Was tertullian a philosopher. The following excerpts contain Tertullian's two most f...
Was tertullian a philosopher. The following excerpts contain Tertullian's two most famous expressions: "what has Athens to do with Jerusalem" and it is "to be believed because it is absurd. The fact that what Tertullian wrote in Latin is actually credibile est, quia ineptum est (On the Flesh of Christ 5. [10] It has been endorsed by Church Fathers such as Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Anastasius Sinaita, and other theological figures in the early centuries of Christianity. If a philosopher (appears) in purple, why not in gilded slippers too? <p>Tertullian, born Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus around 155-160 CE in Roman North Africa, is a pivotal figure in early Christian literature and theology, second only to Saint Augustine in influence on Western Christianity. In his teens, his father Leonides and many other Alexandrians were imprisoned under the persecutions of Emperor Severus (192-211). ” Philosophy is the root – that repository of “worldly wisdom, that rash interpreter of the divine nature and order. Jul 14, 2001 · Tertullian seems to prefer the thoughtless and meaningless expressions of the pagan throng to the admission of the philosopher who concedes the existence of God, but withholds his approval of the whole Christian conception of God. Though they are preserved only in the Sacra parallela, they were known to Tatian, Methodius of Olympus, and Eusebius, and their influence is traceable in Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch, the Pseudo-Melito, and especially Tertullian. Tertullian was born in Carthage in the Roman province of Africa, present Tunisia, approximately 155-160 CE. Richard Niebuhr in Christ Jul 14, 2001 · Both Tertullian and Athenagoras remark that poets and philosophers are allowed freedom of inquiry concerning the gods (Athenagoras, Legatio, C. He lived in Rome for a brief period, employed as a legal counselor. But what else did he contribute to historic Christianity? Sep 1, 2016 · Tertullian is acknowledged as one of the first Christian apologists and is often credited as the forerunner of both fideism and of the Reformed approach to apologetics, the former being a designation which writers use not only to put Tertullian in opposition to philosophy and the secular world – such as is done by H. 19 An English translation of this text, placed alongside the Latin text, can be found on the subscription version of the site. Little is known of his early life. Tertullian Tertullian (Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus) was born in Carthage c. Tertullian was one of the first to thoroughly examine the doctrine. His father was an officer in the Roman army with a corresponding societal standing and a good income. TL;DR Early Life and Conversion Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, known as Tertullian, was born around 160 AD in Carthage (modern-day Tunisia). The first defense of the doctrine of the Trinity was by Tertullian, who was born around AD 150–160, explicitly "defined" the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and defended his theology against Praxeas, [96][97][98] although he noted that the majority of the believers in his day found issue with his doctrine. Jul 14, 2001 · To Tertullian, Christianity was |p37 not a philosophy; it was a revelation. philosophy? The first is Tertullian’s question, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” from his Prescription Against Heretics. Tertullian , (born c. He defends himself with a smile, with many rhetorical flourishes, and lots of references to other classical writers and famous persons, and to matters of interest to an antiquarian. These are “the doctrines” of men and “of demons” produced for itching ears of the spirit of this world’s Jan 2, 2014 · We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. 2, Col. " Learn about his life, writings, and lasting impact. Originally from a prosperous pagan family, Tertullian received a typical Roman education, which included extensive rhetorical training. —Pagan Philosophy the Parent of Heresies. An adult convert to Christianity, he was the son of a Roman centurion in the Carthage vicinity who had some wealth, making Tertullian a scion of privilege. These all have combined to produce a view of life, and a conception of virtue, which is at once Christian and un-Christian. May 6, 2005 · “Fideism” is the name given to that school of thought – to which Tertullian himself is frequently said to have subscribed – which answers that faith is in some sense independent of, if not outright adversarial toward, reason. A complete version of the Latin text of this work (at tertullian. Why did Tertullian’s name become associated with philosophy and literature clubs in the Spanish-speaking world, even to this day, when his teaching was in support of blind Christian faith and against rational thought? Jul 5, 2016 · Tertullian has a few helpful points on defending and living the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” in an increasingly unfriendly culture, interacting with Roman philosophers, lawyers, and historians to make his case. If you are trying to perform text/data mining, please contact Customer Service for assistance. Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, one of the most influential early Christian writers and theologians, left an indelible mark on the development of Christianity. 7 There have been numerous particular aspects of Tertullian's theology, and they usually show the Re-examining Tertullian and Augustine’s Relationship for the Theology Science Dialogue When the development of the relationship between Theology and Science is discussed, Tertullian and Augustine are typically used to represent diametrically opposed methodologies. Carthage at that time was second only to Rome as a cultural and educational center in the West, and Tertullian received an exceptional education in grammar, rhetoric, literature, philosophy, and law. 1G And criticizing the reliance on pagan philosophy that he detects in many heretics, he coined yet another famous phrase: "what has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" Though Tertullian made great and lasting contributions to a wide scope of Catholic doctrines (Trinity, Christology, ecclesiology, sacratmental theology, etc), he always had a tendency The same subject-matter is discussed over and over again 1917 by the heretics and the philosophers; the same arguments 1918 are involved. His writings represent one of the first positive encounters of Christian revelation with Greek philosophy and laid the basis for a theology of history. Whence comes evil? Why is it permitted? What is the origin of man? and in what way does he come? Besides the question which Valentinus has very lately proposed—Whence comes God? Jul 15, 2024 · Discover Tertullian and his legacy as an influential Church Father whose vigorous writings shaped early Christian theology amidst theological controversies in second and third-century North Africa. He was not only a defender of the Christian faith but also a philosopher who engaged deeply with the intellectual traditions of his time. D. Raised in a pagan environment, Tertullian received a comprehensive education in rhetoric, law, and philosophy, which later greatly influenced his theological writings. For Tertullian, it was part of a larger argument on how to deal with those who claim to be Christians (i. Irenaeus’ main work, Against Heresies, is a systematic refutation of the Gnostic accounts. One such recent example is Lindberg’s well-argued review of how scientific knowledge was addressed in the patristic period Tertullian; Gifted Apologist Tertullian was born around A. Sep 1, 2016 · Tertullian is acknowledged as one of the first Christian apologists and is often credited as the forerunner of both fideism and of the Reformed approach to apologetics, the former being a designation which writers use not only to put Tertullian in opposition to philosophy and the secular world – such as is done by H. Jan 1, 2010 · Download Citation | Early Christian Philosophers: Justin, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian | The four writers who begin Christian philosophy in the second century are different in their In short, philosophers themselves, and medical men, even when it is their purpose to discourse about the mind, do in every instance inscribe on their title-page and table of contents, De Anima ( A treatise on the soul). In the following essay, Timothy explores the sustained antipathy toward Greek philosophy in the writings and thought of Tertullian. He had no formal religious training other than his own deep study of the Bible. " Both expressions occurred in the context of a polemical war of words against "heretics" and perhaps give an exaggerated sense Tertullian had excited remark by adopting the Greek pallium, the recognized dress of philosophers, and he defends his conduct in a witty pamphlet. Tertullian was born about 160 A. However, little scholarly attention has been paid to the circumstances in Sep 20, 2016 · It wasn’t the method of Greek philosophy, but rather many of its conclusions. 0 Topics Theology Collection folkscanomy_philosophy; folkscanomy Language English Item Size 2. Exemplified by Irenaeus, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria. Richard Niebuhr in Christ Excepting Augustine, Tertullian is the most distinguished and original writer in Latin before the 4th C. However, little scholarly attention has been paid to the circumstances in Jul 14, 2001 · THE sources of Tertullian's ethical teaching are to be found in his theological views, his eschatological outlook, his predilection for Stoicism, his interpretation of Scripture, and his own austere character. It means that Augustine is arguing (with Origen and against Tertullian) that there is a congruence between Christianity and classical culture. May 4, 2010 · Tertullian's aim, in his Prescriptions against Heretics, was to persuade his readers to stay away from heresies. org) and an English translation (with a facility for viewing it alongside) can be accessed through the website along with a very EXCERPT FROM PRESCRIPTION AGAINST HERETICS Tertullian 200 A. Conversion and Theological Contributions After Aug 21, 2017 · People who say Tertullian is also an ancient witness to the unreasonableness of Christianity usually cite two of his writings. May 12, 2000 · Tertullian has been a controversial figure in the western religious tradition. Tertullian (ca. De Praescriptione Haereticorum, 7 Latin text from Migne PL, Vol. He is one of the Latin Apologists of the 2nd century. He was an early Christian apologist and a polemicist against heresy, including contemporary Christian Gnosticism. The importance of this encounter between Christianity and Platonist philosophy can hardly be overstated. Tertullian was the first western Christian to write theology, defending Christians against the hostility of the Roman state, as well as arguing against Marcion, Praxeas and theosophical fantasy. Tertullian wrote: For philosophy is the material of the world’s wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and dispensation of God. Seneca the Younger was one of the foremost philosophers of Stoicism, a teacher and adviser to Emperor Nero, a dramatist, and a Roman government official. Under the influence of Stoic philosophy, Tertullian believes that all real things are material. , believers in Jesus), but in truth don't accept the authority of scripture, only their own powers of reason (i. His writings, including his influential defense of the Trinity and scathing critiques of heresies, continue to shape theological understanding and inspire devotion among Christians today. His early works, including the Apologeticum, refute pagan misconceptions about Christianity and argue on philosophical and juridical grounds for religious freedom Mar 14, 2025 · Early Christian apologists Origen, Tertullian, and Justin Martyr significantly shaped Christian theology, defending and propagating their faith amidst external persecution and internal disputes. in Carthage in what is now modern Tunisia and Algeria. Finally, Tertullian of Carthage, who criticized philosophy, is strongly Stoic. He devoted himself to writing for 20 years Tertullian Excerpts from the Original Electronic Text at the web site of New Advent's Father's of the Church. Jul 14, 2001 · THE sources of Tertullian's ethical teaching are to be found in his theological views, his eschatological outlook, his predilection for Stoicism, his interpretation of Scripture, and his own austere character. He was of Berber and Phoenician origin and was thought to have been the son of a centurion in an African-based Roman legion. The Connection Between Deflections from Christian Faith and the Old Systems of Pagan Philosophy. His conversion to Christianity, likely in his adult years, marked a Jan 26, 1996 · Ancient History Sourcebook: Tertullian: On Pagan Learning, c. e. 155/160, Carthage [now in Tunisia]—died after 220, Carthage) important early Christian theologian, polemicist, and moralist who, as the initiator of ecclesiastical Latin, was instrumental in shaping the vocabulary and thought of Western Christianity. [7] Tertullian (born c. The same subject-matter is discussed over and over again 1917 by the heretics and the philosophers; the same arguments 1918 are involved. Dec 21, 2020 · Tertullian was the first important Christian theologian to write in Latin, and his preoccupations continue to influence the shape of western religion. He was the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. 160-220 AD) and Augustine (354-430 AD) represent two of the foremost theologians to discuss the issue. He travelled to Rome in his late teens or early twenties to Paul of Tarsus was an early Christian theologian and evangelist, who wrote epistles to Christian communities and founded multiple churches across the Greek-speaking Eastern Mediterranean region. 375) that Marcion was born the son of a bishop in Pontus (modern-day Turkey), likely Philologus of Sinope. Saint Justin Martyr, one of the most important of the Greek philosopher-Apologists in the early Christian church. Not sufficiently swelling of spirit was the Macedonian, unless he had likewise found delight in a highly inflated garb: only that philosophers withal (I believe) themselves affect somewhat of that kind; for I hear that there has been (such a thing as) philosophizing in purple. Some time between 135 and 140, Marcion traveled to Rome, joined the Roman church, and made a large donation of 200,000 sesterces Unlike Tertullian, Origen was raised in a Christian home in Alexandria. According to Tertullian, Christian truth is the only truth needed and achievable, and access to it is obtained not by reason but by faith. Indeed, Tertullian has been portrayed as Tertullian mocked them as “patripassians”, for (allegedly) implying that the Father suffered when Jesus was crucified, something widely assumed to be impossible. It was simply an amplification of the knowledge of God which had been given to the natural, untutored human soul—an amplification given by Christ. , the philosophy of Athens). 5, 6; Tertullian, Apologeticus, c. Educated in Carthage, he became impressed by the courage, morality, and uncompromising monotheism of Christian martyrs, and he converted to Christianity. Feb 5, 2019 · Tertullian, called the Father of Latin Theology, was the passionate and brilliant theologian who gave form and structure to Western Christian doctrine. ) with the gods. Tertullian (/tərˈtʌliən/; Latin: Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus; c. 46). Feb 5, 2019 · Tertullian was an early Christian apologist, theologian, and moralist from Carthage, North Africa. In his youth, he was surrounded by the household gods or deities of Rome. Nov 20, 2023 · While his relationship with pagan philosophy was complex, Tertullian’s intellectual legacy is clear. Tertullian's conversion was caused by the appealing messages of Christian teachers and preachers. Despite his criticism of classical philosophy—famously asking, "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?"—Tertullian often employed philosophical reasoning in his theological arguments. From this source came the Æons, and I known not what infinite forms, and the trinity of man in the system of Valentinus, who was of Plato’s school. Jul 17, 2020 · Tertullian, a 2nd-century Christian leader, boldly challenged the Roman Empire and defended oppressed believers, leaving an indelible mark on church history. Clement of Alexandria is plainly philosophical and frequently Platonist. As a boy he This is Tertullian the theologian as proto-analytic philosopher, philosophy, as Osborn normally sees it, being characterized less as systematizing or visionary metaphysics than as argument; and as he tries to work through Tertullian's arguments generously, we see how radically Tertullian differs, in Osborn's view, from the Gnostics, for 'Like In the work in question Tertullian is concerned exclusively with the issue at hand - the plausible poison that Hermogenes was pouring into the ears of unwary Christians in his day - and not with outlining a general Christian view on the right use of philosophy, and as usual makes no effort to balance these two clashing views. 220) was the founder of Latin Christian theology. 155/160, Carthage—died after 220, Carthage), Early Christian theologian and moralist. Tertullian received an exceptional education studying literature, law, rhetoric and philosophy in Carthage. The impetuous young Origen was ready to follow his father into prison, but his mother hid all his clothes. [11] Tertullian is the church father who more than any other has been taken to epitomise the anti-intellectualism of the early Church. God is a spirit, but a spirit is a material thing made out of a finer sort of matter. Apr 12, 2023 · Tertullian Complete Works by Tertullian Publication date 2010 Usage Public Domain Mark 1. Faith vs. 155 or 160 BCE. 4) should be enough to make us want to look more carefully at Tertullian’s position with regard to the relationship between faith and reason and the broader issue of the relationship between Christianity and philosophy. 220 CE For philosophy it is which is the material of the world's wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. He converted to Jul 14, 2001 · Tertullian seems to prefer the thoughtless and meaningless expressions of the pagan throng to the admission of the philosopher who concedes the existence of God, but withholds his approval of the whole Christian conception of God. The Dialogue with Trypho and the two Apologies are universally accepted by scholars as authentic works of Justin. Irenaeus, from Lyons, is only a philosopher by fragmentary borrowing and such strong overall argument as caused Erasmus to name him ‘Irenaeus Philosophus’. Their preoccupation with it is strongly motivated by their polemics against the Gnostics. It is caused by endless and unfettered curiosity. All of his writings seem to be polemics!! Truth was the object of his defense of Nov 9, 2024 · For (philosophy) it is which is the material of the world’s wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. It is Christian in the sense that it derives its force from Traducianism was developed initially by Tertullian, who took a semi-materialistic view of the nature of the soul. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy. 160-ca. [99][100] Tertullian Tertullian is the 110th most popular philosopher (down from 92nd in 2019), the 4th most popular biography from Tunisia and the most popular Tunisian Philosopher. Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus A Pioneer of Christian Theology Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, one of the most influential early Christian writers and theologians, left an indelible mark on the development of Christianity. Feb 7, 2024 · Explore the intriguing world of Tertullian of Carthage, whose paradoxical writings and robust defense of early Christianity laid the groundwork for Latin Christian literature and theology, influencing the moral and doctrinal contours of Western Christianity. Just before the passage quoted he had been inquiring into the root of these “doctrines of men and of daemons. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy… Saint Justin, also known as Justin Martyr, was one of the first Christians to meet Greco-Roman thinkers on their own ground by using philosophy as a tool or handmaid (servant) to defend the gospel message. He combined a profound knowledge of law, philosophy, Greek and Latin letters with burning rhetoric and biting satire. Eusebius speaks of two Apologies, but he Dec 11, 1999 · Tertullian has been attacked because he doesn't wear the toga any more, but instead the pallium, the cloak associated with philosophers. These terms would come to have a lasting impact on Christian theology. Jul 14, 2001 · |p63 IV THE ATTITUDE OF TERTULLIAN TOWARDS GREEK PHILOSOPHY Apparent contradiction leading to opposite verdicts—The antagonism of Tertullian to philosophy—Christian truth is revealed—The influence of his Montanistic leanings—Basis for resolving the apparent contradiction— The 'soul by nature Christian'—Tertullian's relation to Stoicism—The corporeity of all being—Opposition to Discover Tertullian's pivotal role in shaping early Christian theology and identity in a predominantly pagan world with his innovative contributions. May 29, 2018 · Tertullian The North African theologian and apologist Tertullian (ca. Tertullian’s wrote this treatise in the form of a legal simile or argument. Zealous and articulate, Tertullian was highly educated in the fields of law, rhetoric, literature, Greek, and Latin. " Both expressions occurred in the context of a polemical war of words against "heretics" and perhaps give an exaggerated sense Tertullian is widely regarded as having originated the expression Credo quia absurdum (est) (I believe because it is absurd) and the phrase often appears in contemporary polemics about the rationality of religious belief. 155 – c. Tertullian was the first theologian to write in Latin, and so has been called "the father of Latin Christianity ", [5][6] as well as "the founder of Western [Christian] theology". Here is a graphic illustration of Tertullian’s trinitas —not a triune God, but rather a triad or group of three, with God as the founding member. From the same source came Marcion's better god, with all his Tertullian is widely regarded as having originated the expression Credo quia absurdum (est) (I believe because it is absurd) and the phrase often appears in contemporary polemics about the rationality of religious belief. Tertullian is most famous for his work "Apology" in which he argues that Christians are not disloyal to the Roman Empire. the sun, moon, stars, etc. It analyzes the political rhetoric of Tertullian, the Carthaginian Christian theologian who argued, against Roman policy, for universal religious freedom, using the term libertas Irenaeus and Tertullian With Irenaeus and Tertullian, the question of cosmogony and how God is related to it becomes the most central issue in Christian thought. At the beginning, God is alone, though he has his own reason within him. His father provided him with a good education. Born Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus in Carthage, the capital city of Roman Africa, Tertullian was the son of an army officer in a family Oct 4, 2016 · Tertullian critiqued the influential heretical movements of Gnosticism (a religious philosophy that affirmed esoteric knowledge and dualism—a view that spirit was good, but matter was evil) and Marcionism (a religious philosophy that affirmed Jesus as the savior and Paul as his chief apostle but rejected the Hebrew Bible and the God of Israel). But his ideas have become more accessible in our century, which has seen the May 17, 2020 · According to some, Tertullian rejected the feature of, for example, Origen the combination of Christian teaching with Greek philosophy as useless, impossible and harmful (because it leads to pride and heresy). In order to better serve you and keep this site secure, please complete this challenge. The first major Christian writer to use the Latin language, he gave to Latin Christian thought a decidedly legal stamp. Tertullian critiqued the influential heretical movements of Gnosticism (a religious philosophy that affirmed esoteric knowledge and dualism, that spirit was good, but matter was evil) and Marcionism (a religious philosophy that affirmed Jesus as the savior, and Paul as his chief apostle, but rejected the Hebrew Bible and the God of Israel). by Timothy, Hamilton Baird Publication date 1973 Topics Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon, Tertullian, approximately 160-approximately 230, Clement, of Alexandria, Saint, approximately 150-approximately 215, Gnosticism, Philosophy Jan 26, 1996 · For philosophy it is which is the material of the world's wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. He has an uncompromising attitude. E. In contrast to the more rationalistic tradition of natural theology, with its arguments for the existence of God, fideism holds – or at any rate appears to hold Dec 11, 1999 · Tertullian has been attacked because he doesn't wear the toga any more, but instead the pallium, the cloak associated with philosophers. He listed the following as the characteristics of heresy: it tests people’s faith, was predicted by Christ, and condemned by Paul who uttered a warning against philosophy and vain deceits. He became a leading member of the African church and one of the early Apologists. Indeed heresies are themselves instigated by philosophy… Sep 29, 2025 · Tertullian was a brilliant early church father who defended Christianity and coined the term "Trinity. One can almost hear Tertullian taunt them, “What are you, sophists or sophomores? Jan 2, 2014 · We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Oct 7, 2019 · The Possibility of Religious Freedom - October 2019 Chapter Five moves back in time and from theory to application, revealing the potential and the limitations of natural law theory in an actual political setting. CHAPTER VII. Tertullian received a thorough education in the knowledge of the Romans and the Greeks, and he apparently practiced law before his conversion. Biography of Tertullian, early Christian theologian and apologist whose legal reasoning, Latin terminology, and paradoxical faith shaped Western philosophy. A complex thinker, Tertullian has, in the modern era, been rejected by both liberal Christianity and its secular critics. A long book, "De anima", gives Tertullian's psychology. Feb 8, 2022 · The early Christian apologists and Greek philosophy. From this source came the Aeons, and I known not what infinite forms, and the Trinity of Man in the system of Valentinus, who was of Plato's school. Tertullian was the first Christian theological author to write in Latin, and is responsible for initiating the Latin vocabulary of Christian theology, including such important terms as persona (person) and substantia (substance). It is Christian in the sense that it derives its force from Jul 14, 2001 · That Tertullian perceived this challenge to Christianity in the necessities of his day, in the speculation of the Gnostics, in the reasonings of philosophers, in the objections of the heathen, and in the difficulties of the Christians themselves, and accepted it, is to his credit. Born to a proconsular centurion in Carthage, he later moved to Rome to study rhetoric, philosophy, and law. Both of his parents were pagan, and his father was a centurion. ) was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. Patristic scholars have long pointed out that Tertullian never said this or meant anything like it. For example, Tertullian attacked pagan philosophy for was how some philosophers associated various things in the natural world (i. Early Christian History: Church Fathers — Tertullian of Carthage The Christian Legalist Shortly after Irenaeus of Lyons had established a definition for orthodoxy, “scriptural and apostolic,” Tertullian rose to prominence. 6 have shown that he borrowed extensively from the very philosophers blamed for having given rise to heresy. Protestant advocates include various Lutheran Churches as well as some modern theologians such as Augustus H Epiphanius records in his Panarion (c. He coined the terms “substance” and “person” in his discussion of the doctrine. 220 C. The correspondence between them comprises Aug 26, 2025 · All that said, it appears that Justin’s and Tertullian’s individual efforts helped push the Catholic church in a more unified direction – even despite Justin taking a best-of-both-worlds approach to Greek philosophy and Christian theology (Irvin and Sunquist 120). 150 in the city of Carthage in North Africa. Augustine the . He studied rhetoric, the poets, and philosophy in Carthage and then went to Rome Dec 4, 2003 · Tertullian was the first western Christian to write theology, defending Christians against the hostility of the Roman state, as well as arguing against Marcion, Praxeas and theosophical fantasy. Tertullian AKA Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus Born: 155 AD Birthplace: Carthage Died: 222 AD Location of death: Carthage Cause of death: unspecified Gender: Male Religion: Christian Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Religion Nationality: Ancient Carthage Executive summary: Early church father Tertullian is the earliest and after St. ^ [3]^ Notes ? Discover Tertullian's pivotal role in shaping early Christian theology and identity in a predominantly pagan world with his innovative contributions. Tertullian was trained in law, literature, rhetoric, science, and philosophy. [16] Rhodo and Tertullian, young men in Marcion's old age, described him as a "mariner" and a "ship-master" respectively. Whence comes evil? Why is it permitted? What is the origin of man? and in what way does he come? Besides the question which Valentinus has very lately proposed—Whence comes God? Therefore, in recent times scholars have pointed to the rational elements in Tertullian's theology. 1 He is often regarded as a champion of religious faith over reason and secular philosophy, an estimation which seems to be supported by Tertullian’s question “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” and the assertion attributed to him ” Credo quia absurdum est “. ” Heretics are “equipped by philosophy Tertullian Excerpts from the Original Electronic Text at the web site of New Advent's Father's of the Church. xgyeslrnutkyrxpeuzgqzgspidgeeqobovdwphovehiwweivteaolgjh