The old cliché, endlessly repeated, is that Christianity was built on the foundation put down by the Jews. This Jewish basis supposedly passed into Christianity, influencing first the Greeks, then the Latins, and finally the Nordics [Anglo-Saxons, Germans, Scandinavians]. The truth is tragically different.
The heart and passion of the Jews did not pass into Greek Christianity, and thus neither did it ever reach Latin Christianity, nor did it revive in Nordic Christianity. The quintessential Jewish element, the treasure beyond counting, did not ‘found’ Christianity. This is why Christianity, of all kinds, went wrong, and continues to go wrong..
The Greek Fathers left undisturbed some of the very core of Hellenic metaphysical spirituality, and this had a hugely negative impact on Christianity over the centuries. Like Plato before them, Christians became far too taken up with the longing for heaven [in the soul], and as a consequence, became increasingly indifferent to the plight of the world [in the heart]. Christians embraced the need to do their duty toward this vale of tears, by being a person of upright character, and doing deeds of charity for others, but this was often done grudgingly, and only to ensure ‘getting into heaven.’ Love for the world, and thus a loving willingness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of the world, was rarer than hens teeth.
Typical of this bias towards heaven, and against the world, is a sermon by a Christian priest where it was stated= ‘the very point of life is to find your place at the heavenly banquet. The heavenly homeland should be held more precious than a few short years in this world. Finding our place at the heavenly banquet is the most important thing in the world– more important than the world.’
This statement is Platonism masquerading as Christianity. It is not remotely Jewish, and that is why it is not Christian either.