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3 3 8 I n t e r p r e t a t i o n Volume 41 / Issue 3that modern philosophy has taken over the education, thus making philosophysubservient to practical ends. In other words, classical philosophy isovertaken by modern philosophy, which makes philosophizing in a classicalsense more difficult.This development has generally taken over not only the modern secularuniversity, but also religious institutions. Strauss seems to underscore thispoint when he writes that “philosophy thus understood [i.e., understood inthe modern sense] could be presented with some plausibility as inspired bybiblical charity, and accordingly philosophy in the classic sense could be disparagedas pagan and as sustained by sinful pride.” 82 The problem here istwofold. Not only is religion, or theology, different from philosophy, but itmay have also been co-opted by modern philosophy to serve ends that arehostile to both orthodox theology and classical philosophy. Therefore, liberaleducation today is something that exists in name only at most institutions ofhigher learning. Though it may be found in some places and at some institutions,it is not meant to be a political power. With classical philosophy as itsguide, it is more concerned with the Good, or the eternal: it “seeks the lightand therefore shuns the limelight.” 83The divide or tension between reason and revelation is evident in Strauss’sthought and it is a venerable problem since Tertullian asked the question,“What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?” 84 If Tertullian had his way,religious education would have nothing to do with pagan philosophy, orindeed any philosophy, because everything contained in scripture is necessaryand sufficient for living. Most early church fathers were more moderate.St. Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Gregory the Theologian were cautious andcritical of philosophy, but even these fathers used Hellenic thought in the serviceof Christianity. So too in the academy there has been a struggle betweenphilosophy and theology, reason and revelation. Christian scholars of allstripes have grappled with the issue. What is undisputed is that this conflictgoes back to the foundations not only of Christianity, but of all three monotheisticrevealed religions. Maimonides contended that the pagans could bereconciled in many ways with Judaism. Thomas Aquinas extraordinarily82Strauss, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, 337. Strauss goes on to question whether the biblicalclaims of inspiration for these matters are raised in sincerity, especially since theology is usedto serve the ends of human power, which in the Straussian context are the ends of science—makinghuman life longer, easier to live, but not happier.83Ibid., 345, 337.84David Novak, “Body and Soul,” First Things, April 2006, 50.