philo judaeus

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Definition of philo judaeus in English English dictionary

1st century Jewish philosopher of Alexandria

or Philo of Alexandria born 10-15 BC, Alexandria died AD 45-50, Alexandria Greek-speaking Jewish philosopher. A leader of the Jewish community of Alexandria, he led a delegation to the emperor Caligula AD 40 to ask that Jews not be forced to worship him. His writings provide the clearest view of this development of Judaism in the Diaspora. His philosophy was influenced by Plato, Aristotle, the Neo-Pythagoreans, the Cynics, and Stoicism. In his view of God, Philo was original in insisting on an individual Providence able to suspend the laws of nature, in contrast to the prevailing Greek view of a universal Providence which is itself subject to the laws of nature. As the first to attempt to synthesize revealed faith and philosophic reason, he occupies a unique position in the history of philosophy. He is regarded as the most important representative of Hellenistic Judaism and a forerunner of Christian theology

Hyphenation

Phi·lo judaeus