The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

II. Earlier Plea—Devoid of “Innate Immortality” Concept

The thirty-two chapters of Athenagoras’ earlier “Apology,” or Embassy, constitute a really masterful “Plea,” as it was commonly called, presented to the emperor. Athenagoras is careful to designate himself, in the title, as “Philosopher and Christian.” His was a practiced pen and he was a polished writer. He protests the unjust discrimination shown toward Christians, and asks that they be accorded the same treatment as others when accused. Dealing with the three stock charges—of atheism, cannibalism (the “body” and “blood” statements regarding the Eucharist), and immorality—Athenagoras shows that Christians are not atheists, even the pagan poets and philosophers testifying to the unity of a Supreme Being. His favorite, Plato, is cited in particular. The absurdities of polytheism are exposed, and he presents the unity of the Godhead as manifest in three Persons. CFF1 933.2

Athenagoras shows that pagan gods are but “created” figments, as poets and philosophers admit, along with their acknowledgments that “a thing is either uncreated and eternal, or created and perishable.” ² He rehearses the absurd representations and impure loves ascribed to the pagan gods. He then states, concerning the “One God, the supreme and uncreated and eternal One,” that “the Deity is immortal, and immoveable, and unalterable.” ³ Again in chapter twenty-three he presses significantly on the superiority of Plato over other writers. This special fondness obviously leads to his later championship of Plato’s Immortal-Soulism. CFF1 933.3

1. ANGELS ARE CREATED BEINGS; SOME “FELL.”

Discussing the angels, Athenagoras says in chapter twenty-four that they were “created by Him [God],” and that “this is the office of the angels,—to exercise providence [watchcare] for God over the things created and ordered by Him.” They were “created by God” as “free agents.” Some “continued in those things for which God had made and over which He had ordained them”; others outraged both the constitution of their nature and the government entrusted to them,” and thus fell. ⁴ Then in chapter twenty-seven Athenagoras touches on the “Artifices of the Demons,” how they plague the souls of men, and how they “lead men into error.” ⁵ CFF1 934.1

2. DUBIOUS SETTING OF TERM “IMMORTAL SOUL.”

In the same chapter he discusses the “diversity” of pagan views concerning the origin and nature of the “soul”—noted six times in a single paragraph—and uses such terms as “irrational,” “fantastic,” “delusive,” and “empty visions,” in describing such views. It is in such a setting and connection that the much-publicized expression, “being immortal,” occurs in this sentence: CFF1 934.2

“And, taking possession of their thoughts, cause to flow in to the mind empty visions as if coming from the idols and the statues; and when, too, a soul of itself, as being immortal, moves conformably to reason, either predicting the future or healing the present, the demons claim the glory for themselves.” ⁶ CFF1 934.3

Obviously that is a pagan, demonic claim, here cited by Athenagoras, not an assertion, or fact of truth, setting forth his own position. CFF1 934.4

3. HEATHEN “GODS” SIMPLY DEIFIED MEN

The heading of chapter twenty-eight is “Heathen Gods Were Simply Men,” with chapter twenty-nine as “Proof of the Same From the Poets.” Chapter thirty offers “Reasons Why Divinity Has Been Ascribed to Men.” Thus he disposes of the “gods.” CFF1 935.1

4. FATE OF SINNERS WORSE THAN “ANNIHILATION.”

In chapter thirty-one Athenagoras’ initial statement appears on the hereafter of “those whose life is directed towards God,” who seek to be “blameless and irreproachable.” After stating that all things are known to God, he says: CFF1 935.2

“We are persuaded that when we are removed [“released”] from the present life we shall live another life, better than the present one, and heavenly, not earthly (since we shall abide near God, and with God, free from all change or suffering in the soul ...).” ⁷ CFF1 935.3

Then, speaking of the punishment of the sinner, “falling with the rest,” Athenagoras declares his fate to be “a worse one and in fire.” And he adds: “For God has not made us as sheep or beasts of burden, a mere by-work, and that we should perish and be annihilated.” ⁸ CFF1 935.4

So the souls of men live on indefeasibly. CFF1 935.5

5. OUR BODIES TO BE RECONSTRUCTED AT RESURRECTION

Finally, in chapter thirty-six (“Bearing on the Doctrine of the Resurrection”), Athenagoras speaks of those who “believe that our bodies will rise again,” and that “the earth will give back the bodies held by it.” ⁹ He contrasts such with those who mistakenly believe “there is no resurrection, but calculate on the soul perishing with the body, and being as it were quenched in it.” Then he declares that the body will be “punished” along with the soul. And he adds, “It is not our [the Christian’s] belief alone that bodies will rise again, but ... many philosophers also hold the same view.” Again he cites Plato as agreeing that “when the dissolution of bodies takes place, they should, from the very same elements of which they were constructed at first, be constructed again.” ¹⁰ This is as far as Athenagoras goes in this earlier Plea. CFF1 935.6