Course talk:Carey HIST501/Project 2/Justin Martyr

Having just completed our assignment on heresy and reading so much on diverging thought regarding the nature of Jesus, as well as the trinity (which my own church father, Basil the great, was also implicated in as ant-arian) it was a good recentering to recall that it is Justin Martyr who gives the basis for the teaching accepted as Orthadox.

Also similar to Basil, and I think a lot of the church fathers as all seem to come from fairly prominant/educated backgrounds, is the relationship to reading/understanding the church classics. Its interesting that Martyr found Christian truth after seeking truth in philosophy. Basil actually writes (as a Christian) in favour of Christians reading and understanding the classics arguing that it will (i think in opposition) sharpen their own faith in Christianity. I wonder if Martyr would agree with this stanceo r rather thought based on his experience that such "secular" reading should be completely avoided. I find this interesting to thing about in a modern context of the way we engage with the secular cultures we are surrounded by.

Justin Martyr embraced classical philosophy and believed that Plato’s teaching on eternal form referred to Christian’s God. He argued that Socrates, like Abraham, was a Christian before Christ and his death was an example for Christian martyrs (Dowley, 94).

Like many ancient and modern Christians who assume that the Gospels were written by the Apostles, Justin also bolstered that supposition. He referred to the Gospels as “memoirs composed by the Apostles” (Reader’s Digest Association, 79).

In his Dialogue with Trypho, Justin numerously argued that the coming of Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. He also explained that the mystery of the cross can be traced back to the Old Testament, when it is understood symbolically. He used the example of Moses stretching out both arms as a symbol of Israel’s salvation, a sign that was fulfilled by Jesus on the cross. He further claimed that the church is the new Israel (Reader’s Digest Association, 129)

One of Justin’s famous quotes is “having ended prayers, we salute one another with a kiss.” The kiss which was a traditional greeting among family members became a powerful mark of unity and reconciliation when practiced among believers. It was commonly exchanged before the communion in celebration of the fact that Christians were brothers and sisters, in spirit, through the love of Christ (Reader’s Digest Association, 141)

A popular Christian series Drive Thru History featured a short clip on Justin Martyr: Who was Justin Martyr?

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Dowley, Tim, ed. 1995. Introduction to the History of Christianity. 1st Fortress Press ed. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.

Reader’s Digest Association, ed. 1992. After Jesus: The Triumph of Christianity. Plesantville, N.Y: Reader’s Digest Association.