Truth or eloquence in the works of Latin Christian writers of 2nd-3rd centuries? Cover Image

Truth or eloquence in the works of Latin Christian writers of 2nd-3rd centuries?
Truth or eloquence in the works of Latin Christian writers of 2nd-3rd centuries?

Author(s): Tincuţa Cloşcă
Subject(s): History, Cultural history, Ancient World, Philology
Published by: Editura Universităţii »Alexandru Ioan Cuza« din Iaşi
Keywords: rhetorical art;truth;eloquence;Tertullian;Arnobius;Cyprian;Minucius Felix;Lactantius;

Summary/Abstract: To the bloody persecutions applied by the Roman Empire to the Christians were added to the attacks the Christians had to take from the representatives of the contemporary culture and especially from the sophist oratory. This cultural offensive led to a new issue, that is, the way in which the religious truths (acquired by reading, studying and understanding the Bible) were supposed to be revealed. Therefore, the Christian writers tried to state some ”theories and paradigms”, regarding the way the truths of faith should be revealed to an audience, educated not only according to the standards and the norms of the Greek education, but also in a corrupt way, according to the speeches of profan orators. This is why, we intend to emphasize the attitude of the Latin Fathers of the Church from the 2nd and 3rd centuries towards the rhetorical tradion.

  • Issue Year: 18/2012
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 301-317
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: English