Ethnicity and Argument in Eusebius' Praeparatio Evangelica
Eusebius'
magisterial Praeparatio Evangelica (written sometime between AD 313 and
324) offers an apologetic defence of Christianity in the face of Greek
accusations of irrationality and impiety. Though brimming with the
quotations of other (often lost) Greek authors, the work is dominated by
a clear and sustained argument. Against the tendency to see the
Praeparatio as merely an anthology of other sources or a defence of
monotheistic religion against paganism, Aaron P. Johnson seeks to
appreciate Eusebius' contribution to the discourses of Christian
identity by investigating the constructions of ethnic identity
(especially Greek) at the heart of his work. Analysis of his `ethnic
argumentation' exhibits a method of defending Christianity by construing
its opponents as historically rooted nations, whose place in the
narrative of world history serves to undermine the legitimacy of their
claims to ancient wisdom and piety.
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