Seminal Logos

Definition and Meaning

The seminal logos (Greek logos spermatikos) means "the sowing Word" or "the seed-like Word." Korean renderings of the term also include equivalents of "the seed of the Logos," "the spermatic Logos," and "the germinal Logos" (that is, a Logos containing the seed from which a sprout will grow). Logos is a Greek word meaning "word" or "reason," and in Christianity it is used as a title for Jesus Christ.

The concept was employed by Justin Martyr, a mid-second-century apologist (a writer who explained and defended the faith to outsiders). He held that the Word of God has been sown like a seed in all people. On this basis he explained that even philosophers and righteous people who lived before the coming of Christ could grasp the truth in part. He nevertheless distinguished between the partial truth received as a seed and the full truth revealed in Christ, the incarnate Word.

Biblical and Historical Background

The principal biblical text on which Justin relied is the first chapter of the Gospel of John, which presents Christ as the Word. Especially foundational was John 1:9: "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." The expression "seminal logos" itself was used in the Stoic philosophy of the time to denote the rational principle indwelling all things in the universe. Justin borrowed the term and reinterpreted it christologically.

In his First Apology, Justin wrote that those who lived according to reason (the Logos) were Christians, citing as examples the Greeks Socrates and Heraclitus. In his Second Apology, he held that each philosopher spoke rightly according to the share of the Logos he possessed. He added, however, that a seed and an imitation are different from the reality itself. He is reported to have been martyred in Rome around 165.

This idea was carried forward by Church Fathers such as Clement of Alexandria, who regarded Greek philosophy as a preparation for the gospel. More recently, documents of the Second Vatican Council referred to the "seeds of the Word" present in other religions and cultures, bringing renewed attention to the concept in Roman Catholic mission theology.

In Korean Church Practice

The seminal logos is not a term frequently used in the preaching or teaching of local congregations. It is treated mainly in seminary courses in patristics, systematic theology, and missiology.

Interpretations differ among theological camps.

• Reformed and evangelical camp: Theologians in the Reformed and evangelical traditions generally understand the concept within the framework of common grace or general revelation. They acknowledge that God has given all people the light of conscience and reason, but they stress that this light cannot lead to salvation, which is obtained only through faith in Christ. Many are also wary of the concept being used as a basis for religious pluralism.
• Ecumenical and progressive camp: Those involved in the ecumenical movement and those interested in indigenization theology make different use of the concept. They seek points of contact with the gospel within Korea's traditional religions and culture, and some present the concept as a theological basis for dialogue with other religions.

Both sides agree that Justin, who first used the concept, regarded Christ as the fulfillment of truth.