Explore full early church libraryExplore library

Library
St. Athenagoras of Athens
On the Resurrection of the Dead

EschatologyChristology

On the Resurrection of the Dead

St. Athenagoras of Athens · c. 177 AD

50 min read

Ante-Nicene

A philosophical treatise defending the Christian doctrine of bodily resurrection against Greek philosophical objections.

Table of Contents

1Defence of the Truth Should Precede Discussions Regarding It 2A Resurrection is Not Impossible 3He Who Could Create, Can Also Raise Up the Dead 4Objection from the Fact that Some Human Bodies Have Become Part of Others 5Reference to the Processes of Digestion and Nutrition 6Everything that is Useless or Hurtful is Rejected 7The Resurrection-Body Different from the Present 8Human Flesh Not the Proper or Natural Food of Men 9Absurdity of Arguing from Man’s Impotency 10It Cannot Be Shown that God Does Not Will a Resurrection 11Recapitulation 12Argument for the Resurrection from the Purpose Contemplated in Man’s Creation 13Continuation of the Argument 14The Resurrection Does Not Rest Solely on the Fact of a Future Judgment 15Argument for the Resurrection from the Nature of Man 16Analogy of Death and Sleep, and Consequent Argument for the Resurrection 17The Series of Changes We Can Now Trace in Man Renders a Resurrection Probable 18Judgment Must Have Reference Both to Soul and Body: There Will Therefore Be a Resurrection 19Man Would Be More Unfavourably Situated Than the Beasts If There Were No Resurrection 20Man Must Be Possessed Both of a Body and Soul Hereafter, that the Judgment Passed Upon Him May Be Just 21Continuation of the Argument 22Continuation of the Argument 23Continuation of the Argument 24Argument for the Resurrection from the Chief End of Man 25Argument Continued and Concluded