DOCSLIB.ORG

The Fourth Commandment in the Early Church

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Fourth Commandment in the Early Church COMPASS THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT IN THE EARLY CHURCH DAVID W T BRATTSTON HE OLD TESTAMENT commandment in Smyrna’ addressed in Revelation 2.8, to ‘Honour thy father and thy mother’ where ‘angel’ means any message-bearer, Trecurs frequently in early Christian human or supernatural. teaching. It is on the lips of Jesus in Matthew Origen Adamantius was another important 15.4, Matthew 19.19, Mark 10.19, and Luke witness to early Christian understanding. 18.20. Paul the Apostle cites it in Ephesians Raised in a Christian home, he became dean 6.2. Far from being confined to Jews or the of the world’s foremost institute of Christian Jewish milieu in which the Bible was written, higher learning at an early age, and later the it was restated as a precept of Christian be- most outstanding Bible scholar, preacher, and haviour by two Christian philosophers in teacher of the first half of the third century. Greece—one in AD 125 (Aristides Apology Being called upon by bishops throughout the 15), and the other around AD 177 Middle East as an expert on the Faith, he trav- (Athenagoras Treatise on the Resurrection elled extensively and was therefore better 23)—as also by Bishop Theophilus of Antioch able to observe and record church practice (To Autolycus 3.9) about the same time as in different countries and regions than any Athenagoras, and by Bishop Irenaeus in France other Christian author. In Christianity’s first in the AD 180s (Against Heresies 4.12.5). Also book of systematic theology (On First Prin- in the second century AD, the command to ciples 2.4.2), and his Commentaries on Mat- honour one’s parents was included in a con- thew (11.9), on Romans (2.9.1), and on solidation of the four Gospels and other di- Ephesians (6.1-3), he stated the command- rect teachings of Jesus into a single continu- ment to honour one’s parents was still bind- ous narrative (Diatessaron 28.46). This be- ing in his day. Just before the AD 250s, which came the standard text of the gospel in the coincides with the end of Origen’s ministry, Syrian church until the fifth century. The an anonymous compilation of Christian pre- present article examines the extent and param- cepts repeats the Fourth Commandment as eters of such honour in the light of the wider still operative (Three Books of Testimonies context of the New Testament. 3.70). These second-century authors enjoyed an Origen and his teacher Clement are known advantage over us because they lived in an for their allegorical, or spiritual, method of era when unwritten teachings and Bible in- interpreting Scripture. It posits that, whenever terpretations of Jesus and His apostles were possible, an interpreter should look beyond the still fresh in Christian memory, and before plain, literal sense of a passage to uncover the there had been time for Christian observances deeper, spiritual meaning—especially when a and understanding of the law of Christ to be passage is unclear or difficult, or appears to significantly altered. Irenaeus is a good case contradict another part of the Bible. However, in point. His early Christian training came Origen taught, some biblical commands are from men who had personally learned from so plain on their face that they require no and worked with the Apostle John, one of deeper investigation but are to be understood whom was probably ‘the angel of the church literally. One such is the Fourth Command- 36 THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT IN THE EARLY CHURCH ment, which he characterized as ‘useful, apart Dr David W.T. Brattston from all allegorical meaning, and ought to be is a retired solicitor observed’ (On First Principles 4.1.19; ANF living in Lunenburg, 4.368). Nova Scotia, Canada. The Command to Hate and Love On the other hand, Jesus also taught that His followers are to hate their parents rather than love them (Luke 14.26). He also prophesied that the gospel will divide families and pit some household members into conflict against Attempts to Reconcile the Precepts others (Matthew 10.34-37). These two pas- sages were also quoted by His disciples, but Can we love our parents and hate them at the seldom by the above-mentioned ones that same time? More apropos to our main topic: counselled honouring one’s parents. Nor did can we honour them without loving them? most of those that restated the Fourth Com- Origen’s predecessor was Clement, who mandment refer to Matthew 10.36f or Luke was the principal Christian writer of the AD 14.26. 190s. He pointed out that a literal interpreta- In the late second or early third century, tion of Luke 14.26 would conflict with Christ’s both passages were regarded as binding by other directives to love one’s enemies. If we Tertullian (De Corona 11; On Prayer 8; are to love our enemies, wrote Clement, it Scorpiace 10). He had been a prominent stands to reason that we must love our fami- lawyer in a system of secular law that prized lies; and if we hate those nearest to us by natu- the cohesion of the family and the authority ral affection, even more so would we hate our of fathers over it, much more than the Mo- enemies. saic Law or our own. After being converted, Clement explained that even a literal in- he became a prolific Christian author and terpretation of Luke 14.26 conveys a consist- the founder of Latin Christian literature. ent intention. A Christian is to oppose and re- Somewhat strangely, De Corona 11 states sist, even hate, anyone who tempts them to do that we are both to ‘honour’ and ‘love’ our anything detrimental to their soul’s salvation, parents—one of only two references to lov- or who constitutes ‘a hindrance to faith and an ing them in Christian writings before the impediment to the higher life’ (Quis Dives mass apostasy and decimating epidemic of Salvetur 22; ANF 2.597), be they family mem- AD 249-251. ber or an enemy on other grounds. The key The other reference is in the Gospel of factor is whether they lead one to or away from Thomas in the second half of the second cen- Christ (Quis Dives Salvetur 23). I imagine the tury. As often with the contents of this Gos- same could be said of honouring. pel, sayings on parents are ambiguous and Clement did, however, deal directly with contradictory. According to Saying 101, Je- the seeming contradiction between the com- sus taught that whoever does not hate their mandment to honour one’s parents and the parents cannot be a Christian, but then states command to hate them, but produced an alle- that whoever does not love them as He does gorical interpretation that does not really an- cannot be a disciple either. Saying 55 repeats swer the question. Clement’s harmonizing of the command to hate mother, father, and sib- the two produced the advice not to allow one- lings. Nowhere does this Gospel touch on hon- self to go astray through evil customs and ir- ouring them. rational impulses, including sexual impulses 37 COMPASS (Stromata 3.15 [97]). Origen later commented speaking evil of them (Matthew 15.4; Mark that Christians should sever relations with par- 7.10). He and Origen condemned annuity trust ents that hamper or retard their spiritual lives fund arrangements whereby an adult child (Commentary on Matthew 13.25). could evade the obligation to support their Thus, quoting different Gospel verses led parents in old age (Matthew 15.5; Mark 7.11f; to two lines of thought within ancient Chris- Origen Commentary on Matthew 11.9f). tianity. Nevertheless, nobody before AD 250 Ridiculing one’s father and dishonouring said that the Fourth Commandment was no one’s mother are condemned by the Christian longer binding. Apparently, a Christian may Sibylline Oracles (1.75), a collection of teach- hate their parents so long as s/he honours ings ascribed to a pagan prophetess as predict- them. ing the coming of Christ alongside the Jewish prophets, into which collection Christian ma- What Honour Entails: General terial was inserted. The Sibyl also denounced abandoning parents in old age (2.274), disre- We can determine where to draw the line, and spectfully talking back to them (2.276), and what sorts of behaviour fulfil the duty of hon- hostility to them because of money matters ouring, if we examine specific actions and (2.118). attitudes that New Testament and near-Bibli- On the positive side, the Greek Apoca- cal writers said we should practise in rela- lypse of Baruch, also known as 3 Baruch, tion to our parents. Then, to tease out the full implies that sons owe a duty to pity or have scope and meaning of the Fourth Command- mercy on their fathers (4.17). This book was ment, the present article will consider catego- composed in the first or second century AD ries of other people that ancient Christian and was received as Scripture by some early sources said we are to honour, and apply the Christians. implications of such honouring to relations with one’s parents. What Honour Entails: Obedience Early Christian literature, both New Tes- tament and post-biblical, contains a number Obedience to parents was inculcated by a few of specific precepts as to how Christians are sources: Ephesians 6.1; Colossians 3.20; to treat their parents, which presumably indi- Tertullian (Apologeticum 3); and Origen cate what is entailed in honouring them.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Paul's 'Works of the Law' in the Perspective Of
    Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament · 2. Reihe Herausgeber / Editor Jörg Frey (Zürich) Mitherausgeber/Associate Editors Markus Bockmuehl (Oxford) ∙ James A. Kelhoffer (Uppsala) Tobias Nicklas (Regensburg) ∙ J. Ross Wagner (Durham, NC) 468 Matthew J. Thomas Paul’s ‘Works of the Law’ in the Perspective of Second Century Reception Mohr Siebeck Matthew J. Thomas, born 1985; BA, Pepperdine University; MCS, Regent College; D.Phil, University of Oxford; currently serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, and Instructor in Theology for Regent College. orcid.org/0000-0002-0498-7848 ISBN 978-3-16-156275-4 / eISBN 978-3-16-156281-5 DOI 10.1628 / 978-3-16-156281-5 ISSN 0340-9570 / eISSN 2568-7484 (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testa- ment, 2. Reihe) The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2018 Mohr Siebeck Tübingen, Germany. www.mohrsiebeck.com This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by copyright law) without the publisher’s written permission. This applies particularly to repro- ductions, translations and storage and processing in electronic systems. The book was printed by Laupp & Göbel in Gomaringen on non-aging paper and bound by Buchbinderei Nädele in Nehren. Printed in Germany. For Nabeel Qureshi (1983–2017) Preface This book is a lightly revised version of my doctoral dissertation at the Universi- ty of Oxford, and my family and I are indebted to many individuals for their encouragement to pursue the project and helping to bring it to completion.
    [Show full text]
  • 3. Fragments of the Apostolic Fathers by Tim Warner © Copyright
    The Evolution of God 3. Fragments of the Apostolic Fathers By Tim Warner © Copyright www.4windsfellowships.net he earliest Christian writers whose works have survived, those known to have direct connections to the Apostles, were one disciple of Paul (Clement of Rome) T and two disciples of John (Polycarp1 of Smyrna and Ignatius2 of Antioch). These authors had been personally instructed by the Apostles and were leaders within the Christian assemblies established by the Apostles. The writings of these men were addressed to fellow believers or assemblies, being pastoral in nature rather than apologetic. They did not attempt to refute heresy or extensively define doctrines, since commonality of doctrine was assumed between writer and his audience. Their surviving works did not attempt to interact with pagans or portray Christianity in ways the pagans could easily digest. They were intended to be read and digested by Christians. These most ancient specimens reflect the common Christian belief in the personal preexistence of the Son of God as the “Word” (Logos) of John’s prologue, His emptying Himself to become fully human, His exaltation to the right hand of God, and His future role as King. Earliest Christian Writers with direct Connections to the Apostles: Clement of Rome: In his epistle to the Corinthians, Clement of Rome referred to Jesus Christ as the speaker in Psalm 118:18, calling Him the “Word.” Clement writes: “For thus saith the holy Word: ‘The Lord hath severely chastened me, yet hath not given me over to death.’”3 That the one speaking in Psalm 118 is the Son of God is shown just four verses later: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
    [Show full text]
  • Ohti-Roi-Iman
    THE OHTI-ROI-IMAN NOVEMBER, 1891. ART. I-THE "APOLOGY" OF ARISTIDES. N these days of unrest and disquietude, when the very foundations of the Creed are assailed, and the contents Iof the canon itself are subjected to the new criticism, we hail with satisfaction any discovery which throws light upon the faith which was held by the lJrimitive Christians of the sub-Apostolic age. Such a very real help we have in the "Apology" of Aristides 011 behalf of the Christians, a fresh :find in the regions of sub-A1Jostolic literature. It is one of the earliest of the a1Jologies made to the Roman Em1Jeror. Aris­ tides takes rank with the other Greek apologists of that early age-with Papias and Q,uadratus, "a disciple of the Apostles," and with the Jewish a1Jologists .Agrippa Castor and ·Justin Martyr, "the true representative of the age"; with Dionysius of Corinth, and Pmytus; with Hermas and Hegesippus ; with Theophilus of Antioch, and Athenagoras of Athens. The work of the early apologists was, as we know, twofold-to determine the relations of Christianity to heathendom rmd to Judaism.1 The first 1\_thenian apologists were Q,uadratus and Aristides, who are supposed to have been almost contemporaries. The "Apology" of Quadratus was generally current in the time of Eusebius, who himself possessed a copy of it; and "one may see in it," he says, "clear 1Jroof of the intellect of the man and of his Apostolic orthodoxy." The single passage which he has preserved shows that Q,nadratus insisted rightly on 1 The word "apology" (cbroA.oyla), a defence, has always had a technical meaning in Christian literature.
    [Show full text]
  • Out of Nothing: a History of Creation Ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought
    Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 Volume 17 Number 2 Article 9 2005 Out of Nothing: A History of Creation ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought Blake T. Ostler Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Ostler, Blake T. (2005) "Out of Nothing: A History of Creation ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought," Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011: Vol. 17 : No. 2 , Article 9. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr/vol17/iss2/9 This Mormon Studies is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Title Out of Nothing: A History of Creation ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought Author(s) Blake T. Ostler Reference FARMS Review 17/2 (2005): 253–320. ISSN 1550-3194 (print), 2156-8049 (online) Abstract Review of “Craftsman or Creator? An Examination of the Mormon Doctrine of Creation and a Defense of Creatio ex nihilo” (2002), and Creation out of Nothing: A Biblical, Philosophical, and Scientific Exploration (2004), by Paul Copan and William Lane Craig. Out of Nothing: A History of Creation ex Nihilo in Early Christian Thought Blake T. Ostler n their contribution to The New Mormon Challenge entitled I“Craftsman or Creator? An Examination of the Mormon Doctrine of Creation and a Defense of Creatio ex nihilo,” Paul Copan and William Lane Craig assert, among other things, that the notion of creation ex nihilo—creation out of nothing—is biblical.1 For good 1.
    [Show full text]
  • General Index
    General Index Abraham 209 Antioch 34, 36–7, 145, 153, 158, 251, 282–3, Acacius, b. of Beroea 283–4 304–5, 343–4 Acacius, b. of Constantinople 302–3 Antiochene Achor 31 school/exegesis 9, 143n14, 409, 415, 418, Adam 210, 212–13, 222, 481–2, 486–7, 492 420–1, 432, 438, 446–7 Adonis 49 schism 282–4 Adversus Iudaeos literature 389, 393–4, Antoninus, b. of Fussala 250–1, 259 396–7, 401 Antoninus Pius, emperor 48 Aelius Aristides 48 Antony the Great 85–8, 128 Aeneas 216–18, 222 Anysius, b. of Thessaloniki 278–80 Agathias 364 Aphrodisias 32 Alcinous 103 Aphrodite 49 Alexander, b. of Alexandria 376 Aphroditian 391–4 Alexander, b. of Antioch 283–4, 413 apocryphal literature 386–7, 394–5 Alexander the Great 29 Apollinarians/ism 414, 416, 432 Alexandria 118, 128–9, 131, 134, 251, 283, Apollinarius of Laodicea 108–9, 376, 415, 370n13, 400 420, 438, 446 Alexandrian school/exegesis 7, 9, 143n14, Apollo 49 409, 418, 420–1, 432, 438, 446 apostles 36–7, 65, 128, 151n47, 199–200, 231, almsgiving 31, 37, 156, 169, 174, 210–11, 250, 241–2, 398, 454, 463 254–5, 326 Aquinas See Thomas Aquinas poor-roll/matricula 250–1 Arab conquest 2, 9, 343 Altar of Victory 8, 168 Arcadia, wife of Zeno 299n32 alterity See identity, false/non-/negative; Ares 49 heretics Ariadne, empress 9, 293–314 Alypius, b. of Thagaste 252, 275 Aristides of Athens 6, 48–9, 54 Ambrose, b. of Milan 8, 167–84, 230–40, Aristotle 147 242–3, 252, 278, 334–6, 413, 482 Arius/Arianism 121, 141, 172–5, 177–8, 197, Ambrosiaster 413, 482 282, 297, 366–7, 376, 378–9, 398, 413–15, Amoun 128, 252 420, 432
    [Show full text]
  • Apuleius' Metamorphoses and Jewish/Christian Literature
    Apuleius’ Metamorphoses and Jewish/Christian Literature WARREN S. SMITH University of New Mexico This paper argues that Apuleius in several passages of the Metamorphoses seems to reflect or react to charges made in the second century against Chris- tians and Jews, while in the Isis-book (Book 11) the author both borrows from and corrects the details provided by Jewish-Christian apocalyptic litera- ture as a model for the encounter of his protagonist with a divine figure. In particular, there are several passages in the first ten books of the novel which may reflect views expressed by Christian apologetics of the second century C.E. including the Octavius of Minucius Felix, the First and Second Apology of Justin Martyr, the Apology of Aristides the Philosopher, and the Apology of Tertullian as well as the Jewish apology, Against Apion, by Josephus. The exact date of many of these works is open to question, and Tertullian, at least, is certainly later than Apuleius. But together these apologies present a kind of consensus of the kind of defenses offered by second century Chris- tians and give us an idea of the kind of charges made against Christians and Jews with which Apuleius may have been familiar. Then, the encounter be- tween the narrator and Isis in Book 11 is compared with similar themes in contemporary Jewish-Christian apocalyptic literature, especially the apocry- phal book of 2 Esdras. Possible Allusions to Christians in Metamorphoses 6 to 10 Vincent Hunink has argued that Apuleius probably had some knowledge of Christianity, and that his antipathy toward it may be shown in his trial for witchcraft by his sympathetic attitude toward Lollius Urbicus, the city pre- fect in Rome who had prosecuted Apuleius’ enemy, Aemilianus (Apology 2,11).
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    Phasis 11, 2008 Marina Giorgadze (Batumi) RECEPTION OF II CENTURY GREEK APOLOGETICS IN OLD GEORGIAN LITERATURE Apologetics as a genre of Christian Literature originated in the 2nd cen- tury. Literally it means ‘defending oneself’, ‘justification’, ‘defensive speech’. Its main purpose was to defend Christianity from various accusa- tions, justification of Christians (atheism, cannibalism, incest), as well as dissemination of Christianity and showing its priorities.1 Consequently, the apologetic works can conventionally be divided into 2 parts: the first is negative, polemics with the opponents, mostly with pagans and Judaists; the second is positive – delivering Christian teachings and proving its priorities. It is the second part that distinguishes apologetics from the po- lemic literature as such. The genre model of apologetics can be found as early as the Ancient epoch in Hellenic as well as Judaic traditions.2 The structure of the apologetic works is mainly as follows (with more or less deviations): Addressing the addressee: the emperor (Hadrian, An- toninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Lucius), Romans and the Ro- man senate, a friend (Autolicus, Diognetus), opponent (the Barbarians, pagans, Hellenes, etc.); critics of paganism (faiths of the Barbarians and Hellenes) and Judaism; depicting the moral and ways of life of the Chris- tians, proving the priority of the Christian doctrine. The literary sources of the apologetics are: The books of Old and New Testament, mythography, Classical (Ancient) literature, Judaic literature, philosophers of the Classical period (Platonism, Aristotelians, Pithago- rism, Epicureism, Stoicism). This is an incomplete list of the sources used 1 The Encyclopedia of Religion, London 1987, 349; DTC, I, 1931, 1511.
    [Show full text]
  • Download a Pdf File of This Issue for Free
    Issue 96: The Gnostic Hunger for Secret Knowledge Gnostics: Did You Know? Interesting and Little Known Facts about the Gnostics Compiled by Jennifer Trafton and Rebecca Colossanov LOST AND FOUND. In 2006, a published English translation and a documentary by the National Geographic Society sparked a storm of public interest in the "lost Gospel of Judas." The third- or fourth-century Coptic manuscript (probably translated from a second-century Greek text) was discovered in the 1970s, but it suffered three decades of mishandling, robbery, deterioration, and neglect before scholars could finally study, authenticate, and translate it. This may be the same Gospel of Judas mentioned by the Christian writer Irenaeus in his book Against Heresies in AD. 180. The Gospel of Judas is the latest in a number of Gnostic manuscript discoveries in the last center the most important of which was a collection of over 40 Gnostic writings in caves near the town of Nag Hammadi in Egypt. (See The Secret Is Out) PRO-JUDAS. NOT PRO-JEWISH. Because the Gospel of Judas portrays Judas as a hero rather than a villain, some people have given the impression that it is somehow an antidote to historic Christian anti- Semitism. This response is ironic, since much of early Gnosticism was deeply critical of traditional Judaism. Gnostics believed that there were actually two Gods, and that the God of the Jews was an evil or ignorant creator who deceived people. One Gnostic text calls the Hebrew patriarchs a "joke"! Because of this, Gnostics interpreted the Jewish Scriptures in ways that seem very strange to us.
    [Show full text]
  • Study Guide 1
    TThhee AAnncciieenntt CChhuurrcchh SSttuuddyy GGuuiiddee Richard C. Gamble, Dr.theol. Professor of Systematic Theology Reformed Theological Seminary TTaabbllee ooff CCoonntteennttss PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA Lecture I ..............................................................................................................................................................2 Lecture II.............................................................................................................................................................4 Lecture III...........................................................................................................................................................6 Lecture IV...........................................................................................................................................................8 Lecture V...........................................................................................................................................................10 Lecture VI.........................................................................................................................................................11 Lecture VII .......................................................................................................................................................13 Lecture VIII......................................................................................................................................................14
    [Show full text]
  • Early Christian Fathers
    Early Christian Fathers Author(s): Richardson, Cyril C. (1909-1976) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: Part of the Library of Christian Classics series, Early Christian Fathers is the best single-book introduction to the early church fathers, providing an enriching and informative intro- duction to first and second century Christian thought. Con- taining carefully selected letters and works from early church fathers--including among others St. Clement, St. Ignatius, St. Polycarp, St. Justin the Martyr, and St. Irenaeus--Early Christian Fathers gives a representative, though not exhaust- ive, overview of early Christian thought. A brief introduction and extensive notes also accompany each letter or work, making Early Christian Fathers a great study aid. Thus, with flowing and contemporary translations, Early Christian Fath- ers is ideal for beginners and scholars alike; it is essential reading for anyone interested in the early church fathers. Tim Perrine CCEL Staff Writer Subjects: Christianity Early Christian Literature. Fathers of the Church, etc. i Contents Title Page 1 General Editor's Preface 8 Original Table of Contents 9 Preface 12 Introduction to Early Christian Literature and Its Setting 13 The Literature 14 The Setting 18 Basic Works on Early Christian Literature and History 24 Letters in Crises 28 The Letter of the Church of Rome to the Church of Corinth, Commonly Called 29 Clement's First Letter Introduction 30 Manuscripts and Books 36 Text 39 The Letters of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Apologetics
    DENNIS A. WRIGHT, D.MIN. 1 Christian apologetics (Greek: ἀπολογία, “verbal defence, speech in defence”)1 is the branch of Christian theological science which sets out to vindicate “Christian theism against any form of non-theistic or non-Christian thought” (Cornelius Van Til, Christian Theistic Evidences, 1951 Class Syllabus, 1). It is a broader term than Christian evidences. Apologetics is usually said to deal with philosophy, while Christian evidences deals with facts. They are not really divisible, since the facts which Christian evidences produces in support of the claims of Christianity can have no significance apart from a system of interpretation. However, the peculiar emphasis of each is pointed up by making apologetics refer to the system of interpretation, and Christian evidences to the facts adduced in that system to demonstrate the uniqueness of Christianity. Thus while apologetics defends Christianity from non-Christian philosophy, Christian evidences defends it from non-Christian science.2 Christian apologetics has taken many forms over the centuries, starting with Paul the Apostle in the early church and continuing among such Church Fathers as Origen, Augustine of Hippo, Justin Martyr and Tertullian, then continuing with writers such as Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, William of Ockham and Anselm of Canterbury during Scholasticism. Blaise Pascal was an active Christian apologist before the Age of Enlightenment. In the modern period, Biblical Christianity was defended through the efforts of many authors such as G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis, as well as G.E.M. Anscombe. In contemporary times, Christianity is defended through the work of figures such as Norman Geisler, Robert Barron, Scott Hahn, Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, Lee Strobel, Francis Collins, Alvin Plantinga, Hugh Ross, James White, Gary Habermas, Frank Turek, R.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Philosophy
    6Chapter Christian Philosophy 130 As we saw in the last chapter, many intellectuals in the second and third centuries thought that Christianity was a stupid religion for the simple-minded. But a new breed of thinker was emerging who sought to answer this criticism – indeed, whose very existence LE OF was itself an eloquent answer. These were Christian philosophers, Boethius (c. AD 480– who believed that their religion offered answers to intellectual and CIB 524) is seen to be visited by Philosophy spiritual problems that were every bit as sophisticated as pagan in prison in this philosophy. Their efforts would result in the emergence of Christian 11th-century philosophical theology, which would rapidly become as technical as illustration. the pagan philosophical schools it sought to rival. THE CRU The first Christians who tried to use contemporary philosophy creatively in a Christian context were those who wanted to present Christianity as an attractive option to pagans. These writers – of the second and early third centuries AD – are often called the ‘apologists’, from the old meaning of the word ‘apology’ as a defence or argument. In chapter 5 we saw the kinds of criticism that pagans brought against Christianity: that it was immoral, that Christians were unpatriotic, dangerous, and so on. The apologists tried to answer these criticisms. The earliest apologists that we know of were Quadratus and Aristides of Athens, who in around AD 125 presented the emperor Hadrian with books they had written defending Christianity. Quadratus’ book is lost. At least parts of Aristides’ survive, incorporated into an early medieval story known as Barlaam and Joasaph.
    [Show full text]