Theologian Thursday: Justin Martyr (100-165)

 

Justin is among the first of the apologists of the church. He studied philosophy extensively--Platonism, Stoicism, and others--and eventually came to the conclusion that Christianity was the best school of thought. He argued for the marrying of philosophy and religion, even asserting that many philosophical ideas (like the immortality of the soul) actually came from Jewish Scripture. In my opinion, that's a bit misguided since as far as I know the Jewish Scriptures don't teach or assume the immortality of the soul at all. But anyway.

Justin went so far as to say that Socrates was a Christian, because he lived by reason--the Logos which would come into the world and by which Christians also live. Justin was especially focused on God as this Logos.

The Apologies were the beginning of a long tradition of mashing up philosophy and Christianity and asserting that Christianity is really based on reason. Tertullian would take issue on this later, saying "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" Justin Martyr is like a really really early forerunner of CS Lewis.

The reigning Hellenistic government of the time, headed by Marcus Aurelius, didn't see eye to eye with Justin or the Christians though, confused by the fact that they refused to worship the emperor and therefore seen as "atheists"--since the "God" they said to worship didn't seem to exist.

Justin and Friends were questioned and ultimately beheaded in about 165.

What you should read:

• First Apology  
• Second Apology
• Dialogue with Trypho

Ratings:
(To read more about my Theologian Rating System, click HERE)
Gender Equality:
With Justin's emphasis and love for the classic philosophers, I'm certain that he did not escape their influence in regard to hating women. Especially with his propensity for Platonic thought.
Environmental Sensibility:
Along the same lines as his views toward women, I believe that Platonic ideals and even Stoicism are rather harmful to any sort of appreciation for the Earth--they lead the person to value the mind and the "spirit" over above the body, or indeed nature as it is.
Heretical Tendencies:
I think Justin's beliefs are fairly orthodox--even (or maybe especially) today. He is considered a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches.
General Badassery:
He was very well educated, wrote a ton, and had a huge part in the way the church relates to philosophy. He may not have faced any wild beasts, but martyrs get four stars by default.

A Justin Martyr quote to finish:

"We pray for our enemies; we seek to persuade those who hate us without cause to live conformably to the goodly precepts of Christ, that they may become partakers with us of the joyful hope of blessings from God, the Lord of all."

750 Words

So this happened the other day:

And no, I didn't actually do his dishes (sorry, Josh) but I did join 750words.com, and today I wrote my first 750 words.

As someone who has journaled her whole life, I found myself asking why I didn't just commit to journaling more. And obviously I blog (albeit irregularly), so why not just blog more?

It's nice to have a place to just do some throw-away writing--where no one gets to see it, and I don't have to keep it lying around the house either. It's supposed to get my creative juices flowing and serve as a place to get ideas out there and jump-start the thinking process. I'm excited to see where it takes me.

Have you tried writing a certain number of words a day, or other writing challenges? What did you think of the experience?

Theologian Thursday: Polycarp (c. 70-155)

This is the first in a series I'm starting on martyrs of the church. I'm not sure how many I'll be doing; probably just continue for a few weeks until I get sick of it. If there's anyone you want me to profile, let me know in the comments or on Twitter or email (kosinski@uw.edu).

Polycarp was a disciple of the apostle John, a bishop in Smyrna, and was the author of some of the oldest surviving writings of the early church.

Polycarp was martyred for refusing to "swear by the fortune of Caesar"--because he refused to pledge his allegiance to anyone but Christ. Before he was arrested, he had a vision that his pillow was burning, and so was convinced that he was to die by fire. The proconsul gave him many opportunities to change his mind and renounce Christianity, but he would not, and was sent to be burned alive.

The story goes that they set him on a pyre, but when it was lit the fire could not touch him, so he had to be killed by a sword.

What you should read:

• Letter to the Philippians
• Martyrdom of Polycarp
• Obviously not written by Polycarp himself, but considered one of the earliest written accounts of Christian martyrdom

Ratings:
(To read more about my Theologian Rating System, click HERE)
Gender Equality:
It's unclear exactly how favorably he viewed women, but I suspect that women were still quite involved in ministry and church life in this early time of Christianity. Additionally, in his letter to the Philippians, he seems to recognize quite a bit of female autonomy--that women learn "to walk in the faith that hath been given unto them."
Environmental Sensibility:
To be honest, I couldn't find anything regarding Polycarp's view of nature. Like others in his time, it doesn't seem to be an important issue.
Heretical Tendencies:
Polycarp worked hard to establish an orthodoxy in the burgeoning Christian community. He was an important influence to other great early theologians like Irenaeus and Tertullian, who set the standard for much of early Christian thought.
General Badassery:
Polycarp knew that his martyrdom was imminent, and yet he did not shy away from what he believed was right. He faced his arrest and trial with grace and courage. And even when the soldiers went to nail him to the stake in the pyre, he told them it was not necessary, that "he who gave me to abide the fire will also allow me, without the security of your nails, to remain on the pyre without moving." What a badass!

Here's a Polycarp quote for the road:
"He that hath love is far from all sin."

Refresh

I have been feeling so off with blogging lately, and kind of with life too, if I'm honest. But Curtis and I just got back from a little vacation and a friend's lovely wedding, and I feel refreshed and much better.

It's strange how things that you do and see every day can start to get out of focus, and it's nice to get away for a while so you can come back and view everything with fresh eyes.

I feel that way about the gospel sometimes--and religion in general. I spend so much time reading books and blogs about Christianity, and participating in church every week, and it all starts to blur together sometimes. But then I see something like the Stations of the Cross at the Santa Barbara Mission, and I'm able to look at things in a new way. It's centering.

All this to say, sometimes I step away from blogging without notice, but it just means that it will be better when I come back.