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.
This is the audio only version of CS321 Introduction to Plato’s Republic: A Christian Reading. To purchase the full course, click here.
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
Title: Mobile Ed: CS321 Introduction to Plato’s Republic: A Christian Reading (Audio)
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.