140–180

The Second-Century Apologists: Christianity as the True Philosophy and Justin's Doctrine of the Logos

Apologies were open letters to emperors or to fictitious addressees in defense of Christians (Justin, Athenagoras, Aristides, Melito, Theophilus, Tatian). The apologists' task was defensive, offensive and constructive; seeking to present the faith intelligibly to pagans, they became, in González's assessment, the first systematic theologians. Justin considered Christianity the only true philosophy: all knowledge is the fruit of the Logos, and the Logos is the preexistent Christ, so the sages of antiquity knew the Word "in part," while Christians know it "in full." Against the charge of novelty the apologists argued that Moses and the prophets were older than the Greeks. Berkhof notes that they did not sufficiently distinguish general and special revelation.