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

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

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PERENDY LÁSZLÓ

what uneasily a belief in the biblical idea of God as a living Creator, a compassionate Father, with the Middle-Platonist emphasis on God as the unknowable and transcendent Cause far removed from the world and disconnected with it. Justin, in fact, had no real theory of divine immanence to complement his emphasis on divine transcendence. Athenagoras, to a greater extent than Justin, expressed his idea of God in philosophical terms. However, as we shall see, he was careful to adapt from Middle Platonism only what he needed for his purpose and he is able to set forth clearly the Christian conception of God as a loving Creator and Father.70

As to the relationship between God and matter, Barnard mentions the biblical image of God as a potter. On the other hand, matter is described also in Platonic terms as not-being. Athenagoras cleverly avoids the theory of emanations as well. God has goodness; He is not identical with goodness. His goodness flows into the world. To describe this activity, the apologist uses a non-technical term, thus avoids the dangers of identifying the world with an emanation of God. The question of God as àyéwriToç and ayevrytoq is also mentioned. It seems likely that Athenagoras was influenced by Justin in the use of these expressions.71 On the other hand, he does not follow Justin in accepting completely the idea of the Unmoved Mover:

In this Athenagoras differs widely from Justin Martyr who reproduces the Aristotelian idea of God as the Unmoved Mover and applies it to the Christian “Father and Lord of all”. This Aristotelian conception seems to have entered Middle Platonism just before or soon after the beginning of the Christian era. Athenagoras however is less influenced by this philosophical idea than Justin and takes from Aristotle only what is of use in his apologetic, viz. that the divine being is somehow a unity.72

God’s unity is also demonstrated by means of reductio ad absurdum: as there is one universe, a presumed second God would not have another universe to be the lord of.73

In his book about Christianity and philosophy Robert Joly criticizes Barnard’s views.74 Barnard’s idea that Athenagoras chose carefully which Middle Platonic ideas to use for the support of Christian theology is rejected by Joly. This applies also to the application of the negative attributes:

70 Barnard, L. W., Athenagoras. A study in the second century Christian apologetic, 84.

71 Barnard, L. W., Athenagoras. A study in the second century Christian apologetic, 85—88.

72 Barnard, L. W., Athenagoras. A study in the second century Christian apologetic, 89-90.

13 Barnard, L. W., Athenagoras. A study in the second century Christian apologetic, 90.

74 Joly, R., Christianisme et philosophie. Etudes sur Justin et les apologistes grecs du deuxième siècle, Bruxelles, 1973.