Athenagoras seems to assume the basic Platonic account of
creation, where the demiurge shapes matter, rather than bringing it into
existence. See Leg. 10.2f. Scholars are divided about this doctrine in
Justin. The relevant passages are 1 Apol. 1.10, 58, where Justin speaks
of God shaping unformed matter. Notably, Justin does not make a statement one
way or the other regarding how this unformed matter came to be. Osborne states,
‘If one looks to concepts rather than to words…. it is clear that Justin would
never have considered the concept of unoriginated matter because it
contradicted his central belief about God, the sole unoriginate’ (Irenaeus,
67). That Irenaeus so clearly articulates a doctrine of creation ex nihilo where
Justin fails to do so shows that Irenaeus is willing to push beyond Justin,
despite the close association of their thought. (Gerald Hiestand, “'Passing Beyond the Angels': The
Interconnection Between Irenaeus' Account of the Devil and His Doctrine of
Creation” [PhD Thesis; University of Reading, October, 2017], 46 n. 38)
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