Defending Faith: Lessons from Early Christian Apologists

 

Summary

In today's discussion, we explored the fascinating topic of how early Christians defended their faith in a world that was largely indifferent or even hostile to their beliefs. This historical reflection is particularly relevant as we navigate our own post-Christian society, where many assume they understand Christianity and have dismissed it without truly engaging with its teachings. The early apologists, living in a pre-Christian world, faced unique challenges, yet their strategies offer valuable insights for us today.

The early Christian apologists, such as Justin Martyr, Quadratus, and Athenagoras, were tasked with defending Christianity in a Roman Empire that viewed it as an illegal and dangerous sect. They addressed their writings to the Roman Emperor, though these were more likely intended for the general populace, to argue for the toleration of Christianity. These apologists were adept at finding common ground with the prevailing culture, using the inconsistencies and moral failings of pagan beliefs to highlight the rationality and moral superiority of Christian doctrine.

One of their key strategies was to engage with the philosophical and moral debates of their time. They pointed out the contradictions within pagan philosophies and the immorality of pagan myths, using the critiques of pagan thinkers themselves to bolster their arguments. This approach resonates with our current context, where quoting secular authorities can sometimes be more persuasive than relying solely on Christian sources.

The apologists also emphasized the transformative power of Christian morality, particularly in the realm of sexual ethics. They highlighted the coercive nature of much of pagan sexual practices and contrasted it with the Christian view of sexual morality as liberating and respectful of human dignity. This message of liberation and love was compelling then and remains so today.

Furthermore, the early apologists stressed the purity of Christian worship and the profound truths revealed through divine revelation, such as the Trinity and the resurrection of Christ. They called for conversion, a turning towards a new life in Christ, which was both a challenge and a hope for many in the ancient world. This call to conversion remains central to our mission today, offering a message of hope and transformation to a world in need.

Key Takeaways:

- The early Christian apologists found common ground with their culture by addressing the inconsistencies and moral failings of pagan beliefs, using the critiques of pagan thinkers themselves to bolster their arguments. This approach is still relevant today, as engaging with secular critiques can sometimes be more persuasive than relying solely on Christian sources. [10:01]

- Christian morality was presented as a liberating force, particularly in the realm of sexual ethics. The apologists highlighted the coercive nature of pagan sexual practices and contrasted it with the Christian view of sexual morality as respectful of human dignity. This message of liberation and love remains compelling and relevant in our current context. [15:04]

- The purity of Christian worship and the profound truths revealed through divine revelation were central to the apologists' message. They emphasized the uniqueness of Christian doctrines such as the Trinity and the resurrection, which could only be known through revelation, offering a compelling vision of truth and hope. [23:21]

- Conversion was a key theme for the apologists, who called for a turning towards a new life in Christ. This message of transformation was both a challenge and a hope for many in the ancient world, and it remains central to our mission today, offering a message of hope and change to a world in need. [24:07]

- The early apologists made a significant impact by demonstrating that Christianity was not only true but also relevant and progressive. They encouraged believers to have confidence in their faith and to communicate its relevance and necessity to the broader world, a challenge that remains vital for us today. [26:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:19] - Introduction to the Topic
- [00:49] - Ancient vs. Modern Christian Context
- [01:56] - Challenges of Early Apologists
- [03:02] - Resources and Reflection
- [05:08] - The Time of the Apologists
- [06:53] - Addressing the Roman Emperor
- [08:14] - Christianity as a Threat
- [09:25] - Strategies of Early Apologists
- [11:12] - Critique of Pagan Myths
- [13:23] - Pagan Morality vs. Christian Morality
- [16:10] - Pagan Idolatry and Christian Worship
- [18:00] - Emerging Monotheism
- [20:36] - Christian Morality and Love
- [22:38] - Revelation and Conversion
- [24:56] - Impact of Apologists on Christianity

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 17:22-31
2. 1 Peter 3:15
3. Romans 12:2

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Observation Questions:

1. How did the early Christian apologists, like Justin Martyr, address the Roman Emperor, and what was the real target audience of their writings? [06:53]

2. What were some of the key strategies used by early Christian apologists to defend their faith in a predominantly pagan society? [09:25]

3. How did the early apologists use the critiques of pagan thinkers to bolster their arguments against pagan myths and philosophies? [10:01]

4. What aspects of Christian morality did the early apologists emphasize as liberating compared to pagan practices? [15:04]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways did the early apologists find common ground with the prevailing culture, and how might this approach be relevant in today's society? [09:25]

2. How did the early apologists' emphasis on the purity of Christian worship and divine revelation challenge the beliefs of the pagan world? [22:38]

3. What role did the concept of conversion play in the message of the early apologists, and why was it both a challenge and a hope for the ancient world? [24:07]

4. How did the early apologists demonstrate that Christianity was not only true but also relevant and progressive, and how can this be applied to modern Christian witness? [26:13]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you engaged with someone who had misconceptions about Christianity. How did you address their assumptions, and what might you do differently now? [02:29]

2. The early apologists used secular critiques to support their arguments. How can you incorporate secular perspectives in your discussions about faith to make your arguments more compelling? [10:01]

3. Consider the current societal views on sexual ethics. How can you effectively communicate the Christian perspective on sexual morality as liberating and respectful of human dignity? [15:04]

4. The early apologists emphasized the purity of worship. How can you ensure that your personal worship practices reflect the purity and truth of Christian doctrine? [22:38]

5. Conversion was a central theme for the early apologists. How can you share the message of transformation and hope in Christ with someone who is seeking change in their life? [24:07]

6. Think about a situation where you felt your faith was being challenged. How did you respond, and how can the example of the early apologists inspire you to defend your faith with confidence? [26:13]

7. Identify one area in your life where you can demonstrate the relevance and necessity of Christianity to those around you. What specific actions can you take this week to communicate this effectively? [26:13]

Devotional

Day 1: Engaging with Secular Critiques
The early Christian apologists, such as Justin Martyr and Athenagoras, demonstrated a profound ability to engage with the prevailing culture by addressing the inconsistencies and moral failings of pagan beliefs. They used the critiques of pagan thinkers themselves to bolster their arguments, showing that Christianity was not only rational but also morally superior. This approach is still relevant today, as engaging with secular critiques can sometimes be more persuasive than relying solely on Christian sources. By finding common ground and using the language and logic of the culture, Christians can effectively communicate the truth and relevance of their faith. [10:01]

"For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness,' and again, 'The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.'" (1 Corinthians 3:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a secular critique of Christianity you have encountered. How can you engage with it thoughtfully and respectfully, using both secular and Christian perspectives to communicate the truth of your faith?


Day 2: Christian Morality as Liberation
Christian morality was presented by the early apologists as a liberating force, particularly in the realm of sexual ethics. They highlighted the coercive nature of pagan sexual practices and contrasted it with the Christian view of sexual morality as respectful of human dignity. This message of liberation and love remains compelling and relevant in our current context, where issues of sexual ethics are often debated. By emphasizing the dignity and respect inherent in Christian teachings, believers can offer a vision of morality that is both freeing and life-affirming. [15:04]

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel bound by societal expectations. How can embracing Christian morality in this area lead to true freedom and dignity?


Day 3: The Uniqueness of Christian Revelation
The early apologists emphasized the purity of Christian worship and the profound truths revealed through divine revelation, such as the Trinity and the resurrection of Christ. These doctrines, which could only be known through revelation, offered a compelling vision of truth and hope. By focusing on the uniqueness of Christian teachings, believers can communicate the depth and richness of their faith to a world in search of meaning. [23:21]

"For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a unique aspect of Christian doctrine that has impacted your life. How can you share this truth with someone who is searching for meaning?


Day 4: The Call to Conversion
Conversion was a key theme for the early apologists, who called for a turning towards a new life in Christ. This message of transformation was both a challenge and a hope for many in the ancient world, and it remains central to our mission today. By offering a message of hope and change, Christians can invite others to experience the transformative power of a relationship with Christ. [24:07]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you desire transformation. What steps can you take today to turn towards a new life in Christ in this area?


Day 5: Confidence in the Relevance of Faith
The early apologists made a significant impact by demonstrating that Christianity was not only true but also relevant and progressive. They encouraged believers to have confidence in their faith and to communicate its relevance and necessity to the broader world. This challenge remains vital for us today, as we seek to live out our faith in a way that is both authentic and impactful. [26:13]

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23, ESV)

Reflection: Think about a situation where you feel hesitant to share your faith. How can you gain confidence in the relevance and necessity of your faith in this context?

Quotes

How did ancient Christians, how did Christians near the beginning of the founding of the church do apologetics? How did they defend the faith? How did they approach the situation that they faced? And that's a question I think Christians have a little more interest in at our time because we see certain parallels between our situation in a post-Christian world and their situation in a pre-Christian world. [00:00:49]

Today, living in a post-Christian world, one of the great problems we have is getting some people to take even a look at Christianity because they all think they know what it is. They act as if they've thought it carefully through and rejected Christianity. So, we have to find a way to get people to take a second look although in reality it's usually for most of them a first look. [00:02:14]

The most famous of these early apologists was Justin Martyr who had been a philosopher and then was converted to Christianity, died a martyr. His last name wasn't Martyr. He wasn't Mr. Martyr, but he was Justin who became a martyr and was a very thoughtful thinker about Christianity and how to defend Christianity. [00:06:06]

Christianity was an illegal religion in the Roman Empire in the second century. It was an illegal religion because Christians were atheists and traitors according to the Romans; atheists because they denied the Roman gods, and traitors because if you did not support the Roman religion you did not support the Roman State. [00:07:18]

They looked both for common convictions to make a point of contact and then they talked about distinctive Christian doctrines. They also focused on what they regarded as the weak points of paganism in the world that surrounded them. And they did that on the basis of what pagan writers were themselves saying about paganism. [00:09:25]

The early Christian apologists said, "As your own authors have said, those myths are full of immorality and absurdity. One god raping another, one god having sexual relations with human women, demigods being born, wars amongst the gods, does any of this really make any sense?" the Christians said. [00:10:47]

And what Harper, as far as I can see a secular historian, argues is that Christians were able to focus on the fact that in the pagan world much of sex that went on was coercive. Slaves were forced to have sex. They had no rights over their own body sexually. The Roman Empire was full of prostitutes who most of them were involved in coerced sexuality. [00:14:20]

Christian morality liberates. Christian morality advances love. Supposedly, we're all concerned about love. Christian morality advances love and so we ought to put our best foot forward and talk about the community of love and freedom that marriage offers to those who find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of change and fleeting relationships. [00:16:02]

And early Christian worship was very pure, very Word-centered, very prayer-centered, very Scripture-reading-centered. There were no images in Christian churches for centuries after the founding of the church. It's always intrigued me that those churches so big on tradition seemed to have missed that earliest tradition, no images in the churches. [00:21:47]

And so the apologists would go on to talk about those distinctive Christian truths that we know only by revelation, that God is a Trinity, that the one God exists eternally in three Persons, or the Christian truth of the incarnation of the second Person of the Trinity, or the revelation of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. [00:23:07]

The root of the word conversion from Latin is "turning," turning in a new direction, turning to a new truth, accepting and adopting a new conviction. And Brown writes in his little book how offended the pagan philosophers were by the notion that common people could really know the truth. [00:24:23]

And the apologists then made an impact, made an impact on the broader world that they faced, but they made an impact particularly on those who had become Christians to help them have confidence that their Christianity was true, that their Christianity made a difference, and that they were new people in Christ. [00:25:47]

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Transcript
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