back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 7348

[from 'The History of the Jews' by Paul Johnson, in 29. Religion / A. Polytheistic Religion / 2. Greek Polytheism ]

Full Idea

The Jews drew an absolute distinction between the human and the divine; the Greeks constantly elevated the human - they were Promethean - and lowered the divine.

Clarification

Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans

Gist of Idea

The Jews sharply distinguish human and divine, but the Greeks pull them closer together

Source

Paul Johnson (The History of the Jews [1987], Pt II)

Book Reference

Johnson,Paul: 'A History of the Jews' [Phoenix 1993], p.102


A Reaction

An intriguing observation. The Greek idea runs right through European culture, surfacing (for example) in 'Faust', or 'Frankenstein', or the films of James Cameron. I'm with the Greeks; I want to see how far humanity can be elevated.