Tuesday, April 12, 2005
(5:43 PM) | Adam Kotsko:
Language Changes
In the overblown introduction to the writings of Justin Martyr, found in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, I find this:The conversion of [a philosophical thinker like Justin] marks a new era in the gospel history. The sub-apostolic age begins with the first Christian author,--the founder of theological literature. It introduced to mankind, as the mother of true philosophy, the despised teaching of those Galileans to whom their Master had said, "Ye are the light of the world."This, Jared -- this is why people read secondary literature.
And this is the epoch which forced this great truth upon the attention of contemplative minds. It was more than a hundred years since the angels had sung "Good-will to men;" and that song had now been heard for successive generations, breaking forth from the lips of sufferers on the cross, among lions, and amid blazing faggots. Here was a nobler Stoicism that needed interpretation....[blah, blah, blah]