Preparation for the Gospel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Προπαρασκευη Ευαγγελικη ('Preparation for the Gospel'), commonly known by its Latin title Praeparatio evangelica, was a work by Eusebius which attempts to prove the excellence of Christianity over pagan religions and philosophies. The Praeparatio consists of fifteen books which have been completely preserved. Eusebius considered it an introduction to Christianity for pagans. But its value for many later readers is more because Eusebius added information from historians and philosophers which was not recorded elsewhere. :

• Here alone is preserved a summary of the writings of the Phoenician priest Sanchuniathon of which the accuracy has been shown by the mythological accounts found on the Ugaritic tables.
• Here alone is the account from Diodorus Siculus's sixth book of Euhemerus' wondrous voyage to the island of Panchaea where Euhemerus purports to have found his true history of the gods.
• Here almost alone is preserved writings of the neo-Platonist philosopher Atticus along with so much else.
• This work was used by Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola (1463-1494) as a resource for his famous speech titled A Speech by Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola, Prince of Concord.

[edit] External links

• [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/eusebius_pe_00_intro.htm Introduction and English text, translated by E.H. Gifford (1903)