THE INFLUENCE OF PLATONISM ON THE EARLY APOLOGISTS

The influence of Platonism upon the development of Christianity is well-documented, particularly with regard to the deliberations that took place in the fourth and fifth centuries regarding the nature of Trinity. A topic that has received less attention is the philosophies of the (so-called) 'Middle Platonists' and their influence upon the earliest apologies, such as the Apology of Aristides and the Epistle to Diognetus. Yet tracing these influences is integral to explaining the development of the Christian conception of God.