible
• The Perfectly Just and Unjust Man
• The Ring of Gyges
• The Just City
• Book 1
• Went Down to the Piraeus (327a)/The Arrest Scene (327b–328b)
• Cephalus (331b–331d)
• Polemarchus (335a–335e)
• Thrasymachus (336b)
• Book 2
• The City as the Soul Writ Large (368c–369b)
• The City of Utmost Necessity (369c)
• The Feverish City (372c–374a)
• Book 3
• The Noble Lie (414b)/Excurses: Gettysburg
• Book 4
• Book 5
• The Arrest Scene (449a–450b)
• The First Wave: The Education of Women (451d–452e)/The Second Wave: Wives and Children in Common (459c–462c)
• The Third Wave: The Philosopher King (473c–473e)
• Book 6
• Excurses: The Divided Line (Part 1)
• Excurses: The Divided Line (Part 2)
• Excurses: The Divided Line (Part 3)
• The Ship of State Reimagined (488a–489a)
• Book 7
• The Cave Reimagined
• Books 8 and 9
• Book 10

Unit 5: How Reading Plato Helps us Understand the New Testament

• Logos/Mythos: Story Supports the Doctrine (Acts 12)
• Paul and Silas in Philippi (Acts 16)
• Paul in Malta (Acts 28)
• Recognize the Significance of the Center of the Book
• Reading the Text Iconically (John 13)
• Reading the Text Organically (Luke 2)

Product Details

Product Details

• Title: Mobile Ed: CS321 Introduction to Plato’s Republic: A Christian Reading (Audio)
• Instructors: Chip Bennett & Warren A. Gage
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Publication Date: 2018
• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
• Resource Type: Audio
• Courses: 1
• Length: 8 hours

About the Instructors

Chip Bennett is an online professor at Knox Theological Seminary, where he earned his DMin and MA. Both an academic and a pastor, Dr. Bennett serves as an adjunct professor teaching systematic theology and New Testament exegesis at Southeastern University and as a member of the Residential Faculty of the Alexandrian Forum, and he is the founding senior pastor of Grace Community Church in Sarasota, Florida. He is a member of the American Academy of Religion.

Warren A. Gage is founder and President of the Alexandrian Forum. He received his PhD and MA from the University of Dallas, his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, and his JD from SMU Dedman School of Law. Previously, Dr. Gage served as Professor of Old Testament and Dean of Faculty at Knox Theological Seminary. While at Knox, he founded and directed the Christianity and Classical Studies graduate program. Dr. Gage is an ordained minister in the PCA and has authored numerous books and both scholarly and popular-level articles.