@article{kzm 72172, author = {Peter Van Nuffelen}, title = {Socrates van Constantinopel en de antieke christelijke geschiedenisfilosofie}, volume = {57}, year = {2003}, url = {https://openjournals.ugent.be/kzm/article/id/72172/}, issue = {0}, doi = {10.21825/kzm.v57i0.17310}, abstract = {<p>Traditionally the following main characteristics are attributed to ancient<br>christian philosophy of history. (1) History constitutes a whole extending<br>from creation to the second coming of Christ, which implies that time and<br>history are more or less identical. (2) History evolves in a direct line from<br>creation or incarnation to the second coming of Christ. Every event is to<br>be seen in this perspeccive. As a consequence, the goal of history is identical<br>to its meaning. This paper argues that although many ancient theologians<br>and historians may have accepted these ideas, Socrates of Constantinople<br>(fifth century) cannot be entirely foced into this model. He sees history<br>evolving from a period of peace (in 324) to a new one that announces itself<br>in the middle of the fifth century, passing through more than a century of<br>war and strife. During these periods of peace, nothing happens and no history<br>can be written. This implies that for Socrates, time and history are not<br>identical. The historian also does not limit the meaning of the events to<br>the way they carry us closer to the Parousia. Using the Bible as an interpretative<br>tool, he tries to extract a moral and spiritual meaning from them.<br>Socrates' opinions, as reconstructed here, can be used to add nuances to<br>the traditional view.</p>}, month = {12}, pages = {187-201}, issn = {2736-2175}, publisher={Koninklijke Zuid-Nederlandse Maatschappij voor Taal- en Letterkunde en Geschiedenis}, journal = {Handelingen - Koninklijke Zuid-Nederlandse maatschappij voor taal- en letterkunde en geschiedenis} }