癌症与重生——罗马帝国、西方文明与基督宗教

Cancer and Rebirth:Roman Empire,Western Civilization and Christianity

造成现代文明的文艺复兴、宗教改革、科学革命和启蒙运动,其根源全都蕴含于中古时代的西方文明之中。然而,西方文明乃"两希文明后代"之说却无法完全说明西方文明的产生。西方文明与希腊罗马古典文明的关系可用"癌症与重生"来比喻。古典文明集大成者罗马帝国的辉煌、病症和腐烂,西方文明的重生及其原因和结果,展现出古典文明与基督宗教在对待人的生命、性和婚姻、社会服务、劳动与财产观念、自由与公正观念等多方面的对立,说明古典文明与西方文明是不同的,导致人类文明空前发达的"西方文明",其重生乃因基督宗教,其灵魂乃在基督宗教。

The Renaissance,the Reformation,the Scientific Revolution,and the Enlightenment which gave rise to modern civilization,all originated in the Western civilization in medieval ages.However,the proposition that Western civilization is the descent of Greek and Hebrew civilizations is not so accountable for the history.The relationship between Classic civilization and Western civilization can be explained by the metaphor 'cancer and rebirth'.The glories,diseases and decay of Roman Empire,the culmination of Classic civilization,in contrast with the rebirth,the cause and result of Western civilization,pointing to the difference between the two civilizations,have shown the opposition of Classic civilization and Christianity in such important areas as the attitude to human life,the sexuality and marriage,the social service and education,the idea of labor and property,and the notions of liberty and justice.The rebirth of Western civilization,which has been leading human civilizations,was due to Christianity as her spirituality.