Arnobius of Sicca

Arnobius of Sicca was an early Christian apologist who flourished during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284–305). Before his conversion to Christianity, Arnobius was a distinguished rhetorician in Sicca Veneria, Proconsular Africa. According to Jerome's Chronicle, his conversion was prompted by a premonitory dream, though Arnobius himself expressed dismissive views on dreams in his surviving work.

Life and Historical Context

To overcome the local bishop's doubts about his commitment to Christianity, Arnobius, around 303 AD, penned an apologetic work in seven books. St. Jerome referred to this work as "Adversus gentes," but the only surviving 9th-century manuscript entitles it "Adversus nationes." This treatise, along with Jerome's remark that Lactantius was Arnobius's pupil, constitutes the primary known facts about Arnobius.

Major Contributions

"Adversus nationes" was composed in response to accusations that Christians had incurred the wrath of the gods upon Ancient Rome. Arnobius vigorously defended Christianity, positing that heathen gods were real but subordinate to the supreme Christian God. He also argued that the human soul was not directly created by God but by an intermediate being and was not naturally immortal, but capable of receiving immortality as a grace. He believed that the doctrine of the soul's inherent immortality could undermine moral restraint.

Arnobius championed monotheism, Christianity (referred to as "deus princeps, deus summus"), and the divinity of Christ. He highlighted Christianity's rapid spread, crediting it with civilizing barbarians and finding resonance with Platonism. To counter paganism and idolatry, Arnobius detailed pagan worship, drawing on sources like Cornelius Labeo. His work describes temples, idols, Graeco-Roman cult practices, sacrifices, and image worship.

In "Adversus nationes" (Book 2, Section 4), Arnobius formulated an early version of the argument later known as Pascal's Wager. He reasoned that in cases of religious uncertainty, it is more rational to embrace belief due to the potential rewards and the significant loss (salvation) if one does not.

Intellectual Influences and Limitations

Arnobius's writings suggest he was a recent convert, displaying a less extensive knowledge of Scripture than later apologists. He was unfamiliar with the Old Testament and had only a limited grasp of the New Testament, primarily focusing on the life of Christ without direct Gospel quotations. He was significantly influenced by Lucretius and had read Plato. His understanding of Greek and Roman mythology was informed by Clement of Alexandria's "Protrepticus" and Cornelius Labeo.

Legacy

The "Adversus nationes" survived in a single ninth-century manuscript located in Paris, which also contains the "Octavius" of Marcus Minucius Felix. Arnobius's work remains a crucial source for understanding early Christian apologetics and the intellectual landscape of late antiquity.