ed to depict, is the key to the explanation of
a new phase in the history of thought which was to last for several
centuries.

In our examination of these examples of the theistic argument in the
Fathers, it cannot escape our notice that they occur much more
frequently, and in more developed and conventional form in the West than
in the East--under the influence of Rome than under that of Alexandria
and the Orient. The reason for this is not far to seek, and is one that
throws light also on the motive with which the patristic writers made
use of these arguments.

In Alexandria and the East there was no incentive for the Christians to
try to prove the existence of God, for the philosophy of that portion of
the world was essentially religious in its character, and based its
speculation on the existence of God as a fundamental postulate of
revelation and of reason as well. In the combination of Judaism and
Hellenic philosophy made by the "Hellenizing Jews" and by the "Judaizing
Hellenes," the existence of God was admitted quite as freely, and
maintained quite as zealously, as by the Christians themselves, and even
the incipient Neo-Platonists made no quarrel with them on this ground.
So we find that the reference in the Alexandrian and other Eastern
Fathers are mainly of the character of examples and illustrations as to
principles that are well understood and admitted, and are employed
chiefly for the purpose of refuting idolatry by a distinction between
God and matter, or of proving the unity of God in opposition to the
still latent polytheism.

Under the influence of Rome, however, other tendencies came in to give a
rather different significance to the theistic argument. For Rome had
become the chief center of the later schools of Greek philosophy, and
under the shadow of the seven hills rather than in the Athenian groves
and porticoes were found the disciples of Pyrrho, of Zeno and of
Epicurus. Thus, very naturally, wherever Roman civilization was dominant
the teacher of Christian doctrine was obliged to present his subject
with reference to the forces already at work in the minds of those whom
he addressed. In accordance with this, we find, first, a _negative_
influence in the hostile attitude assumed by the Sceptics and members
of other schools who tended toward their position, toward any religious
knowledge. That this influence is not an imaginary one may be seen
especially in the instance already quoted from Lact