Journey from Exclusion to Inclusion: A Literary Analysis of "The Letter to Diognetus", Chapters 1‑10
David E. Nyström
Johannelund School of Theology in Uppsala , Swedenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4093-812X
Abstract
The second-century Epistle to Diognetus has largely been obscured in Christian history, discovered only in 1436 without any prior written records. The origins, authorship, and intended audience of this work remain uncertain. This article examines the text of Diognetus from a literary perspective, analysing its content, structure, and language to discern its character, intended audience and purpose. The analysis begins with an exploration of some rhetorical questions in the work’s opening paragraph and their thematic development throughout the text. The article further examines how the use of personal pronouns and person-inflected verb forms blurs social boundaries, facilitating identity shifts and literary movement toward conversion. The final discussion compares the literary dynamic of Diognetus to an ancient conversion story, drawing attention to similarities in how these works succeed, through negotiation of identities, with transferring a literary addressee/protagonist from a state of exclusion to one of inclusion into a new community.
Keywords:
Letter to Diognetus, Early Christian Apologetics, Apostolic Fathers, Christian Identity, Christian Self-Definition, Literary Analysis, Discourse AnalysisReferences
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Johannelund School of Theology in Uppsala https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4093-812X
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