exemplarismn.
/ᵻɡˈzɛmplərɪz(ə)m/, /ɛɡˈzɛmplərɪz(ə)m/, U.S. /ɪɡˈzɛmpləˌrɪz(ə)m/, /ɛɡˈzɛmpləˌrɪz(ə)m/ 1. Philosophy and Theology. The theory that things in the world exist as imperfect copies or approximations of abstract or eternally existing patterns or archetypes; esp. the theory that created things are patterned after ideas eternally existing in the mind of God. Cf. exemplar n. 1b(a). Chiefly historical.In Christian theology the theory was most prominent in the 13th cent., influencing the work of St Thomas Aquinas (1225–74) and St Bonaventure (1221–74).
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society > faith > aspects of faith > doctrine > doctrine concerning God or a god > [noun] > exemplarism
exemplarism1878
1878 W. Affleck tr. P. Janet Final Causes ii. iv. 429 This whole deduction supposes that the Platonic exemplarism [Fr. exemplarisme] be renounced.
1899 Philos. Rev. 8 543 The universal ante rem is expressed in exemplarism.
1947 F. Copleston Hist. Philos. I. (rev. ed.) iv. xxix. 294 In rejecting Platonic exemplarism, he [sc. Aristotle] also betrays the inadequacy of his own..theory, in that he provides no real transcendental ground for the fixity of essences.
1975 D. H. DeGrood Philos. Essence (ed. 2) iv. 34 In order to ‘Christianize’ Aristotelianism, Thomas [Aquinas] grafted onto it Augustinian exemplarism.
2008 A. Speer in J. J. E. Gracia & T. B. Noone Compan. Philos. in Middle Ages xxiv. 237 Exemplarism in the Augustinian tradition is deeply related to theology.
2. Theology. The doctrine that the atonement of Christ is of value to humanity purely as a moral example, esp. as a lesson in the positive value of sacrifice and suffering for the benefit of others.One of the earliest theologians to interpret the death of Christ in this way was Peter Abelard (1079–1142), though exemplarist ideas may date back further still.
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society > faith > aspects of faith > doctrine > doctrine concerning the Trinity > [noun] > concerning Christ, the Son > exemplarism
exemplarism1926
1926 K. E. Kirk in E. G. Selwyn Ess. Catholic & Crit. viii. 275 One final criticism of exemplarism may be mentioned. The theory fails to show any grounds for belief in the necessity of the death of Christ.
1975 P. Barrett tr. H. Duméry Phenomenology & Relig. iv. 76 Religious exemplarism is hierophantic, for it witnesses to and incarnates the sacred.
2014 S. Theron Orthodox Hegel i. 38 We are moved away from instrumentality,..to moral or ontological example, veering over into exemplarism proper.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1878