St Justin Martyr: The First and Second Apologies by St Justin, Martyr

Hardback: This volume contains an original English translation of Justin Martyr’s First and Second Apology, originally written in Greek. 

Recognized as a formative influence on the development of Christian theology in the early church, Martyr’s apologies are among the earliest attempts to systematize Christian theology.

The First Apology is dated to between AD 155-157. It is also generally believed that the Second Apology was originally part of the larger First Apology, although there is uncertainty among scholars about this point. 

The First Apology was an early work of Christian apologetics addressed by Justin Martyr to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. In addition to arguing against the persecution of individuals solely for being Christian, Justin also provides the Emperor with a defense of the philosophy of Christianity and a detailed explanation of contemporary Christian practices and rituals. 

This work, along with the Second Apology, has been cited as one of the earliest examples of Christian apology, and many scholars attribute this work to creating a new genre of apology out of what was a typical Roman administrative procedure.

The First and Second Apologies (1997) - with introduction and notes - is translated from the Greek by Leslie William Barnard. 

About the author: Justin Martyr, of the early second century AD, was born in Flavia Neapolis (modern Nablus), a Greek-speaking town in Judea within the Roman Empire. He was well educated at a young age, and as an adult, pursued the philosophies and intellectual paths of the Greeks in search of the truth that governs the universe. Upon encountering the Christians, Justin quickly converted, finding no other “sure and useful philosophy” as Christianity. Once a Christian, he put all of his energy into spreading the gospel, and continued to engage on philosophical grounds with those he met - of all walks of life. These writings reflect the very first philosophical Christian writings - including the first philosophical exposition of the Logos and the first attempt to reconcile faith and reason.