A Confusing Message of Salvation?

[Socialite]

No one said Hellenism was an exclusive influence. NT Wright does not assert that either. But Jesus, his Disciples and the early Church come from an Eastern paradigm and culture. This was later influenced by Hellenization -- which is still hardly distinguishable from how historians classify "The Western World," at least how it's used today.

I keep bringing up "modern times," because the shape and influence of the West is still relatively new. You are correct to identify Westernization it's most earliest times, and this is why the term is so broad. But the usual "East vs. West" differences don't require as much hashing out.

The bible was written by people with an "eastern mindset" (as opposed the the western mindset of America, Europe, parts of Asia, and much of the world today). We see this difference in thinking in their writing. For example, they say phrases like 'God is my shepherd' and we say things like 'God is omnipotent'. Or, in eastern thought (and the bible) they say 'the 4 corners of the earth' and we say 'north, south, east, and west'. Eastern thought thinks visually and western thought thinks conceptually.

This is just one of the many differences -- but an example so we don't keep "talking past each other."

NT talks about the unique Pauline influences, which he describes as a triad. Paul as the exception, but still primarily shaped by Eastern thought (with his Judaic beginnings and learning).

We can chat more about it later. But this is an easy one to confuse each other's points because of the way "West" and "East" are and have been used.