Defending Christ: The Latin Apologists before Augustine

240 Pages·2011·1.15 MB·English

by  Nicholas L. Thomas

Studia traditioniS
theologiae
explorations in early and Medieval theology
theology continually engages with its past: the people, experience,
Scriptures, liturgy, learning and customs of Christians. the past is pre-
served, rejected, modified; but the legacy steadily evolves as Christians
are never indifferent to history. even when engaging the future, theol-
ogy looks backwards: the next generation’s training includes inheriting
a canon of Scripture, doctrine, and controversy; while adapting the
past is central in every confrontation with a modernity.
this is the dynamic realm of tradition, and this series’ focus.
Whether examining people, texts, or periods, its volumes are concerned
with how the past evolved in the past, and the interplay of theology,
culture, and tradition.
Studia traditioniS theologiae
explorations in early and Medieval theology
9
Series editor: thomas o’loughlin,
Professor of historical theology
in the university of nottingham
editorial board
Director
Prof. thomas o’loughlin
Board Members
dr andreas andreopoulos, dr augustine Casiday,
dr Mary B. Cunningham, dr Johannes hoff, dr Jonathan Wooding,
dr Juliette day, dr Patricia rumsey, dr Paul Middleton,
dr Simon oliver, Prof. andrew Prescott
defending ChriSt:
the latin aPologiStS
Before auguStine
Nicholas L. Thomas
H
F
Cover illustration: Tabula Peutingeriana © ÖnB Vienna: Cod. 324, Segm.
Viii + iX
© 2011, Brepols Publishers n.v., Turnhout, Belgium
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission
of the publisher.
d/2011/0095/86
iSBn 978-2-503-53669-9
For my parents

ContentS
abbreviations ix
introduction 1
1. Preparatory outline 1
2. an introduction to apologetic writing 8
1. minucius felix
1. introduction 28
2. to what extent is the Octauius a response to fronto? 31
3. Minucius felix and Commodus? 35
4. the Christianity of the Octauius 38
5. Conclusion: the apologetic of the Octauius 63
2. tertullian
1. introduction 66
2. tertullian’s apologetic 71
3. tertullian’s Christian sources 86
4. Conclusion – tertullian the apologist 104
3. cyprian
1. introduction 107
2. the Quod idola dii non sint 111
3. Cyprian as Christian apologist – the Ad Demetrianum 116
4. arnobius of sicca
1. introduction 129
2. the Aduersus nationes within a tradition of
latin apologetics 140

defending ChriSt: the latin aPologiStS Before auguStine
5. lactantius
1. introduction 165
2. the Diuinae institutiones 173
conclusion 199
bibliography 208
indices 219

aBBreViationS
aCW ancient Christian Writers
AJPh The American Journal of Philology
anCl ante-nicene Christian library
ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römischen Welt
BICS Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies
CCSl Corpus Christianorum Series latina
CJ The Classical Journal
CPh Classical Philology
CQ Classical Quarterly
CR Classical Review
CSel Corpus Scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum
fC fathers of the Church
HSPh Harvard Studies in Classical Philology
HTR Harvard Theological Review
JECS Journal of Early Christian Studies
JEH Journal of Ecclesiastical History
JHI Journal of the History of Ideas
JRH Journal of Religious History
JRS Journal of Roman Studies
JTS Journal of Theological Studies
lCl the loeb Classical library
P&P Past and Present
PL Patrologia Latina
REAug Revue des Études Augustiniennes
RMeta Review of Metaphysics
SC Sources Chrétiennes
SP Studia Patristica

defending ChriSt: the latin aPologiStS Before auguStine
TAPhA Transactions and Proceedings of the American
Philological Association
tu texte und untersuchungen
VC Vigiliae Christianae
VT Vetus Testamentum
