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Athenagoras: A Plea for the Christians

B. P. Pratten; ANF02 (1885)

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All 37 chapters with historical footnotes.

Acquired 2026-09-26; raw response hash and extraction scope recorded in scripts/early/sources/acquisitions.json.

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Edition and sources

Edition / translator
B. P. Pratten; ANF02 (1885)
Edition date
1885
Ancient composition
Ancient composition dates and authorship require separate evidence; the translation date is not the date of the ancient work.
Language of acquired text
English
Public access
Reviewed reusable edition; attribution retained and website commentary excluded.
Rights and provenance record

Host only the historical edition text and historical notes marked Public Domain in the individual XML DC.Rights. Exclude CCEL modern descriptions, covers and website content, which have separate rights.

Acquired source rights statement: Public Domain

Source SHA-256: a0264a402c9bb42a5c6ea85e04955db9098128399204f255b2fecf99b2f3566d

Work: athenagoras-plea · edition: athenagoras-plea-2026-acquisition. Reviewed 14 September 2026.

Contents

Headings and locators follow this edition. Large sections continue across labelled reading parts. Commentary is identified separately.

Opening and sections
  1. By Athenagoras the Athenian: Philosopher and Christian · Translated text
  2. Chapter I.—Injustice Shown Towards the Christians. · Translated text
  3. Chapter II.—Claim to Be Treated as Others are When Accused. · Translated text
  4. Chapter III.—Charges Brought Against the Christians. · Translated text
  5. Chapter IV.—The Christians are Not Atheists, But Acknowledge One Only God. · Translated text
  6. Chapter V.—Testimony of the Poets to the Unity of God. · Translated text
  7. Chapter VI.—Opinions of the Philosophers as to the One God. · Translated text
  8. Chapter VII.—Superiority of the Christian Doctrine Respecting God. · Translated text
  9. Chapter VIII.—Absurdities of Polytheism. · Translated text
  10. Chapter IX.—The Testimony of the Prophets. · Translated text
  11. Chapter X.—The Christians Worship the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. · Translated text
  12. Chapter XI.—The Moral Teaching of the Christians Repels the Charge Brought Against Them. · Translated text
  13. Chapter XII.—Consequent Absurdity of the Charge of Atheism. · Translated text
  14. Chapter XIII.—Why the Christians Do Not Offer Sacrifices. · Translated text
  15. Chapter XIV.—Inconsistency of Those Who Accuse the Christians. · Translated text
  16. Chapter XV.—The Christians Distinguish God from Matter. · Translated text
  17. Chapter XVI.—The Christians Do Not Worship the Universe. · Translated text
  18. Chapter XVII.—The Names of the Gods and Their Images are But of Recent Date. · Translated text
  19. Chapter XVIII.—The Gods Themselves Have Been Created, as the Poets Confess. · Translated text
  20. Chapter XIX.—The Philosophers Agree with the Poets Respecting the Gods. · Translated text
  21. Chapter XX.—Absurd Representations of the Gods. · Translated text
  22. Chapter XXI.—Impure Loves Ascribed to the Gods. · Translated text
  23. Chapter XXII.—Pretended Symbolical Explanations. · Translated text
  24. Chapter XXIII.—Opinions of Thales and Plato. · Translated text
  25. Chapter XXIV.—Concerning the Angels and Giants. · Translated text
  26. Chapter XXV.—The Poets and Philosophers Have Denied a Divine Providence. · Translated text
  27. Chapter XXVI.—The Demons Allure Men to the Worship of Images. · Translated text
  28. Chapter XXVII.—Artifices of the Demons. · Translated text
  29. Chapter XXVIII.—The Heathen Gods Were Simply Men. · Translated text
  30. Chapter XXIX.—Proof of the Same from the Poets. · Translated text
  31. Chapter XXX.—Reasons Why Divinity Has Been Ascribed to Men. · Translated text
  32. Chapter XXXI.—Confutation of the Other Charges Brought Against the Christians. · Translated text
  33. Chapter XXXII.—Elevated Morality of the Christians. · Translated text
  34. Chapter XXXIII.—Chastity of the Christians with Respect to Marriage. · Translated text
  35. Chapter XXXIV.—The Vast Difference in Morals Between the Christians and Their Accusers. · Translated text
  36. Chapter XXXV.—The Christians Condemn and Detest All Cruelty. · Translated text
  37. Chapter XXXVI.—Bearing of the Doctrine of the Resurrection on the Practices of the Christians. · Translated text
  38. Chapter XXXVII.—Entreaty to Be Fairly Judged. · Translated text
  39. Translator and historical edition notes · Edition commentary