“教会史之父”尤西比乌的历史思想初探

The Historical Thinking of Eusebius the Father of Church History

尤西比乌是早期基督教史学的开创者,在历史编撰学和历史思想方面都有很大的贡献。他认为历史就在于展示上帝的意志,是基督教战胜异教的过程;上帝的意志是通过历史背后的道德法则也就是"惩罚性正义"而实现的;这种史观的形成与时代背景密切相关;尤西比乌的历史思想是早期基督教历史理论的主要内容之一,对后来历史学理论与实践产生了重要影响。

Eusebius of Caesarea, or the Father of Church history, is the founder of early Christian historiography. His contribution to history lies not only in historiography, but also in historical thought. According to him, history is nothing other than the revelation of God＇s will or Providence, i.e., a process of the triumph of Christianity over Paganism, while the will of God is realized through the moral order, or retributive justice, behind history. His ideas on history, which represent a school of the early Christian historical theory, are closely related to the external and internal conditions of that time, and exert great influences upon the coming theories and practices of historiography.