What books are you currently reading?

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Matthias

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Back, at least for a little while before another diversion, to my journey through the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. I’m currently reading Exhortation To The Heathen, written by Clement of Alexandria.
 

Matthias

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Why Clement of Alexandria? He was Origen’s teacher.

I was reading Clement as a gateway to, a preparation for, reading Origen (again) - which I’ve been putting off for months now. It was / is a good plan, but … the School of Alexandria is ”Plato Lite“. (Uggh.) I’ll come back to the other extant works of Clement but Exhortation To The Heathen is all I care to read from him at the moment. (And Origen continues waiting in the “Green Room” of my personal library.)

”What has Jerusalem to do with Athens, the Church with (Plato’s) Academy, the Christian with the heretic?” - Tertullian

”… the constant question has been how Christians should balance theology with Greek philosophy. Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian of Carthage possessed opposite opinions on this matter. Both Clement and Tertullian believed and practiced Christian theology as truth, but they each approached the involvement of pagan philosophy in Christian theology in completely different ways.”

(Brandan Barbee, “Church History Snapshot: ‘What Indeed Has Athens to Do With Jerusalem?’”)

Instead and in place of proceeding directly to Clement’s The Instructor, I’m currently reading Mathetes’ Epistle To Diognetus.
 

Matthias

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I’m currently reading First Epistle To The Corinthians, written by Clement of Rome.
 

Matthias

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Really enjoyed reading Clement of Rome. I’m currently reading Discourse To The Greeks, written by Justin Martyr. It’s a very short work. When I complete it I’ll read his Hortatory Address To The Greeks.

Justin was the first Ante-Nicene Father I read. Neither of these two writings of his were required reading when I was a student and this will be my first time reading them.
 

Matthias

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Not being in any hurry to get back to Clement of Alexandria, I’m hanging with Justin - who is too cozy with the Greek philosophers - for a little while. I’m currently reading Dialogue With Trypho.
 

Matthias

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I had previously only read about a quarter of Dialogue With Trypho. Having completed it, I understand now why the professor assigned / required reading chapters which he carefully selected. Justin is terribly repetitious. I think the average Christian would be shocked at some of the things Justin wrote.

I’m currently reading Justin’s First Apology. Might as well since I’m here - and not yet in the mood to listen to more from Clement of Alexandria.
 

Matthias

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More of the same. Justin, somewhat surprisingly, takes the same approach with the Roman Emperor and Roman Senate as he did with Trypho. It doesn’t come off well, in my opinion.

Using the writings of the Hebrew prophets in dialogue with unbelieving Jews is quite reasonable and certainly understandable. But what does the Roman Emperor and the Senate care about what the Hebrew prophets said?

A few words also from the apostles’ ”memoirs” (as with Trypho) but then a description of church ordinances and a typical Sunday worship format (not shared with Trypho). Interesting reading for me, but was it so for the Emperor and the Senate?

On now to Justin’s Second Apology. More pleading by appeal to the prophets of the Jews and the “memoirs” of the apostles? It’s short - much shorter than the First Apology - so it won’t take long to find out.
 

Matthias

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The Second Apology was more in line with what I expected from Justin when addressing the rulers of the Roman Empire.

I’m planning on reading two more very short works by Justin - On The Sole Government of God and On The Resurrection - tomorrow, before returning, reluctantly, to something (TBD)* written by Clement of Alexandria. (In preparation for my long - not long enough - postponed rendezvous with Origen.)

* I‘ve decided to read Salvation Of The Rich Man. I don’t know anything about this particular work.
 
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Wrangler

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Reading is a tremendous investment. It devours hours. Maybe the time spent will reap tremendous dividends — and maybe not.
Huh? I read for the joy of it. The pleasure in it. Reading is an end onto itself.

Reading is my hobby. As with all hobbies, it is what I do TO PASS THE TIME. Reading enriches my life.

Historically I read a wide variety of subjects, including science fiction, history, philosophy, religion, finance, and self-help/psychology/relationships. I do believe that I’ve reaped tremendous dividends.
 
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Matthias

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Like what?

While I’m tempted to make the same recommendation that I did with your inquiry about Hippolytus, I’ll take a different tack and quote one thing in order to, hopefully, whet your appetite to read Justin.

”For if you have fallen in with some who are called Christians, but who do not admit this [truth], and venture to blaspheme the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; who say there is no resurrection of the dead, and that their souls, when they die, are taken to heaven; do not imagine that they are Christians …”

(Dialogue With Trypho, Chapter 80)

Do you think you’re going to go to heaven when you die? If so - and the average Christian does - then you’re not a Christian.
 

Matthias

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Like what?

Give me a number: How many Gods do you believe in?

I’ll wait.

*

That’s not the number Justin gives us.

And just as an aside, Justin isn’t a trinitarian; the average Christian is.