Docsity
Docsity

Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity


Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan


Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips

Christian Apologists Apologetic Trends - Lecture Slides |, Study notes of Christianity

Material Type: Notes; Class: Christian Origins; Subject: Religion; University: Newberry College; Term: Forever 1989;

Typology: Study notes

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 11/25/2009

zecrus450
zecrus450 🇺🇸

5

(1)

12 documents

1 / 9

Toggle sidebar

This page cannot be seen from the preview

Don't miss anything!

bg1
Christian Apologists
Apologetic Trends
pf3
pf4
pf5
pf8
pf9

Partial preview of the text

Download Christian Apologists Apologetic Trends - Lecture Slides | and more Study notes Christianity in PDF only on Docsity!

Christian Apologists

Apologetic Trends

Challenges

  1. Distinguish themselves from the Jews
  2. Defend themselves against Roman Persecution
  3. Demonstrate superiority of Christianity to Paganism
  4. Reject Gnostic teachings that diminished Christ
  5. Reject Millennialist teachings that created false hopes
  6. Reject claims to authority that threatened Christian Unity
  7. Claim Jewish Heritage to legitimate Christian community

2. Defend themselves against

Roman Persecution

  • (^) Tertullian (195-210 ca) –Argues for the innocence of criminal activity by Christians, their loyalty to Rome & superior lifestyle
  • (^) Justin Martyr (158-167) Relates the innocent nature of their activities and refutes the charges of cannibalism and incest
  • (^) Acts of Apollonius (ca. 184) combines account of trial with speeches defending Christianity

3. Demonstrate superiority of

Christianity to Paganism

  • (^) Justin Martyr (156-167) used his exploration of Philosophy prior to his conversion as the basis for his argument that Christianity is the Best Philosophy
  • (^) Tertullian (195-210) African lawyer who argued for the superiority of Christianity on the basis of practices
  • (^) Epistle of Diognetus argues for the superiority of Christianity to Paganism
  • (^) Tatian (177-178)– a student of Justin who attacked Pagan religion (an Encratite)
  • (^) Athenagoras (176-177) – an accomplished philosopher who argued for the superiority of Christianity as a Philosophy
  • (^) Minucius Felix (Latin Apologist ca. 200) who used dialogue format to show superiority of Christianity

5. Reject Millennialist teachings

that created false hopes

  • (^) Clement of Alexandria (Ca 235) rejected literalist interpretations that focused on the material world
  • (^) Origen (ca. 250) strengthened the rejection of literal interpretations by developing a 3 layered structure for interpreting scripture: 1. literal (bodily) 2. psyche (soul) moral teaching and 3. pneumatic (spiritual) allegorical/eschatological revealing the deepest revealed nature of God & God’s plan

6. Reject claims to authority that

threatened Christian Unity

  • (^) Miltiades attacked Priscilla and Maximilla for their un-Christian attire (gold jewelry etc.) and “probable” entrepreneurship.
  • (^) Eusebius of Caesarea quotes 5 different sources (mostly anonymous) that condemn the Montanist leadership
  • (^) Ignatius of Antioch, Clement I, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Eusebius et. al. point to Bishops and successions of Bishops as the best guarantee of Christian truth and unity (See pp.107-109)