Assumptions That Affect Our Lives

a type of review on the book of the same name by Christian Overman

This thought provoking manual for the thinking believer helped me to understand more deeply the history of our culture and the consequences of the actions and thoughts of previous generations. The author explained that everything we believe is rooted either in Greek humanism or Hebraic Christianity whether we realize it or not. He also revealed how our decisions are made according to our ideas about living. Reading this book made me come to terms with this fact and learn to recognise it a mile away. It would do the same for you, too. I heartily recommend Assumptions-an easy to understand thesis paper showing the

Clash and contrast between Greek philosophy and Hebrew wisdom and their role in shaping Western Christianity.

In the appendix, the author included a list of the major distinctions between Greek and Hebrew thought outlining what he covered in the book. I'd like to post them here for your benefit.

Copyright (c) Christian Overman
G: Mother Earth is the impersonal source of all life on the planet.
H: Father God is the personal source of all life on planet Earth as well as the planet itself and all things beyond.

G: Nature is a self generating force, operating according to it's own closed system of laws and acting independently of any authority outside itself.
H: Creation is generated by the Creator-God who made it for His purposes, operating according to laws designed and sustained by him and subject to His authority. While the Greek sees laws of Nature, the Hebrew sees laws over nature.

G: Nature is "God" and "God" is Nature. All that is, is natural. The supernatural simply does not exist.
H: Creation is Yahweh's handiwork. Yahweh is not to be confused with what He has made, for He existed prior to and is distinct from that which He created. He is a supernatural being, inhabiting the supernatural as well as the natural, created world.

G: The Olympian gods are personal yet limited, while Nature is unlimited yet personal.
H: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is unlimited yet personal.

G: The gods are created in the image and likeness of man.
H: Man is created in the image and likeness of God.

G: Man is classified as an animal, distinguished by this specific difference: man is a rational animal. (According to Aristotle.)
H: Man is differentiated from animals and unique from all other living things in that he is the only creature made in the likeness and image of Yahweh.

G: Man's appearance on earth is the result of an impersonal, non-rational act of a force called "Nature." No purpose is involved. No meaning for existence is given. Mother Nature is silent.
H: Man's appearance on earth is premeditated by a personal, rational Being, and is a deliberate and decisive act of intelligence with purpose.

G: Mankind has no mandate from any source above man himself.
H: Man's divine mandate is to care for creation, and to rule responsibly over the earth.

G: Man's value and worth is determined by the society into which he is born.
H: Man has intrinsic value because he is created in the image and likeness of Yahweh. He has God-determined worth, independent of society's opinion.

G: Truth is measured by man's intellect and reasoned judgment. There is no divine standard or measure of truth which stands over and above man's determination of it. "Man is the measure of all things."
H: Truth is determined by Yahweh, independently of man. His word is the measure of all things. Man's opinion does not affect it in any way.

G: The faith of Greek philosophers is built upon reason acting independently of divine revelation.
H: The faith of the Hebrews is built upon revelation from Yahweh, to which human reason submits.

G: Religious expression is centered around rituals such as food offerings to gods and other rites. Correct ritual receives more emphasis than conduct. The gods do not speak to such issues as business, law, relationships, labor, or family.
H: Religious expression is a commitment to a way of life. Yahweh is as relevant to behavior on the Sabbath as He is to what is done during the rest of the week. His word speaks to all spheres of life, be it business, law, relationships, labor, or family.

G: Religion is a personal choice, a private matter. There are many gods to worship and creeds to choose in Athens.
H: Yahweh and His Word are not dependent upon human acceptance or rejection. His reality and man's accountability to this reality stand, regardless of human consent.

G: Moral conduct is relative to public opinion and/or individual conscience. The Greeks had no Bible to regulate thought and conduct. Values are relative to the social environment.
H: Moral conduct is relative only to Yahweh's Word, and in this respect it is absolute. Public opinion and individual conscience have no power to alter what Yahweh has declared true or morally right.

G: For the citizen of Athens, to "show himself the rightful lord and owner of his own person in all the manifold aspects of life" is an exalted right. (Pericles)
H: For the Hebrew [and the Christian] to show himself the rightful and obedient servant of Yahweh his maker and owner is his joyful blessing, privilege, and obligation.

G: Human freedom is self-determined.
H: Human freedom is determined by Yahweh.

G: Wisdom is found from within.
H: Wisdom is found from without. Foolishness is found within.

G: "Know thyself." (Socrates)
H: Know Yahweh.

G: The Greeks learned in order to comprehend...
H: "The Hebrews learned in order to revere." (Abraham Heschel)

G: The Greek asked "Why must I do it?"
H: The Hebrew asked "What must I do?" (Abraham Heschel)

G: In Sparta, education is for "the obliteration of the individual in the service of the state." In Athens, it is for "the training of the individual in the service of culture."
H: In Israel, education is for "the training of the individual in the service of God." (William Barclay)

G: Manual labor is viewed by philosophers as vulgar and beneath a citizen's dignity.
H: Trades are honoured and manual labor is respected so much that rabbis are expected to be proficient in a trade as well as the Law.

G: Old age is feared.
H: Old are is honoured.

G: History is viewed as a cycle of aimless repetition. The same basic pattern of life and death goes on with no particular end or destination in sight.
H: History is viewed as going somewhere, like an arrow to it's target. Theirs is a straight-line concept of history, with Yahweh working His purposes in the earth, culminating in the messianic reign of Israel's Redeemer.