this man was basically an apologist for christianity.
later there also were apologias by tertullian, clement of alexandria and origin but
justin martyr was the apologist of the second century.
his first and most important was during the time antonius pius from 140-150
his second 164
also 'dialogue with trypho, an apology for christianity as opposed to judaism
the apologists seem to stand apart from the general history of christian thought.
the period of the apologists proper extends through nearly the whole of the second century,
the central figure being justin;
tertullian, clement of alexandria and origen, however, also wrote famous apologies,
but were not primarily apologists...
when hadrian came to the throne, the mild character of the man and his interest in foreign religions
seemed to present an opportunity to christians to make a frank appeal at rome for fair play.
during his reign quadratus and aristides presented the earliest apologies...
these apologies may have been actually read by the emperors or they may only have been
published in the form of 'open letters'.
in the reign of antonius pius, about 140-150,
justin produced his first and most important apology..
the apologists are not great theologians, though much may be learnt from justin as to the beliefs of the time.
the chief interest of their work lies in the pictures of christian life and worship at that day
and in fact that christians now make their first claim to state recognition.
justin had to defend his religion in three quarters, against
1. the state authorities
2. popular prejudice
3. the educated classes.
the state indeed cared very little about the religious point of view,
so long as no sedition was involved in it.
no christian was to be hunted out for punishment;
but if informed against as a revolutionary,
he was put to the test of sacrificing to the state gods,
or acknowledging the Genius of the emperor;
failing that, he was considered no good citizen and must meet his fate.
but why was he an object of popular prejudice?
because in the popular mind he was licentious;
he indulged in wild orgies;
he fed on human flesh;
and having no temple he was presumably an atheist.
further, he knew no distinction of rank, even between freeman and slave
and from one cause or another, he held aloof from most of the social institutions of the time.
so they summed him up by calling him the 'enemy of the human race.'.
all these views therefore must be combated;
by showing the state that the other kingdom he look for was not of this world
and that his life, if true to his creed, was absolutely innocent,
so that he was really the best of citizens;
while to the populace was shown, instead of orgies, the christian service
and the awful accusation of cannibalism was refuted by the blessed sacrament.
finally he required no temple made with hands.
'all who are persuaded and believe that the things taught and affirmed by us are true
and who promise to be able to live accordingly,
are taught to pray and beg God with fasting to grant them forgiveness of their former sins,
and we pray and fast with them.
then we bring them where there is water
and after the same manner of regeneration as we were regenerated ourselves, they are regenerated.
for in the name of God the Father and Lord of all things and of our saviour Jesus Christ
and of the Holy Ghost,
they then receive the washing of water:
for indeed Christ also said, 'except ye be born again, etc...
but after thus washing him who has professed and given his assent we bring him
to those who are called brethren:
where they are assembled together to offer prayers in common both for ourselves
and for the person who has received illumination,
and all others everywhere with all our hearts that we might be vouchsafed, now that we have learnt the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the Commandments,
that we might obtain everlasting salvation.
we salute one another with a kiss when we have concluded the prayers
then is brought to the president bread and a cup of water and wine, which he receives
and offers up praise and glory to the Father of all things, through the name of His Son
and of the Holy Ghost
and he returns thanks at length for our being vouchsafed these things by Him.
when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all who are present express their assent
by saying amen.
when the president has celebrated the eucharist and all the people have assented,
they whom we call deacons
give to each of those who are present a portion of the eucharistic bread and wine and water
and carry them to those who are absent.
now this food is called the eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake
but he who believes the truth of our doctrines and has been washed in the laver
for the forgiveness of sins and to regeneration
and who so lives as Christ hath directed.
for we do not receive them as ordinary food or ordinary drink, by as by the word of God
Jesus Christ our saviour was made flesh and had both flesh and blood for our salvation,
so also the food which was blessed by the prayer of the word which proceeded from Him
and from which our flesh and blood by assimilation receive nourishment, is
we are taught, both the Flesh and Blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.
later on J says:
'now on the day that is called sunday there is an assembly
in the same place of all who live in cities or in country districts
and the records of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as we have time.
then the reader concludes and the president verbally instructs and exhorts us
to the imitation of these excellent things.
then we all together rise and offer up our prayers...
..justin was well qualified to make this defence,
because he had been himself attracted to the christians by the purity of their lives,
by their fidelity to their creed
and by their contempt for death.
all these things struck him as incompatible with the crimes alleged against them.
previous to that he had tested all the philosophic systems in his desire to find the truth
-pythagorean, stoic, epicurian, platonic
and had given them all up in despair:
when one day he met on the seashore an old christian missionary
who explained to him the fulfilment of the hebrew prophesies.
having tested this by his own study, he adopted christianity and taught it,
as he had other systems, in his philosopher's cloak.
but he embraced it with all his heart,
and finally about 166 gave his life for it.
justin is not content in his apology to defend christianity,
but assumes a strong aggressive attitude against the popular superstitions.
his attitude towards polytheism is chiefly marked by his theory of the daemons,
but also by the toleration and kindly spirit which he showed towards the heathen.
..later apologists, with the approximate dates at which they wrote, were
tatian 160, a disciple of justin...lapsed into heresy
appolinaris 176
athenagoras 177
melito of sardis 177
hermias 180
and theophilus 180
but none of these are accounted Fathers,
...the last named was the first writer who used the greek word, trias or trinity.
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