The Greatest Apology

Apology: "a regretful acknowledgement of offense or failure."

When we think of an apology, we typically will think of trying to make amends for some way we've done wrong by others. Apology is a crucial precursor to forgiveness. We must repent of our mistakes to God and the people who we have done wrongly.

But theologians are nerds. And we specialize in another kind of apology: "a reasoned argument or writing in justification of something." Theologians have been spinning defenses of Christianity throughout the tradition of our church, trying to explain in rational terms why their faith seems so coherent and cogent. Much ink has been spilled by wonderfully bright and gifted humans trying their best to use limited intelligibilities to defend and uphold a faith and truth that exists within our faith-informed reason but also transcends it.

There is great merit in their efforts, and I like to think that some of my musings here have qualified as faithful efforts toward Christian apology. However, I, and most of my predecessors and cohorts, would admit the inadequacy of our writings. We are gesturing at a God who can only be successfully described negatively. We are dancing around an infinite truth with finite means.

So where can we look for the greatest apology for our faith? Where are the greatest words and strongest arguments? They come from the One for whom we apologize, our Risen Lord who made the greatest apology.

In the deep reaches our tradition, the prolific theologian Origen provided us some amazing theology, including the quote that has bannered my blog since its inception. In the prologue to his book Contra Celsum, an apology written against Celsus, a critic of Christianity, Origen shares what he views is the greatest apology ever made for our faith. His opinion? The silence of Jesus Christ in His trial.

Here I share with you the profound first section of his prologue and link you in to the full six section introduction to his great work:

"When false witnesses testified
against our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
He remained silent;
and when unfounded charges were brought against Him,
He returned no answer,
believing that His whole life and conduct among the Jews
were a better refutation than any answer to the false testimony,
or than any formal defence against the accusations.
And I know not, my pious Ambrosius,
why you wished me to write a reply
to the false charges brought by Celsus against the Christians,
and to his accusations directed against the faith of the Churches in his treatise;
as if the facts themselves did not furnish a manifest refutation,
and the doctrine a better answer than any writing,
seeing it both disposes of the false statements,
and does not leave to the accusations any credibility or validity.
Now, with respect to our Lord's silence
when false witness was borne against Him,
it is sufficient at present to quote the words of Matthew,
for the testimony of Mark is to the same effect.
And the words of Matthew are as follow:
And the high priest and the council
sought false witness against Jesus to put Him to death,
but found none, although many false witnesses came forward.
At last two false witnesses came and said,
'This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God,
and after three days to build it up.'
And the high priest arose, and said to Him,
'Do you answer nothing to what these witness against you?'
But Jesus held His peace.
And that He returned no answer when falsely accused,
the following is the statement:
'And Jesus stood before the governor;
and he asked Him, saying,
"Are You the King of the Jews?"
And Jesus said to him, "You say."
And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders,
He answered nothing.
Then said Pilate unto Him,
"Do you not hear how many things they witness against You?"
And He answered him to never a word,
insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."

May we remember the profound silence of our Lord, who chose to let His incredible love in action speak where words would fall short. May you have a blessed Holy Week and Triduum as you anticipate the resurrection of the Lord.