The Letter to Diognetus is an early Christian apologetics text dated to around 130 AD. It is attributed to Mathetes and addressed to a pagan named Diognetus who is interested in learning more about Christianity. The letter provides insight into early Christianity and defends the faith against pagan misunderstandings and persecutions. Here is an overview of this important early Christian text:
Background
The author identifies himself only as “Mathetes,” which means “disciple” in Greek. Nothing else is known for certain about the author, though some speculate it could be Pantaenus, Aristides, or Quadratus – early Christian apologists from the late first and early second centuries. The recipient, Diognetus, is otherwise unknown but appears to be a high-ranking pagan seeking to understand Christianity better.
The letter is commonly dated to around 130 AD based on references to the temple in Jerusalem still standing, placing it before the Bar Kokhba revolt of 132-135 AD. The style and content also match what we know of other apologetics from the early second century. Some scholars have proposed earlier or later dates, but the consensus remains around 130 AD.
The letter was well-known among early Christians, with citations and references found in the works of Eusebius, Lactantius, and Photius, among others. However, the complete text of the letter disappeared for centuries until a single manuscript was rediscovered and published in 1592. This 12th century manuscript likely preserves the complete text of this important early Christian writing.
Purpose
The stated purpose of Letter to Diognetus is to explain Christianity to a high-ranking pagan and to defend the faith against misconceptions and false accusations. Throughout the text, the author returns to two main themes:
1. Explaining the nature of Christianity and the behavior of Christians.
2. Defending Christianity against pagan misunderstandings and persecutions.
For the intended pagan audience, the author emphasizes the reasonableness of Christian beliefs and practices. He refutes accusations of atheism, cannibalism, and other slanders against Christians. He argues that Christians are upstanding citizens who surpass pagan philosophers in their ethics and way of life.
For Christians, the letter provides an early model of apologetics rooted in ideals of virtue, reasonableness, and moral living. The author does not rely on quoting scripture but rather appeals to innate human reason in arguing for the credibility of Christianity.
Contents
The Letter to Diognetus contains 12 chapters or sections, which can be summarized as follows:
Ch. 1-2: Introduction addressing Diognetus’ desire to learn about Christianity and the nature of God.
Ch. 3-4: Arguments against pagan idolatry and false views of God, affirming God’s sovereignty and fatherly care.
Ch. 5-6: An appeal to human reason and virtue in explaining the coming of Christ and the Christian view of God become man.
Ch. 7-8: A vivid description of the contrast between pagan and Christian life and ethics.
Ch. 9-10: An explanation of the mysterious nature of God and Christ, using analogies and paradoxes.
Ch. 11-12: Responses to slanderous accusations against Christians, appealing to their virtuous living.
Throughout the letter, the author returns to themes of Christianity as reasonable yet mysterious, virtuous yet foreign to pagan assumptions. Christians are presented as neither Jewish nor Greek but a “third race” with their own rites and way of life.
Themes
Some of the notable themes contained in the Letter to Diognetus include:
- An early example of Christian apologetics – defending the faith through appeals to reason.
- Emphasis on the mysteries of the incarnation and of Christian rites.
- Christianity as superior to pagan philosophy in ethics and virtue.
- Christians as a “third race” separate from Jews and pagans.
- Use of paradoxes to explain the nature of God and Christ.
- Critique of pagan idolatry and polytheism.
- Christians as upstanding citizens unfairly maligned by pagans.
- Focus on inward faith and righteousness versus outward rites.
- God’s fatherly care and non-judgmental love for humanity.
These themes illustrate some of the defining features of early Christianity as distinct from Judaism and paganism. The letter presents sophisticated theological arguments while also appealing to ideals of virtue, reasonableness, and good citizenship familiar to the pagan world.
Significance
The Letter to Diognetus holds significance as both an early apologetic text and a window into early Christianity. Some key elements of its historical significance include:
- One of the earliest examples of Christian apologetics literature, defending the faith through appeals to reason.
- Provides insight into how early Christians refuted misunderstandings and slanders against their faith.
- Elucidates sophisticated theological arguments about Christ and God’s nature without relying on biblical citations.
- Highlights early Christian beliefs on virtue, ethics, and righteousness surpassing paganism.
- Illustrates Christian self-identity as a “third race” separate from Jewish and pagan roots.
- Attests to Christian efforts to argue for the reasonableness of their faith to pagan critics.
- Shows Christianity arguing on pagan intellectual grounds rather than from scriptural authority.
- Valuable text for understanding early Christian apologetics and relations to pagan culture.
For these reasons, the Letter to Diognetus continues to be studied as an important primary source text for scholars seeking to understand the development of early Christianity within its Greco-Roman context.
Key Quotes
Some notable excerpts that illustrate major themes and arguments include:
“Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe…They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners.” (Ch. 5)
“Inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined…And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives.” (Ch. 5)
“They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.” (Ch. 5)
“What the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world.” (Ch. 6)
“God placed in their [Christians] power alone the mystery of his incarnation.” (Ch. 9)
“He became like them that they might become like him.” (Ch. 9)
“They love all men, and are persecuted by all.” (Ch. 5)
Conclusion
In summary, the Letter to Diognetus provides invaluable insights into how early Christians defended and explained their faith to pagan critics and Roman authorities. It refutes slanders, appeals to reason and virtue, and explicates sophisticated theology without relying on scripture. As an early apologetic text, it reveals much about Christianity’s efforts to argue rationally against pagan misunderstandings and persecution. The letter remains critically important for scholars seeking to understand early Christianity within its historical context in the Greco-Roman world.