Martyred (beheaded)
After vainly seeking truth in Greek philosophy, Justin converted to Christianity. He wrote several treatises against paganism, Judaism, and false Christian teachers and ultimately gave his life for his faith while teaching in Rome.
Details
Justin Martyr ( c. AD 100 – c. AD 165), also known as Justin the Philosopher, was an early Christian apologist and philosopher.
Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well-known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the Church. Further, he also indicates, as St. Augustine would later, regarding the "true religion" that predated Christianity, that the "seeds of Christianity actually predated Christ's incarnation. This notion allows him to claim many historical Greek philosophers (including Socrates and Plato), in whose works he was well studied, as unknowing Christians.
Justin was martyred, along with some of his students, and is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Lutheran Churches, and in Anglicanism.
Writings
The First Apology addressed to Antoninus Pius, his sons, and the Roman Senate;[31]
A Second Apology of Justin Martyr addressed to the Roman Senate;
The Discourse to the Greeks,[a] a discussion with Greek philosophers on the character of their gods;
An Hortatory Address to the Greeks[b] (known now not to have been written by Justin);[34]
A treatise On the Sovereignty of God, in which he makes use of pagan authorities as well as Christian;
A work entitled The Psalmist;
A treatise in scholastic form On the Soul; and
The Dialogue with Trypho.
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