Patrista
·
Church Fathers
A Plea for the Christians
Athenagoras (fl. late 2nd c.)
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Chapters (37)
Chapter I — Injustice Shown Towards the Christians.
Chapter II — Claim to Be Treated as Others are When Accused.
Chapter III — Charges Brought Against the Christians.
Chapter IV — The Christians are Not Atheists, But Acknowledge One Only
Chapter V — Testimony of the Poets to the Unity of God. [709]
Chapter VI — Opinions of the Philosophers as to the One God.
Chapter VII — Superiority of the Christian Doctrine Respecting God.
Chapter VIII — Absurdities of Polytheism.
Chapter IX — The Testimony of the Prophets.
Chapter X — The Christians Worship the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Chapter XI — The Moral Teaching of the Christians Repels the Charge
Chapter XII — Consequent Absurdity of the Charge of Atheism.
Chapter XIII — Why the Christians Do Not Offer Sacrifices.
Chapter XIV — Inconsistency of Those Who Accuse the Christians.
Chapter XV — The Christians Distinguish God from Matter.
Chapter XVI — The Christians Do Not Worship the Universe.
Chapter XVII — The Names of the Gods and Their Images are But of Recent
Chapter XVIII — The Gods Themselves Have Been Created, as the Poets
Chapter XIX — The Philosophers Agree with the Poets Respecting the Gods.
Chapter XX — Absurd Representations of the Gods.
Chapter XXI — Impure Loves Ascribed to the Gods.
Chapter XXII — Pretended Symbolical Explanations.
Chapter XXIII — Opinions of Thales and Plato.
Chapter XXIV — Concerning the Angels and Giants.
Chapter XXV — The Poets and Philosophers Have Denied a Divine Providence.
Chapter XXVI — The Demons Allure Men to the Worship of Images.
Chapter XXVII — Artifices of the Demons.
Chapter XXVIII — The Heathen Gods Were Simply Men.
Chapter XXIX — Proof of the Same from the Poets.
Chapter XXX — Reasons Why Divinity Has Been Ascribed to Men.
Chapter XXXI — Confutation of the Other Charges Brought Against the
Chapter XXXII — Elevated Morality of the Christians.
Chapter XXXIII — Chastity of the Christians with Respect to Marriage.
Chapter XXXIV — The Vast Difference in Morals Between the Christians and
Chapter XXXV — The Christians Condemn and Detest All Cruelty.
Chapter XXXVI — Bearing of the Doctrine of the Resurrection on the
Chapter XXXVII — Entreaty to Be Fairly Judged.