Chapter I: The Creator

The idea of One God, begotten of the unity and order of the
world, and connected with the ideas of personality and mind.
Three elements in the idea—Creator, Moral Governor, Absolute
Being 171-174

Growth of idea of a beginning: Monism and Dualism 174, 175

1. Monism of the Stoics: _natura naturata_ and _naturans_:
a beginning not necessarily involved 175-177

2. Dualism, Platonic: creation recognized 177-180

Syncretistic blending of these as to process: _Logos_ idea
common. Hence Philo’s significance: God as Creator:
Monistic and Dualistic aspects; his terms for the
Forces in their plurality and unity: after all, God
is Creator, even Father, of the world 180-188

Early Christian idea of a single supreme Artificer took permanent
root; but questions as to mode emerged, and the first answers
were tentative 188-190

1. Evolutional type; supplemented by idea of a lapse 190-194

2. Creational type accepted 194

There remained:

(i.) The ultimate relation of matter to God: Dualistic
solutions: Basilides’ Platonic theory the basis
of the later doctrine, though not at once
recognized 194-198

(ii.) The Creator’s contact with matter: Mediation
hypothesis: the _Logos_ solution 198-200

(iii.) Imperfection and evil: Monistic and Dualistic
answers, especially Marcion’s 200, 201

But the Divine Unity overcomes all: position of Irenæus, &c.,
widely accepted: Origen’s cosmogony a theodicy. Prevalence
of the simpler view seen in Monarchianism 202-207

Results 207, 208

LECTURE VIII.

GREEK AND CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY.