Early Apologists
Address to the Greeks & the Diatessaron
Tatian the Syrian · c. 165 – 175
Historical Context
An Assyrian disciple of Justin Martyr who later founded the ascetic 'Encratite' movement in the East.
Summary
The Address is a sharp, sometimes acerbic, defence of Christianity as older and truer than Greek philosophy. His Diatessaron ('through four') is the earliest known gospel harmony and remained the standard gospel text in Syriac churches for centuries.
Major Themes
- Christianity older than Hellenism
- Gospel harmony
- Asceticism
- Logos theology
Important Quotations
“Our philosophy is older than the culture of the Greeks.”— Address to the Greeks 31
Related Church Fathers
Related Doctrines
Primary Sources
Further Reading
- Emily J. Hunt, Christianity in the Second Century: The Case of Tatian