9 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What does it mean to live as a foreigner at home—and as the soul within the world?
Diognetus, an educated outsider, wants clear answers about Christians. Why do they reject Greek gods and Jewish ceremonies? Who is their God, and why is their faith so new? In The Epistle to Diognetus, an unknown Christian writer replies with a calm argument that reads more like a speech than a quarrel.
The letter moves from criticism of idols and religious rites to a vivid portrait of ordinary believers. They share their neighbours’ cities, language and customs, yet understand their belonging differently. The writer then presents Christian teachings about God’s Word, patience and redemption, linking an account of divine love to a life of imitation.
What you’ll discover
- An outsider’s pointed questions Follow Diognetus’s inquiry into a faith whose beliefs and practices demand an explanation.
- Idols under close scrutiny Watch the writer challenge Greek worship by examining the shaped matter of its gods.
- A dispute over ritual Explore why the author accepts Jewish rejection of idols but argues against Jewish ceremonies.
- Foreigners in familiar streets Meet the letter’s Christians, outwardly like their neighbours yet described as the world’s soul.
- Patience and divine love Consider the author’s account of God’s patient plan and its call to imitate divine love.
Is it for you?
This is for anyone curious about how Christians explained themselves to their neighbours in the Roman world, and for readers who like short, clear arguments. It may suit you less if you want a full history of early doctrine or a long, technical text.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Diognetus asks five hard questions
- Idols are only shaped matter
- Jewish rites are also set aside
- Christians live as the soul of the world
- God sent his Word, not a servant
- Patience, ransom and a life of imitation
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The Epistle to Diognetus
by Anonymous· 150
An early Christian writer explains his faith to an outsider.
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Language: English
“What the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world.”
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 6
Diognetus asks five hard questions
The letter opens with the writer thanking Diognetus for his eagerness to learn. Diognetus has shown real interest in the Christian religion, and he has asked for a clear account. The writer takes his questions seriously and lists them, so the whole letter is built as an answer to them.
What God do the Christians trust, and how do they worship him, that they look down on the world and make light of death? Why do they refuse the gods the Greeks honour? Why do they not keep the superstition of the Jews? What is the love they have for one another? And why has this new kind of people entered life now, and not long before? These are the questions of an outsider who has watched Christians in the cities of the empire and cannot make sense of them.
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What is the Epistle to Diognetus about?
It is a letter answering a man named Diognetus, who asks why Christians reject Greek gods and Jewish ceremonies, who their God is, and why their faith is new. The writer explains Christian belief and daily life.
Who wrote the Epistle to Diognetus and when?
The author is unknown. Scholars usually date it to the second century, perhaps its later part, though some prefer a later date. It was once attributed to Justin Martyr, but few accept that today.
Who was Diognetus?
Diognetus is the person to whom the letter is addressed, an educated and curious non-Christian. Nothing certain is known of him. Some have suggested a link with a tutor of Marcus Aurelius, but that is only a guess.
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