Carolyn Davenport
Module 2
CSTU101
How would you describe the differences between the early Greeks’ Cyclical view of history
versus the Christians’ Linear view of history?
The Greeks Cyclical View of History just like the four season’s Spring, Summer, Fall and
Winter repeats itself year after year. So does history it follows a cyclical course. History was a
repetition of destined events, that could not at all be affected by human power, so that therefor
history had no meaning. Representative historians of this view were Herodotus (ca. 484-425 BC)
who is called the father of history and wrote history, and Thucydides (ca. 460-400 BC), who
wrote history of the Peloponnesian War. Which each process has three phases first is the
Regressive Phase second is the Kinetic Phase and Third is the Climatic Phase.
The Christians Linear View of History has a beginning and a end or a definite end goal.
History had started with the Creation of life and the fall of human, that it is known a Salvation
history that will lead to the Last Judgement that drives history into Gods Providence. It was St.
Augustine (354-430) who systematized the Christian View of History. He depicted history as a
struggle between the City of God and the City of the World, and stated that the City of God
would finally win victory in the end and would establish eternal peace. This was a plan
predestined by God.
1.) Adam to the Flood of Noah.
2.) Noah to Abraham.
3.) Abraham to David.
4.) David to Babylonian Captivity.
5.) Babylonian Captivity to the Birth of Christ.
6.) The First Coming to the Second Coming of Christ.
Bibliography
(Moving Toward the Goal of History by R.C. Sproul.)
(D. Johnson (1969) A linear or a Cyclical View of History.)
