Kosmoi

Kosmoi is a term with roots in ancient Greek philosophy and later adoption in religious contexts, particularly within Christianity. In its original philosophical sense, the term "kosmos" referred to the ordered universe, a system characterized by harmony, beauty, and inherent order. Thinkers like Plato and Aristotle used "kosmos" to describe the structured and rational nature of existence, as opposed to chaos.

Later, the term found its way into early Christian theology. In the New Testament, "kosmos" can refer to the material world, the realm of human affairs, or even humanity as a whole. It often carries a sense of the world as it exists independently of divine grace, sometimes with a negative connotation implying worldly corruption or opposition to spiritual values. However, it can also refer to the created order that God declared good. The understanding of "kosmos" in a religious context often involves a tension between the created world and the divine, the material and the spiritual. Its meaning is multifaceted and can shift depending on the specific passage or theological interpretation.