Athenagoras ( Athens , 2nd century ) was a Christian philosopher
Summary
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- 1 Biographical synthesis
- 2 Writings
- 1 Monotheism of Athenagoras
- 2 About marriage
- 3 Bibliography
- 4 Sources
Biographical synthesis
Little is known of the life of Athenagoras. Eusebio de Cesarea and Jerónimo de Estridón do not even name him in their reviews of famous people. The only allusion to him in Christian antiquity appears in a text by Saint Methodius of Olympia (Greek Christian priest, f. 311) [1]
Biographical details of Athenagoras exist in a fragment attributed to the Christian History of Philip of Side (born in Side , around 430), but they are unreliable because the fragment is riddled with errors. In it it is stated that Athenagoras had addressed his Apology to the emperors Hadrian and Antoninus ; adding that “his disciple was Clemente (author of the Stromata ) and Panteno (disciple of Clemente)” (PG, VI, 182).
Th. Zahn identifies him with the Athenagoras to which, according to Photius (v. Bibl. Cod: 155), the Alexandrian Boetos dedicated his work On Plato’s Difficult Expressions . [2]
Nothing certain can be concluded from these statements. Nor when it comes to knowing how he came to embrace Christianity. From his style it can be deduced that he must have attended the catechetical school of Alexandria (Egypt) , where later Panteno and Clement of Alexandria were teachers . The place and date of his death are also unknown.
Writings
Towards 177-178 Athenagoras composed an Appeal in favor of the Christians , a writing that he sent to the emperors Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and his son Lucio Aurelius Comfortable , “Harmenics, sarmetics and, what is the maximum title, philosophers.” In this Supplication, he defends Christians from the three main accusations that were launched against them from the pagan side: atheism, anthropophagy and incest.
From the first sentences, the Apology is noted for the moderation and courtesy of its expressions. It is a masterpiece for its high literary flight, for the loyalty of its argumentation and for the vast erudition that the author reveals in it.
The composition is clear and methodical, the phraseology round and rich in ideas, the firm and vigorous reasoning, the sober style, sometimes bordering on dryness, but always precise.
The set of all this writing reveals the true philosopher and the teacher who discusses according to the rules. In it, to a dialectical ability, greater than that demonstrated by Saint Justin in his writings, is added a more benevolent and comprehensive attitude towards philosophy than that demonstrated by Tatian , a contemporary of his.
Monotheism of Athenagoras
It seeks, above all, to demonstrate the uniqueness of God, against the polytheistic pluralism of the pagans. To this end he endeavors to demonstrate, speculatively, the unity of God, witnessed by the prophets. His arguments may not reach the precision of a technical philosophy, but they undoubtedly offer a solid basis for reflection.
In Athenagoras the first rational proofs of the existence of God appear already somewhat developed. The favorite test for him is the order of the world. In ch. 16 of his Supplication exposes his points of view on the cosmic order, attributing the beauty of the world to the Creator by considering the corruptible nature of the created; argument reinforced in ch. 22 by rejecting pagan mythologies and by the comparison it establishes between the world and a ship, which, however perfect, needs a pilot to steer it. Starting with Athenagoras, this proof of the existence of God by way of order and end appears reproduced in all Christian apologists, although with different nuances.
About marriage
Interesting is also the doctrine of Athenagoras on marriage and its ends. For him, procreation is the first and last end of marriage. “As the farmer throws the seed on the ground, waits for the harvest and does not continue sowing, thus, for us, the measure of desire is the procreation of children” (Supplication, XXXIII). In other texts he shows the struggle that primitive Christianity had to sustain to defend the right to life of creatures before they were born.
Against the pagans, who accused Christians of committing crimes in their worship, he writes:
We affirm that those who attempt abortion commit murder and will have to give an account of it to God; So why should we kill anyone? No, we are in everything and always equal and in accordance with ourselves, since we serve reason and do not violate it.
Supplication , XXXV
A staunch defender of the indissolubility of marriage, he takes his doctrine to the extreme of believing that not even death can dissolve the marriage bond. Consequently, for him the remarriage is “a decent adultery.”
