2. Development Period (200–476). (1) The Period of Actual Formulation of Doctrine (200–325). The Catechetical School of Alexandria――Origen (3d century). (2) The Period of the Establishment of Dogma (325–modern times) as seen in the Council of Nicæa and other œcumenical councils. It was a period in which church dogma was developed on the basis of doctrine already established. While the origin and development of the Christian church is an interesting story in itself, only one aspect of it is germane to the history of philosophy. That is the influence of Hellenism upon the formation of the theology of the church. The origin and development of the church organization lies beyond our field. Also the periods before the influence of Hellenism――the Period of Primitive Faith during the first century, and the period after dogma had become well established, the time after the Council of Nicæa in 325――will be omitted from our discussion here. Only the period of the Earlier Formulation and that of the Actual Formulation of Doctrine, that is, the one hundred and seventy-five years (150–325), are of interest to us. This time is known in history by the name of the period of Patristics. =The Apologists.= Only such Christians as were trained in Greek philosophy could rally to the first defense of the Christian doctrine. The new faith was, on the one hand, on the defensive against the mockery of Greek wisdom, and, on the other hand, it was obliged to take a positive stand to show that it was the fulfillment of the human need of salvation. The Apologists tried to make the Christian teaching as consistent as possible with the results of Greek philosophy and, at the same time, to read into Greek philosophy Christian meanings. They did not at all intend to Hellenize the Gospel, but they wanted to make it seem a rational one to the cultured world. “Christianity is philosophy and revelation. This is the thesis of every Apologist from Aristides to Minucius Felix.”[45] Their very act of defense was unintentionally the first step toward the incorporation of Greek philosophy as a part of Christian teaching. The most important Apologists were Justin Martyr (100–166), Athenagoras (d. 180), and among the Romans Minucius Felix (about 200) and Lactantius (d. 320). The life of Justin Martyr is characteristic. He was born in Sichem, Samaria, but was Greek in origin and education. Having investigated several systems of philosophy and religion, he came to the conclusion that the Christian religion was the only true philosophy, and he died in defense of it at Rome.