Fisherman's Friend

A Plea for the Christians

edited by Philip Schaff · ANF

ANF02. Fathers of the Second Century: Hermas, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus, and Clement of Alexandria (Entire)

Contents (62 chapters)

A Plea for the Christians

  1. 1. Chapter I.—Injustice Shown Towards the Christians.
  2. 2. Chapter II.—Claim to Be Treated as Others are When Accused.
  3. 3. Chapter III.—Charges Brought Against the Christians.
  4. 4. Chapter IV.—The Christians are Not Atheists, But Acknowledge One Only God.
  5. 5. Chapter V.—Testimony of the Poets to the Unity of God.
  6. 6. Chapter VI.—Opinions of the Philosophers as to the One God.
  7. 7. Chapter VII.—Superiority of the Christian Doctrine Respecting God.
  8. 8. Chapter VIII.—Absurdities of Polytheism.
  9. 9. Chapter IX.—The Testimony of the Prophets.
  10. 10. Chapter X.—The Christians Worship the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
  11. 11. Chapter XI.—The Moral Teaching of the Christians Repels the Charge Brought Against Them.
  12. 12. Chapter XII.—Consequent Absurdity of the Charge of Atheism.
  13. 13. Chapter XIII.—Why the Christians Do Not Offer Sacrifices.
  14. 14. Chapter XIV.—Inconsistency of Those Who Accuse the Christians.
  15. 15. Chapter XV.—The Christians Distinguish God from Matter.
  16. 16. Chapter XVI.—The Christians Do Not Worship the Universe.
  17. 17. Chapter XVII.—The Names of the Gods and Their Images are But of Recent Date.
  18. 18. Chapter XVIII.—The Gods Themselves Have Been Created, as the Poets Confess.
  19. 19. Chapter XIX.—The Philosophers Agree with the Poets Respecting the Gods.
  20. 20. Chapter XX.—Absurd Representations of the Gods.
  21. 21. Chapter XXI.—Impure Loves Ascribed to the Gods.
  22. 22. Chapter XXII.—Pretended Symbolical Explanations.
  23. 23. Chapter XXIII.—Opinions of Thales and Plato.
  24. 24. Chapter XXIV.—Concerning the Angels and Giants.
  25. 25. Chapter XXV.—The Poets and Philosophers Have Denied a Divine Providence.
  26. 26. Chapter XXVI.—The Demons Allure Men to the Worship of Images.
  27. 27. Chapter XXVII.—Artifices of the Demons.
  28. 28. Chapter XXVIII.—The Heathen Gods Were Simply Men.
  29. 29. Chapter XXIX.—Proof of the Same from the Poets.
  30. 30. Chapter XXX.—Reasons Why Divinity Has Been Ascribed to Men.
  31. 31. Chapter XXXI.—Confutation of the Other Charges Brought Against the Christians.
  32. 32. Chapter XXXII.—Elevated Morality of the Christians.
  33. 33. Chapter XXXIII.—Chastity of the Christians with Respect to Marriage.
  34. 34. Chapter XXXIV.—The Vast Difference in Morals Between the Christians and Their Accusers.
  35. 35. Chapter XXXV.—The Christians Condemn and Detest All Cruelty.
  36. 36. Chapter XXXVI.—Bearing of the Doctrine of the Resurrection on the Practices of the Christians.
  37. 37. Chapter XXXVII.—Entreaty to Be Fairly Judged.

The Resurrection of the Dead

  1. 38. Chapter I.—Defence of the Truth Should Precede Discussions Regarding It.
  2. 39. Chapter II.—A Resurrection is Not Impossible.
  3. 40. Chapter III.—He Who Could Create, Can Also Raise Up the Dead.
  4. 41. Chapter IV.—Objection from the Fact that Some Human Bodies Have Become Part of Others.
  5. 42. Chapter V.—Reference to the Processes of Digestion and Nutrition.
  6. 43. Chapter VI.—Everything that is Useless or Hurtful is Rejected.
  7. 44. Chapter VII.—The Resurrection-Body Different from the Present.
  8. 45. Chapter VIII.—Human Flesh Not the Proper or Natural Food of Men.
  9. 46. Chapter IX.—Absurdity of Arguing from Man’s Impotency.
  10. 47. Chapter X.—It Cannot Be Shown that God Does Not Will a Resurrection.
  11. 48. Chapter XI.—Recapitulation.
  12. 49. Chapter XII.—Argument for the Resurrection from the Purpose Contemplated in Man’s Creation.
  13. 50. Chapter XIII.—Continuation of the Argument.
  14. 51. Chapter XIV.—The Resurrection Does Not Rest Solely on the Fact of a Future Judgment.
  15. 52. Chapter XV.—Argument for the Resurrection from the Nature of Man.
  16. 53. Chapter XVI—Analogy of Death and Sleep, and Consequent Argument for the Resurrection.
  17. 54. Chapter XVII.—The Series of Changes We Can Now Trace in Man Renders a Resurrection Probable.
  18. 55. Chapter XVIII.—Judgment Must Have Reference Both to Soul and Body: There Will Therefore Be a Resurrection.
  19. 56. Chapter XIX.—Man Would Be More Unfavourably Situated Than the Beasts If There Were No Resurrection.
  20. 57. Chapter XX.—Man Must Be Possessed Both of a Body and Soul Hereafter, that the Judgment Passed Upon Him May Be Just.
  21. 58. Chapter XXI.—Continuation of the Argument.
  22. 59. Chapter XXII.—Continuation of the Argument.
  23. 60. Chapter XXIII.—Continuation of the Argument.
  24. 61. Chapter XXIV.—Argument for the Resurrection from the Chief End of Man.
  25. 62. Chapter XXV.—Argument Continued and Concluded.

Source: CCEL