Douglas Hedley

Dr. Headley. My name is Douglas Headley, and I teach the philosophy of religion at the University of Cambridge. And I have a particular interest in Christian Platonism, and particularly what I might call the Neoplatonic version of that strand of thought.

Dr. Headley. My name is Douglas Headley, and I teach the philosophy of religion at the University of Cambridge. And I have a particular interest in Christian Platonism, and particularly what I might call the Neoplatonic version of that strand of thought.

And from this perspective of my work in the history of philosophy, I've always been struck by the extent of theology as a crucial, no pun intended, backdrop to Western thought. And yet philosophers are often either oblivious to this or consciously ignore it. Now, the gospel narrative is absolutely central to this Western intellectual tradition.

And from this perspective of my work in the history of philosophy, I've always been struck by the extent of theology as a crucial, no pun intended, backdrop to Western thought. And yet philosophers are often either oblivious to this or consciously ignore it. Now, the gospel narrative is absolutely central to this Western intellectual tradition.

And yet this gospel tradition, this gospel narrative is, as a couple of people have already mentioned, both astonishing in its claims and very profoundly familiar, almost too familiar in a sense. You referred to the death of Christianity. I think that's putting it a bit too harshly.

And yet this gospel tradition, this gospel narrative is, as a couple of people have already mentioned, both astonishing in its claims and very profoundly familiar, almost too familiar in a sense. You referred to the death of Christianity. I think that's putting it a bit too harshly.

But nevertheless, it is the case that Christianity has been through a fiery furnace in terms of the Enlightenment critique of its central claims. Now, I think from a philosophical point of view, from a theological point of view, we do have to take those criticisms seriously. and consider the questions of meaning and truth.

But nevertheless, it is the case that Christianity has been through a fiery furnace in terms of the Enlightenment critique of its central claims. Now, I think from a philosophical point of view, from a theological point of view, we do have to take those criticisms seriously. and consider the questions of meaning and truth.

That having been said, there is, I think, a profound hunger for these philosophical and theological questions that we find expressed, I find personally, in an inexpressibly beautiful manner in the Gospels. And so, I'm very much looking forward to the forthcoming discussions.

That having been said, there is, I think, a profound hunger for these philosophical and theological questions that we find expressed, I find personally, in an inexpressibly beautiful manner in the Gospels. And so, I'm very much looking forward to the forthcoming discussions.

May I just add to that, in terms of the text, there were two words here that are very difficult to translate into English. And one, of course, is logos, which can mean, obviously, word, proposition, meaning, story. The resonance of that word is very rich. But also the word that's translated as beginning, the ache, because in the Greek philosophical tradition, that word is used for God.

May I just add to that, in terms of the text, there were two words here that are very difficult to translate into English. And one, of course, is logos, which can mean, obviously, word, proposition, meaning, story. The resonance of that word is very rich. But also the word that's translated as beginning, the ache, because in the Greek philosophical tradition, that word is used for God.

So, and there are reasons why this should be the case, but the is a term which has a very powerful theological meaning within the Greek philosophical tradition. It's the first principle. It's the source of all reality. So one way of looking at this is to say, well,

So, and there are reasons why this should be the case, but the is a term which has a very powerful theological meaning within the Greek philosophical tradition. It's the first principle. It's the source of all reality. So one way of looking at this is to say, well,

In the source, there was the word, i.e., to say the Trinitarian reading, although that sounds like an absurd Christian interjection of a much later period, you could see that as making perfect sense with just these initial words.

In the source, there was the word, i.e., to say the Trinitarian reading, although that sounds like an absurd Christian interjection of a much later period, you could see that as making perfect sense with just these initial words.

The other interesting aspect about that passage as well is that What we read as in the beginning is using another very important word in Greek philosophy, and that word is the ache, which means beginning, which means source, principle. And that usage is also very interesting. So in ancient Greek, in the philosophical tradition, the word God is not... So theos is not used for the first principle.

The other interesting aspect about that passage as well is that What we read as in the beginning is using another very important word in Greek philosophy, and that word is the ache, which means beginning, which means source, principle. And that usage is also very interesting. So in ancient Greek, in the philosophical tradition, the word God is not... So theos is not used for the first principle.

The word that is used is this word, achei. So the fact that we start off this prologue with these terms which resonate with profound metaphysical questions is, I think, of profound significance.

The word that is used is this word, achei. So the fact that we start off this prologue with these terms which resonate with profound metaphysical questions is, I think, of profound significance.