Folia Theologica et Canonica 1. 23/15 (2012)

SACRA THEOLOGIA - László Perendy, Athenagoras on the Triune God of Christians

ATHENAGORAS ON THE TRIUNE GOD OF CHRISTIANS...

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Leslie W. Barnard’s research on Athenagoras is of capital importance at the beginning of this period. In his article about the questions connected with Trinito- logy55 56, he considers a sign of originality in Athenagoras that he is less influenced by the Aristotelian idea of God as the Unmoved Mover than Justin. In his demonstration of the unity of God, his argument is based on reductio ad absurdum and the unity of the universe itself.57 If there were another god besides the Lord of the Universe, this second god would not have another universe to rule. In the final lines of the first part, which deals with the doctrine of God, Barnard criticizes Justin for the tension that can be felt between the two poles of his conception of God, namely, the philosophical and the biblical ones. In his mind, Athenagoras’ system is a much more coherent one:

Athenagoras, however, avoids too obvious a juxtaposition by adapting from Middle Platonism only what will serve his purpose; so he does not overstress the chasm between God and the created world but is interested, in the main, in correspondences with, rather than differences from, the biblical idea of God. Plato, for him, was not a Christian before Christ but one whose ideas could be adapted to serve the claims of Christian monotheism. But the heart of Athenagoras’ belief was the unique, creative activity of God.S8

In the chapter on the Logos-Son, Barnard reminds us that Philo was influenced to a large extent by Plato’s Timaeus in his view of the Logos. But he was not the only representative in speculative Judaism emphasizing the cosmological role of divine wisdom. Referring to his own previous work, Barnard summarizes Justin’s view that the Logos was generated for the purpose of creation.59 Athenagoras’ doctrine, however, seems to be wiser even in this respect:

Athenagoras held that although the logos is eternally in God as mind, wisdom and reason (being distinguished from Him as ‘Son of God’), He can be further distinguished in phenomenal existence. The apologist describes him as ‘proceeding’ from God in order to enter into relationship with matter (îAr|), then in an undifferentiated state, and not yet organized into a world of order and measure (Leg. 10). The implication is, although Athenagoras does not exactly say so, that the logos is the one who organizes matter into some kind of order. It is significant that he nowhere suggests the logos needed to be originated - he merely ‘proceeds’ from the

55 Malherbe, A. J., Athenagoras on the Location of God, 52.

56 Barnard, L. W., God. the Logos, the Spirit and the Trinity, 70-92.

57 Barnard, L. W., God, the Logos, the Spirit and the Trinity, 77-78.

58 Barnard, L. W., God, the Logos, the Spirit and the Trinity, 78-79.

59 Barnard, L. W„ God, the Logos, the Spirit and the Trinity, 80-81.