Philotheos ( el, Φιλόθεος, "friend of God"), - derived from the original ancient Greek words ''philos'' meaning 'love' and ''theos'' meaning 'god'. The compound word therefore literally means ''love of God'' which may be translated "friend of God". Note that the appropriate compound word with reference to 'gods'
luralis ''
polytheism
Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, t ...
''.
God centred philosophy
The word 'Philotheos' has existed for some time - reference, for example, the list of names under the headings "People" and "other" below as well as the original Greek used in the New Testament of the Christian Bible at 2 Timothy 3, 4. Since 2001, Philotheos has been used as the title of a Journal describing itself as 'The International Journal for Philosophy and Theology' - see the link below under the heading 'Other'. That Journal discusses philosophy and theology, with a special focus on the dialogue between the two. See
Philotheos (journal) - Wikipedia
In March 2021, the word 'Philotheos' was used for what is believed to be the first time as a name for a particular system of thinking. That system of thinking was asserted by Graham R.Catlin on the website platform at https://philotheos.org In response to Descartes cogito ergo sum,
'I think therefore I am''Catlin asserted deus ergo sumus
'God is therefore we are'' Catlin used the word 'philotheos' to describe a Supreme Being centred conception of philosophy in contrast to the current anthropocentric
uman centredconception assumed since the prevalence of Enlightenment Materialism.
Catlin specifically asserts that the God centred philosophy he refers to as ''philotheos'' is based on the fundamental concept that God exists - and that the notion that God exists is the fundamental and determining characteristic of God: reference the assertion recorded in the book of Exodus in the Bible, chapter 3, verse 14 where the name of God is recorded as "I AM". This definition is valid in all 3 of the world's major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is in accordance with this definition that the nature and activity of God is predicated: Omnipresence; omnipotence; Omniscience - all present, all powerful, all knowing. These are the essential attributes of the concept of one supreme Being ie God who must necessarily be conceived of as quintessentially and definitively "I AM".
Given this simple and fundamental premise about God, Catlin calls the framework of thinking and terminology
he ''paradigm''which necessarily arises
''philotheism''- a system derived from the basic concept of ''philotheos''.
Catlin regards Theology - see
Theology - Wikipedia - as being effectively now a discipline within Philosophy, adopting the approach and methods of anthropocentric, materialistic Philosophy - see
Philosophy - Wikipedia By contrast, Philotheos/ism is predicated on the premise of God being "I AM" and therefore all consideration of the subject of God should be consistent with that conception, not by reference to comparative religion or trends of thought in theology over time. ''If God exists, God by definition remains constant and consistent; God does not change according to changing conceptions arising in different cultures and at different periods of history''.
By taking the premise of God as true, the philotheist answers the fundamental questions of human existence, including the philosopher's question: "Where does God come from ?" Catlin answers this question at https://philotheos.org/index.php/philotheism The word ''philotheist'' necessarily describes a person who adheres to the fundamental concept of ''philotheos'' and its associated paradigm ''philotheism''. Graham R. Catlin was the first to use the 3 words ''philotheos'', ''philotheism'' and ''philotheist'' with reference to a system of theocentric philosophy which he describes a
www.philotheos.orgThat philosophy is both internally coherent and also consistent with the essential meaning of those 3 words in the ancient Greek language.
People
*
Philotheos Bryennios
Philotheos Bryennios ( el, Φιλόθεος Βρυέννιος; 7 April 1833 – November 18, 1917) was a Greek Orthodox metropolitan of Nicomedia, and the discoverer in 1873 of an important manuscript with copies of early Church documents.
Life ...
(1833–1918), Greek Orthodox bishop
*
Pope Philotheos of Alexandria, in office 979-1003
*
Philotheus of Pskov
Philotheus (or Filofei) () (1465–1542) was a hegumen of the Yelizarov Monastery, near Pskov, in the 16th century. He is credited with authorship of the '' Legend of the White Cowl'' and the Moscow - Third Rome prophecy, details of which are ve ...
(1465–1542), Russian abbot
*
Philotheus of Samosata, a companion in martyrdom of
Romanus of Samosata
Romanus of Samosata (died 297) was a martyr for Christianity in Syria in 297. He and his companions, Jacob, Philotheus, Hyperechius, Abibus, Julianus, and Paregorius were all subject to a variety of tortures before being hanged to trees and then n ...
*
Patriarch Philotheus I of Constantinople
Philotheos Kokkinos (Thessaloniki, c. 1300 – Constantinople, 1379) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople for two periods from November 1353 to 1354 and 1364 to 1376, and a leader of the Byzantine monastic and religious revival in t ...
(c. 1300-1379)
* a Byzantine court official, the author of the ''
Kletorologion
The ''Klētorologion'' of Philotheos ( el, Κλητορολόγιον), is the longest and most important of the Byzantine lists of offices and court precedence ('' Taktika'').. It was published in September 899 during the reign of Emperor Leo VI ...
'' treatise, written in 899
*
Saint Philotheos
Saint Philotheos (died 5 May 1380) was a Coptic Orthodox martyr and saint.
Philotheos was born in Durunka, in the province of Assiut. He was tortured by the Muslims in an attempt to force him to renounce Christianity and embrace Islam. He refu ...
Other
*
Philotheos: International Journal for Philosophy and Theology, founded in 2001 and based at Belgrade
*
Philotheou Monastery
Philotheou or Filotheou Monastery ( el, Μονή Φιλοθέου) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. It stands on the north-eastern side of the peninsula.
History
It was founded by the Blessed ...
on Mt Athos
See also
*
Filotije, Serbian variant
{{Hndis