| dc.description.abstract | This study contends that due to the natural law’s universal knowability, Justin used it to construct an apologetic within an eudaimonistic account of Christian virtue that served his political, theological, and evangelistic ends. Chapter 1 summarizes recent research regarding Justin’s relationship to philosophy. Justin’s concept of the Logos Spermatikos stands at the heart of this debate and is directly related to how he conceived of the natural law, the knowledge of first principles, and virtue ethics. I summarize the research on this area, categorizing the five major views on the subject: (1) Strong Philosophical Continuity, (2) Theology of Religions (3) Hegemonic Tool, (4) Natural Law, and (5) Supernatural Encounters. Chapters 2–3 demonstrate that by the second century, a variety of traditions—Hellenistic, Jewish, and Christian—had developed regarding the concepts of natural law, knowing first principles, and virtue ethics. While fundamental disagreements formed between the schools, a common body of terms, metaphors, and themes established itself. Resultingly, Justin was able to critically appropriate from these various streams as it served his distinctly Christian argumentation and goals. Chapter 4 focuses on how the natural law was put to use in his apologetic. Politically, he appealed to the natural law to procure justice. In the theological debates of the second century, the natural law helped navigate issues of covenantal continuity and discontinuity posed by the Jews and Ebionites on the one hand and Marcionites and Valentinians on the other. In his evangelistic efforts, the natural law functioned as a preamble of faith, leading people who loved reason to see the nobility of the Christian way and repent and believe in Christ. Chapter 5 overviews Justin’s epistemology while directly engaging various views in the field related to the controversial subject of the Logos Spermatikos. I argue that in Justin’s system, the natural law was knowable via the intellectual capacity of human nature provided by the Logos Spermatikos. These natural faculties could not bring one to their supernatural telos of the blessed, eternal life with God. Only divine grace and supernatural illumination operating through faith could do so. Chapter 6 focuses on the results of this grace. For by it, Christians were cleansed of their vicious ways by the blood of Christ and healed of their wicked upbringings through the multi-faceted moral education in the church—consisting of catechesis, exemplary preaching, and sacramental participation. Drawn from people of all nations and economic statuses, the church became a community of friends. This school of divine virtue beckoned those around them to enjoy the happy life with Christ and his people. Chapter 7 concludes by summarizing the main arguments and situate Justin with his contemporaries as well as the later tradition. In doing so, I seek to trace out the historical significance of this project for Justin studies, ante-Nicene Christianity, and the history of Christian ethics. Additionally, I note the ways Justin proves to be a helpful conversation partner as one navigates issues raised by the New Natural Law, the resurgence of virtue ethics and its relation to contemporary apologetics. | en_US |
