Syncretism is the practice of blending or merging different philosophies, traditions, beliefs, or practices into a unified system.
In the second century along with the Christians, people who followed Socrates and Stoic Philosophies were also being persecuted and killed.
Romans considered the philosophies of Greece inferior to their worship of the visible gods and the emperor.
Because of the shared persecution, Christians became strange bedfellows with the Greek philosophers and started incorporating Greek philosophies into Christian theology.
This was happening during Paul’s time in the first century too and he warned us against this practice in Colossians 2.
Colossians 2:8-10 NKJV ~ “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
Today, this syncretism of Greek philosophies and Christian theology is very prevalent in the Christian world. For example, Transubstantiation (Aristotelian philosophy) in the Roman Catholic Church and Natural Law (Stoic philosophy) in classical Protestant Churches.
This is why Catholic priests study Philosophy more than they study scriptures during their seminary. Even many protestant Bible Colleges have gone in the same folly.
This Syncretism of Greek philosophies and Christian theologies was encouraged and made popular by Justin Martyr in the second century. Justin Martyr is canonized as a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
Around the same time, Tertullian was against syncretism. He famously said “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" The Roman Catholic Church considers him a heretic and has not canonized him.
This shows us that anyone who tries to be accurate to the Gospel that Paul preached and Christ died to give ultimately such a person will be labeled a heretic.
Direct Quote: Pastor Larkins Dsouza