I think that one of the main things that distinguishes Christian metaphysics from Platonic metaphysics is that in the same way that Christianity views Christ as being dualistic, having both a temporal and physical modality as well as a non-temporary metaphysic modality Platonism essentially views all temporal and non-metaphysical phenomenon as essentially having this dualistic modality to them. This would include both animate and inanimate things.
For example all inanimate matter, such as say a rock, or even simpler forms of inanimate matter, or to use an even greater extreme energy itself both exist as phenomenon that are native to time and space, and essentially cannot exist outside of the phenomenological world by their very nature, yet in tandem to this phenomenological modality they also have a metaphysical modality in the Nous, that is to say the Platonic Realm of Forms which is itself underpinned by Being itself, the One.
The hypostatic modality that exists within the Nous is the very underpinning for all phenomenological existence. All phenomena are individuated aspects of the Nous which both simultaneously contains all of the Platonic Forms yet as a wider hypostasis can be said to be all of the Forms experienced as one Form outside of temporality.
Christian metaphysics has a firm grounding in Platonism and it's hard to avoid the similarities that exist between the Platonic understanding of the dualistic nature of all phenomena as having both this phenomenological existence as well as a metaphysical one and Christ as being flesh, man, of God and to a degree God transmitted into our phenomenological modality and yet both simultaneously having this metaphysical or spiritual modality. Being both simultaneously and even contradictory of God, God, yet having an existence separate from God as flesh.
The dualistic relationship that Christ has with God is essentially identical to the dualistic relationship that all phenomena, including us, have to the Nous. We have our phenomenological and temporal existence which we experience as an individuated aspect of the Nous, yet we are also not only of the Nous, but fundamentally are the Nous.
This is likely why an afterlife is deemphasised in Platonic philosophy. In Christianity one exists outside of God as God's creation, with the creation story itself showing man as a fundamentally phenomenological being, not taking part in the metaphysical existence of God. In this view the metaphysical and the phenomenological are fundamentally separate, which is why there is a necessity for a Christ, Christ exists as a bridge between the metaphysical and the phenomenological, without Christ the two are fundamentally cut off from one another. Yet while Christ serves as a bridge the two, phenomenological existence and metaphysical existence, are fundamentally separate outside of Christ. Thus the need for an afterlife.
As phenomenological existence is fundamentally underpinned by the various metaphysical hypostases of the One, Nous and World Soul in Platonism there is no need for a Christ, no need for a Heaven or Hell, no need for an afterlife in which phenomenological and temporal existence can be indefinitely extended or transmuted into or held in the metaphysical. This dualistic nature, of all phenomenological occurrences fundamentally being individuated aspects of the Nous, the metaphysical hypostasis that draws back to the One, means that there is no need for an afterlife, no need for that which is temporal or physical to exist in this phenomenological state or somehow be transmuted into a metaphysical one, for given it's dualistic nature it already exists within and is the Nous.
Therefore an "afterlife" is redundant, as all temporal phenomenological occurrences already participate within the Nous which is beyond (beyond here doesn't mean without) time, beyond space, even to a certain extent beyond the subjective existence of egos and the individual existence of substances and phenomenon. All phenomenological "existence" is merely a temporal, subjective and individuated aspect of the Nous, they participate within, exist within and fundamentally are the Nous, they are merely a different modality of the Nous.
The One can be compared to the energy and animating force of the sun, the Nous can be compared to the sun itself, the World Soul can be compared to sunlight, and finally phenomenological existence is the phenomena that occurs as a result of sunlight. The phenomena that occurs as a result of sunlight is essential just a participant in the sunlight, which itself emanates from the sun which is animated by the energy which underpins the sun's existence as that animating force.
For example all inanimate matter, such as say a rock, or even simpler forms of inanimate matter, or to use an even greater extreme energy itself both exist as phenomenon that are native to time and space, and essentially cannot exist outside of the phenomenological world by their very nature, yet in tandem to this phenomenological modality they also have a metaphysical modality in the Nous, that is to say the Platonic Realm of Forms which is itself underpinned by Being itself, the One.
The hypostatic modality that exists within the Nous is the very underpinning for all phenomenological existence. All phenomena are individuated aspects of the Nous which both simultaneously contains all of the Platonic Forms yet as a wider hypostasis can be said to be all of the Forms experienced as one Form outside of temporality.
Christian metaphysics has a firm grounding in Platonism and it's hard to avoid the similarities that exist between the Platonic understanding of the dualistic nature of all phenomena as having both this phenomenological existence as well as a metaphysical one and Christ as being flesh, man, of God and to a degree God transmitted into our phenomenological modality and yet both simultaneously having this metaphysical or spiritual modality. Being both simultaneously and even contradictory of God, God, yet having an existence separate from God as flesh.
The dualistic relationship that Christ has with God is essentially identical to the dualistic relationship that all phenomena, including us, have to the Nous. We have our phenomenological and temporal existence which we experience as an individuated aspect of the Nous, yet we are also not only of the Nous, but fundamentally are the Nous.
This is likely why an afterlife is deemphasised in Platonic philosophy. In Christianity one exists outside of God as God's creation, with the creation story itself showing man as a fundamentally phenomenological being, not taking part in the metaphysical existence of God. In this view the metaphysical and the phenomenological are fundamentally separate, which is why there is a necessity for a Christ, Christ exists as a bridge between the metaphysical and the phenomenological, without Christ the two are fundamentally cut off from one another. Yet while Christ serves as a bridge the two, phenomenological existence and metaphysical existence, are fundamentally separate outside of Christ. Thus the need for an afterlife.
As phenomenological existence is fundamentally underpinned by the various metaphysical hypostases of the One, Nous and World Soul in Platonism there is no need for a Christ, no need for a Heaven or Hell, no need for an afterlife in which phenomenological and temporal existence can be indefinitely extended or transmuted into or held in the metaphysical. This dualistic nature, of all phenomenological occurrences fundamentally being individuated aspects of the Nous, the metaphysical hypostasis that draws back to the One, means that there is no need for an afterlife, no need for that which is temporal or physical to exist in this phenomenological state or somehow be transmuted into a metaphysical one, for given it's dualistic nature it already exists within and is the Nous.
Therefore an "afterlife" is redundant, as all temporal phenomenological occurrences already participate within the Nous which is beyond (beyond here doesn't mean without) time, beyond space, even to a certain extent beyond the subjective existence of egos and the individual existence of substances and phenomenon. All phenomenological "existence" is merely a temporal, subjective and individuated aspect of the Nous, they participate within, exist within and fundamentally are the Nous, they are merely a different modality of the Nous.
The One can be compared to the energy and animating force of the sun, the Nous can be compared to the sun itself, the World Soul can be compared to sunlight, and finally phenomenological existence is the phenomena that occurs as a result of sunlight. The phenomena that occurs as a result of sunlight is essential just a participant in the sunlight, which itself emanates from the sun which is animated by the energy which underpins the sun's existence as that animating force.