DEPENDING FAITH_The defense of the faith to the authorities

DEPENDING FAITH_The defense of the faith to the authorities

 

(Chapter 7)

 

* Rumors and Lofty Criticism (49-52)

1) Many of the rumors that the apologists sought to dispel were based on a misunderstanding of

Christian practice: love feast, "brothers" and "sisters," communion.

2) The enmity against Christianity on the part of many cultured pagans was deeply rooted in class

prejudice.

3) Christianity hate human beings, since they reject most of social activities.

4) accused of being atheists, because Christians had no visible gods.

4) Contradictory faith about incarnated and crucified Son of God.

"What could be the purpose of such visit to earth by God?"

 

 

 

 

* Christian faith and pagan culture (53-56)

1) All Christians agreed that worship of the gods, and everything related to that worship, must be

rejected. Thus they had not participate many social activities of the time. Tertullian insists,

"What does Athens (Academy) have to do with Jerusalem (the Church)?"

2) Yet, not all agreed on what should be a Christian's attitude toward classical pagan culture?

Justin claimed that there were seceral points of contact between Christianity and pagan

philosophy. (Supreme being concept and immortality in Socrates and Plato) Justin developed the

doctrine of logos.

3) Christian apologists answered that "it was true that they refused to worship the emperor oe any

creature, but that in spite of this they were royal subjects of the Empire. What the emperor

needs, they said, is not to worshiped but to be served; and those who serve him best are those

who pray for him and for the Empire to the only God." (57)

 

 

* "The writings of the apologists witness to the tensions in which early Christians lived. While

rejecting paganism, they had to deal with the fact that paganism had produced a valuable culture.

While accepting the truth to be found in the philosophers, they insisted on the superiority of

Christian revelation. While refusing to worship the emperor, and even while persecuted by the

authorities, they continued praying for the emperor and admiring the greatness of the Roman

Empire." (57)