Justin Martyr
Justin Martyr | |
|---|---|
15th-century icon of Justin Martyr by Theophanes the Cretan | |
| Theologian, Apologist, and Martyr | |
| Born | c. AD 100 Flavia Neapolis, Judaea, Roman Empire |
| Died | c. AD 165 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodoxy Lutheranism Anglicanism |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation for the Causes of Saints |
| Feast | 1 June (Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheranism, Anglicanism) 14 April (Roman Calendar, 1882–1969) |
| Patronage | Philosophers |
| Other names | Justin the Philosopher |
| Philosophical work | |
| Era | Ancient philosophy |
| School | Middle Platonism |
| Main interests | Apologetics |
| Notable works | First Apology |
| Notable ideas | |
| Part of a series on |
| Catholic philosophy |
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Justin, known posthumously as Justin Martyr (Greek: Ἰουστῖνος ὁ Μάρτυς, romanized: Ioustînos ho Mártys; c. AD 100 – c. AD 165), also known as Justin the Philosopher, was an early Christian apologist and philosopher.
Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well-known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius to abandon the persecution of the Church. Further, he also indicates, as St. Augustine would later, regarding the "true religion" that revealed itself as Christianity, that the "seeds of Christianity" (manifestations of the Logos acting in history) actually predated Christ's incarnation. This notion allows him to claim many historical Greek philosophers (including Socrates and Plato), in whose works he was well studied, as unknowing Christians.
Justin was martyred, along with some of his students, and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheran Churches, and in Anglicanism.