St. Justin Martyr
Justin Martyr, also known as Saint Justin, was an early Christian apologist (Wikipedia). He was born around 100 A.D. at Sychem, an ancient city of Samaria to pagan Greek parents. Justin displayed intelligence, his love for knowledge, and his devotion to the knowledge of Truth at a very young age. The Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church consider him to be a saint. His writings have standardized the foundation for a theology of history. Saint Justin defended the truth of Christian teaching, persuasively confuting pagan fallacious arguments and heretical distortions of Christianity. Martyr eventually opened a school of Christian philosophy. Justin Martyr’s work includes two Apologies …show more content…
Its biggest concern was to debunk specific charges of immorality against the Christians. "But would that even now someone would mount a lofty rostrum, and shout with a loud voice, Be ashamed, be ashamed, ye who charge the guiltless with those deeds which yourselves openly commit, and ascribe things which apply to yourselves and to your gods to those who have not even the slightest sympathy with them. Be ye converted; become wise.”(Martyr) In this apology Martyr also discusses the concept of demonic control. He believed demons were responsible for the misconception of those that practiced Christianity. He alleged that they controlled humans through magic, libations, and they must be exorcised by the Christians in the Name of Jesus. The Christians were also being accused of heinous crimes such as cannibalism and sexual immorality. Justin argues if Christians were “pleasure-mongers”, then why would they die to protect their religion. Their commitment to Christ in the face of death proves that they are not “pleasure-mongers” or pleasure …show more content…
In the Dialogue with Trypho, Justin also wrote, "For I choose to follow not men or men's doctrines, but God and the doctrines by him. For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do not admit this, and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven; do not imagine that they are Christians.” (Martyr)The two men discussed the Jewish culture and whether Jesus was the Messiah. The dialogue is a very useful source of information about early Christians’ concerns about Judaism and the relation between Israel and the Church as communities having a committed relationship with God. Approaching the end of the dialogue, Trypho asks, what if he became a Christian and would he be required to give up keeping kosher and practicing other parts of the Jewish law? “Justin replies: "Christians are not agreed on this. Some would say that you must give them up. Others, such as myself, would say that it would be quite alright for you, as a Jewish convert to Christianity, to keep kosher and otherwise observe the Law of Moses, provided that you did not try to compel other converts to do likewise, and provided that you clearly understand that keeping kosher will not save you. It is only Christ who
Justin Martyr, also known as Saint Justin, was an early Christian apologist (Wikipedia). He was born around 100 A.D. at Sychem, an ancient city of Samaria to pagan Greek parents. Justin displayed intelligence, his love for knowledge, and his devotion to the knowledge of Truth at a very young age. The Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church consider him to be a saint. His writings have standardized the foundation for a theology of history. Saint Justin defended the truth of Christian teaching, persuasively confuting pagan fallacious arguments and heretical distortions of Christianity. Martyr eventually opened a school of Christian philosophy. Justin Martyr’s work includes two Apologies …show more content…
Its biggest concern was to debunk specific charges of immorality against the Christians. "But would that even now someone would mount a lofty rostrum, and shout with a loud voice, Be ashamed, be ashamed, ye who charge the guiltless with those deeds which yourselves openly commit, and ascribe things which apply to yourselves and to your gods to those who have not even the slightest sympathy with them. Be ye converted; become wise.”(Martyr) In this apology Martyr also discusses the concept of demonic control. He believed demons were responsible for the misconception of those that practiced Christianity. He alleged that they controlled humans through magic, libations, and they must be exorcised by the Christians in the Name of Jesus. The Christians were also being accused of heinous crimes such as cannibalism and sexual immorality. Justin argues if Christians were “pleasure-mongers”, then why would they die to protect their religion. Their commitment to Christ in the face of death proves that they are not “pleasure-mongers” or pleasure …show more content…
In the Dialogue with Trypho, Justin also wrote, "For I choose to follow not men or men's doctrines, but God and the doctrines by him. For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do not admit this, and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven; do not imagine that they are Christians.” (Martyr)The two men discussed the Jewish culture and whether Jesus was the Messiah. The dialogue is a very useful source of information about early Christians’ concerns about Judaism and the relation between Israel and the Church as communities having a committed relationship with God. Approaching the end of the dialogue, Trypho asks, what if he became a Christian and would he be required to give up keeping kosher and practicing other parts of the Jewish law? “Justin replies: "Christians are not agreed on this. Some would say that you must give them up. Others, such as myself, would say that it would be quite alright for you, as a Jewish convert to Christianity, to keep kosher and otherwise observe the Law of Moses, provided that you did not try to compel other converts to do likewise, and provided that you clearly understand that keeping kosher will not save you. It is only Christ who