ATHENAGORAS, a Christian apologist, was a native of Athens, and lived during the 2d century A.D. The only sources of information regarding him are a short notice by Philip of Sida, and the inscription on his principal work. Philip says that he was at the head of an Alexandrian school (the catechetical), that he lived in the time of Hadrian and Antoninus, to whom he addressed his Apology, and that Clement of Alexandria was his pupil, while Pantaenus was the pupil of Clement. This statement is thoroughly inaccurate and worthless. The inscription on the work describes it as the “Embassy of Athenagoras, the Athenian, a philosopher and a Christian, concerning the Christians, to the Emperors Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus, &c.” This statement has given rise to considerable discussion, but from it and internal evidence the date of the Apology may be fixed at about 176 or 177 a.d. Athenagoras is also the author of a discourse on the resurrection of the dead, which is not authenticated otherwise thän by the titles on the various manuscripts. In the Apology, he refutes the accusations brought against the Christians of atheism, eating human flesh, and licentiousness, and in doing so takes occasion to make a vigorous and skilful attack on Pagan polytheism and mythology. The discourse on the resurrection answers objections to the doctrine, and attempts to prove its truth from considerations of God’s purpose in the creation of man, His justice, and the nature of man himself. Athenagoras is a powerful and clear writer, but his theology is strongly tinged with Platonism. His discussion of the Trinity has some points of speculative interest, but it is not sufficiently worked out; he regards the Son as the Reason or Wisdom of the Father, and the Spirit as a ...