Athenagoras the Athenian: Apology Not Accepted

Way of the Fathers

The early Christian apologist Athenagoras may not be as famous as some of the other Church fathers, but he’s a great example of someone who started out as an apologist against Christianity, but when he actually learned what the apostles and the Church taught, he was converted. He teaches us about the doctrines of the Trinity, and the Resurrection.

Links

To read Athenagoras’ A Plea for the Christians: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1656&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2421225

To read Athenagoras’ On the Resurrection of the Dead: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=1657&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2421225

To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Justin Martyr: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/justin-martyr-everything-good-is-ours/

To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Melito of Sardis: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-11-melito-and-parting-ways/

To listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Minucius Felix: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-11-minucius-felix-and-great-novel-antiquity/

For a short explanation of the word “consubstantial,” see the video: “What Does Consubstantial Mean?”: https://youtu.be/P9SGuaN-xjU?si=VaB4U3n6pZVdxsHp

For more on Athenagoras and the other apologists in the context of the history of the early Church, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/

For more on the doctrine of the Trinity in the early Church, see the book: Trinity 101: Father, Son, Holy Spirit: https://www.liguori.org/trinity-101.html

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Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/