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Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Introduction to Irenaeus

Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Introduction to Irenaeus. 17 September 2019. Introduction. Early Christian Apologists Review of Hellenistic Philosophy Early Internal Christian Arguments Background on Irenaeus. Christian Apologists. Apology from Greek word meaning to defend

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Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Introduction to Irenaeus

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  1. Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Introduction to Irenaeus 17 September 2019 Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  2. Introduction • Early Christian Apologists • Review of Hellenistic Philosophy • Early Internal Christian Arguments • Background on Irenaeus Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  3. Christian Apologists • Apology from Greek word meaning to defend • Written to defend Christianity to those outside of Christianity; Roman society at large • Usually written using philosophical terms and ideas drawn from Hellenistic Society • Apologists include: • Justin Martyr (patron saint of philosophers) • Athenagoras • Tertullian • Catholic Christianity has always used contemporary philosophical methods as the language of theology and as an aid to interpret the Bible; philosophy as the handmaid of theology. Example: Virtue Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  4. Platonism and Aristotelianism • Plato (427-347 BC) • Happiness is found in choosing the good and the beautiful • Uncertain whether virtue is learned or gift of gods • The physical world is only a shadow of the real world • Socrates always searching for knowledge (but does he ever find it?) • God is not material, dualism • Aristotle (384-322 BC) • Happiness is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue • Virtue is the mean between two vices as a prudent man would define it • Knowledge leads to virtue; exceptional people can make themselves virtuous • Keen interest in the physical world; especially systems of classification • ‘Metaphysics’ is Aristotle’s treatment of ethics; it occurs in his works ‘after physics’ • God as prime mover and as the end (telos) Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  5. Refresher in Hellenistic Philosophy • Athenian Philosophy Before Alexander the Great • Socrates and Plato: Platonism (and indirectly skepticism); Academy • Aristotle: Plato’s student, founder of Lyceum and Aristotelianism • Hellenistic Philosophy (see Acts 17) • Epicurus, fought in Alexander’s army; opposed to Plato, founder of Epicureanism; the Garden • Zeno: opposed to Epicurus, founder of Stoicism; the Stoa • Middle Platonism: mix of Platonism and Stoicism • Neo-Platonism centered in Alexandria 250 CE • Note that ancient philosophy was considered a way of life; in addition to being an academic discipline Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  6. Epicureanism • Founded by Epicurus (341-270 BC) in reaction against Plato • Begins with theodicy question: why is there evil and suffering in world if there is a good, creator, all-powerful God(s) • Answer: God or gods (if they exist) are uninterested in material, physical world • Material world not created, but sempeternal • No life after death • Happiness and Ethics based on pleasure and avoidance of pain • Person not bound by ties of family or duty • Science and technology very important; based on random motion of atoms • Justice based upon contractual agreements • Opposed to allegory and prophecy as a way of knowing • Favored philosophy of intellectual Romans who wanted to withdraw from society • Women encouraged to join as full members of schools • Roundly condemned by all other philosophies; rabbinic word for atheist is derived from Epicurus Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  7. Stoicism • Founded by Zeno (335-263BC) in reaction against Epicurus • Happiness is following the will of God (Providence) • God everywhere, God as logos (rational necessity); God as a type of gas that permeates everything • His providence rules everything (see Acts 17:28) • Ethics based on following God’s plan for you; no free will; emphasis on virtues; judgment by God after death • Natural law as part of Providence’s eternal law • Passions are to be subordinated to intellect • Allegorical interpretation of Greek myths • Dominant philosophy of Roman Empire • Seneca, Epictitus, Marcus Aurelius Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  8. Contrast Epicureans and Stoics on Free Will • Epicureans • Man made of atoms which can have random motion • Random motion means men’s actions are not pre-determined; • Man exercises free will through this mechanism • No immortal soul, no judgment; justice based on contract • Stoics • Everything pre-determined by providence • Man fated by natural (eternal) law • No free will • Soul judged based upon conformance of interior intent to providence • These issues are still with us, in almost exactly these terms Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  9. Early Christian Understanding: Example Free Will • Philosophically, a mix of Stoic and Epicurean • God, Providence, is always at work and all things are in His control (see Acts 17:28) • But God has also endowed man with free will, and responsibility for his actions • St. Justin Martyr: “And if the human race does not have the power by free choice to avoid what is shameful and to choose what is right, then there is no responsibility for actions of any kind.” • St. Irenaeus: “Man is rational and therefore like God; he is created with free will and is master of his acts.” Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  10. Justin Martyr (d. 163) • We know quite a lot about him through his autobiographical Dialogue with Trypho (a Jew) • Born in Palestine • Tried many different philosophies before converting to Christianity • Settled in Rome and established a Christian school in Rome mid-Second Century • Lived above the baths • Addressed his Apology to the Emperor; but really an open letter to philosophers in other Roman schools • Martyred during reign of Marcus Aurelius Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  11. First Apology Key Points • Structure • Addressed to Emperor, Antoninus Pius and his adopted son, Marcus Aurelius (1) • Plea and petition to the court (1) • Structured as a chiasm; common literary device • Use of philosophical terms • Jesus compared to Socrates (5) • Jesus compared to Minos in Plato’s Gorgias • Plato and Stoics similar to Christianity on the eschaton (20) • Importance of free will (43) • Jesus is the Reason (Logos) that all men of Truth live by (32, 46) • Jesus compared to gods • Jesus compared to Zeus (21) • Jesus crucifixion and suffering does not preclude his being Son of God; compare to Zeus’ sons (22) Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  12. Apology (cont.) • Christians in Empire • Christians as good citizens (17) • Christians opposed to Jewish rebellion in 133 (31) • Moses older that Plato (44) • Importance of Prophecy lead by Spirit (31-53) • Use of Old Testament • Importance of antiquity of belief • Statements of Christian Beliefs • Summary and reference to Eucharist (13, 66) • References to Jesus’ teaching (15, 16) • Trinity(13) • Cross as Sign of Triumph (55) • Christian Worship (61-67) • Erroneous Christian views • Marcion (26) Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  13. Irenaeus • Knew Justin Martyr’s works, may have known Justin Martyr; also knew Polycarp (student of Ignatius and bishop) • Born in Asia Minor; sent by Rome to Lyons in Gaul to be bishop after a brutal persecution • Like Justin Martyr, wrote in Greek • Some key issues for Irenaeus: • What works are canonical • Apostles as guarantors of Truth • How to think about Jesus Christ Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

  14. Assignment • Read Justin Martyr First Apology • Brief discussion, but no paper on Thursday • Benedict XVI, General Audience, Justin Martyr, March 21, 2007 http://www.vatican.va./holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070321_en.html Lecture 5: Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

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