Christian Apologists
Apologetic Trends
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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
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Christian Apologists
Apologetic Trends
Challenges
- Distinguish themselves from the Jews
- Defend themselves against Roman Persecution
- Demonstrate superiority of Christianity to Paganism
- Reject Gnostic teachings that diminished Christ
- Reject Millennialist teachings that created false hopes
- Reject claims to authority that threatened Christian Unity
- 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)