Eusebius the liar

The testimony of Eusebius of Caesarea about Christian origins has often been found inconvenient by those determined to attack the church.  Ever since Gibbon, the accusation has been made that Eusebius deliberately suppressed material that might throw discredit on the church.  Indeed Gibbon insinuated, and fools have believed, that Eusebius actually made a policy of such activity; that telling lies for the glory of God was acceptable.

In Eusebius’ Gospel Problems and Solutions, To Stephanus question 4, I find the following statement on precisely that issue:

May such an argument, that a falsehood has been composed to the praise and glorification of Christ, never by any means prevail in the church of Christ and of God, the fathers of the strict truth!

Worth remembering, I think, when the headbangers howl.

 

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