Early Church · 197

Apology

Tertullian (c. 155-220 AD)

Written in 197 AD and addressed directly to Roman provincial governors, the Apology is Tertullian's formal legal defense of Christianity against the charges of atheism, treason, and secret crimes. It remains the most systematic early apology in the Latin tradition, methodically dismantling the legal basis for persecution, exposing the moral bankruptcy of pagan religion, and arguing that Christians are the empire's most loyal and virtuous citizens. Tertullian, the first major Latin Christian theologian, wrote with the precision of a trained jurist, and the work closes with the famous declaration that the blood of Christians is the seed of the church.

3 hrs total · 50 chapters