In this work, Justin Martyr passionately defends the morality of the Christian life and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius to abandon the persecution of the Church. He discusses the principal criticisms of contemporary Christians, such as atheism, immorality, and disloyalty to the Empire. Justin also explains the philosophical concept of the Logos, arguing that Jesus Christ is its incarnation and that any individual who has spoken with reason, even those who lived before Christ, is connected with the Logos in the form of Christ. The text includes a detailed explanation of contemporary Christian practices and rituals, and it summarizes the Christian creed, code, and cult to decry the injustice of persecution and appeal for freedom of conscience and religious belief and practice[1][4][5].
The Second Apology, written by Justin Martyr around 153 CE, is a continuation of his First Apology. It addresses the Roman Senate and Emperor, appealing for justice and reform in the trials of Christians. The work highlights the injustices faced by Christians, such as being condemned to death solely for their profession of faith. Justin also explains Christian theology, including the concept of the Trinity, the Creation and Fall, and the role of free will and human responsibility for sin. He contrasts Christian teachings with those of philosophers like Socrates and argues for the freedom of conscience and religious belief[2][4][5].
Professor Matthew Thomas examines the theology of St. Justin Martyr, arguing that Justin viewed Christianity as the culmination of both Greek philosophy and Jewish scripture, with Christ as the fulfillment of both.
This lecture was given on January 24th, 2024, at University of California, Berkeley.
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About the Speaker:
Matthew J. Thomas is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, CA, and an Instructor in Theology at Regent College, Vancouver. He holds a D.Phil in New Testament and Patristics from the University of Oxford, and is the author of Paul's 'Works of the Law' in the Perspective of Second-Century Reception (Mohr Siebeck, 2018; IVP, 2020), which received the Jesus Creed "Book of the Year" award for 2018. Matthew and his wife Leeanne live in the Bay Area with their children Camille, Raphael, Michael and Agnes, who are also aspiring theologians.
Keywords: Apologetics, Dialogue With Trypho, Early Church Fathers, First Apology, Greek Philosophy, Judaism, Logos, Platonism, Saint Justin Martyr, Socrates
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