Today's elaborately systematized theology: Christology sacramentology and ecclesiology, were only possible with these theoretical works. This is why philosophical understanding is essential for understanding church teachings. The Didache, which expanded church teachings into practice, was possible within this tradition.
Plato explains that the human soul has memories of the world of Ideas, the essential world and that philosophy is the work of recalling these memories. So he used philosophy with his passion for this world. He also defines the training to walk this path as paideia. The Church Fathers accepted this concept and understood the relationship between God and humans as education. Education was not only a way to acquire knowledge or achieve some practical goal but was an essential element of cultivating the path to becoming a human being. Therefore, scholars such as Karen Armstrong, who is well-versed in ancient religions, say that philosophy is a spiritual practice.
To understand the teaching and grow as true Christians, we must deeply reflect on the path of paideia. As Christians, we must follow the process of enlightenment, constantly training and growing on the path to the source of life and existence.
Life, from its early primitive forms, has increased in complexity through its long history in various forms. It is not correct to definitively say that this history is one of progress, but within it, the emergence of consciousness and intelligence through self-awareness can be understood as part of the history of life. Humans endowed with such intelligence have the task of deeply reflecting on the history of life, thereby revealing not only the mystery and dignity of life but also its ontological meaning more clearly. This can be understood as the process by which humans, within this history, work with God, who is working for the ontological completion of all life.
Depending on how humans with this task act here and now, the history of life can reach completion, but it can also lead to destruction. Since God entrusts this task to humans, he does not physically intervene in the laws and history of life. The task is repeatedly left in the hands of humans. We must choose. The choice lies between the leap to life or destruction.
To this end, a philosophy of life is needed that educates about life's meaning and reveals life's mystery and dignity. When the church establishes a philosophy of life that newly reveals the meaning of life in a changing era, as the early church fathers did, the church will be able to advance the history of life and accomplish the task of completing the mystery of life based on this. Life education is a way to reveal its meaning.
To achieve this, it is necessary to educate about the meaning of life and to establish a philosophy of life that reveals the mystery and dignity of life. Just as the early Church Fathers did, when a philosophy of life that reveals the meaning of life anew within the changed times is established, the Church will be able to leap forward in the history of life and accomplish the task of completing the mystery of life. Life education is the process for this, and it is also the way to reveal its meaning.
If today's higher education in the Church merely maintains the institution and phenomenon of the university, it will be abandoning education as paideia. The Church's education must contribute to achieving the Christian task of accomplishing the salvation history of life. The path will begin by breaking away from the demands of a capitalist society that the educational authorities, who cannot think of the existential meaning of life, require. The Church's power to protect the dignity of life in an era of excessive science and technology and capitalism will never be possible without a philosophy of life and life education.
