ism," he says, "is part of the vital structure of Christian theology, with which no other philosophy,
I venture to say, can work without friction." There is, he says, an "utter impossibility of excising
Platonism from Christianity without tearing Christianity to pieces." He points out that Saint
Augustine speaks of Plato's system as "the most pure and bright in all philosophy," and of Plotinus
as a man in whom "Plato lived again," and who, if he had lived a little later, would have "changed
a few words and phrases and become Christian." Saint Thomas Aquinas, according to Dean Inge,
"is nearer to Plotinus than to the real Aristotle."
Plotinus, accordingly, is historically important as an influence in moulding the Christianity of the
Middle Ages and of Catholic theology. The historian, in speaking of Christianity, has to be careful
to recognize the very great changes that it has undergone, and the variety of forms that it may
assume even at one epoch. The Christianity of the Synoptic Gospels is almost innocent of
metaphysics. The Christianity of modern America, in this respect, is like primitive Christianity;
Platonism is alien to popular thought and feeling in the United States, and most American
Christians are much more concerned with duties here on earth, and with social progress in the
every-day world, than with the transcendental hopes that consoled men when everything terrestrial
inspired despair. I am not speaking of any change of dogma, but of a difference of emphasis and
interest. A modern Christian, unless he realizes how great this difference is, will fail to understand
the Christianity of the past. We, since our study is historical, are concerned with the effective
beliefs of past centuries, and as to these it is impossible to disagree with what Dean Inge says on
the influence of Plato and Plotinus.
Plotinus, however, is not only historically important. He represents, better than any other
philosopher, an important type of theory. A philosophical system may be judged important for
various different kinds of reasons. The first and most obvious is that we think it may be true. Not
many students of philosophy at the present time would feel this about Plotinus; Dean Inge is, in
this respect, a rare exception. But truth is not the only merit that a metaphysic can possess. It may
have beauty, and this is certainly to be found in Plotinus; there are passages that remind one of the
later cantos of Dante's Para-