The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (225 page)

(Gk., ‘hidden things’). Jewish books associated with the
Bible
, but not included in the Jewish
canon
. These are works regarded by the sages as
Sefarim hizonim
(extraneous books). They include

(i) 
Esdras
;
(ii) 
Tobit
;
(iii) 
Judith
;
(iv)  additions to
Esther
;
(v) 
Wisdom of Solomon
;
(vi)  Ecclesiasticus;
(vii) 
Baruch
;
(viii) 
Song of the Three Children
;
(ix) 
Susanna
;
(x) 
Bel and the Dragon
;
(xi)  The Prayer of
Manasseh
;
(xii) 
1 Maccabees
;
(xiii) 2 Maccabees.

In addition, there are many other books, known as
Pseudepigrapha
(frequently apocalyptic in character), which were written in the same period.

 
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Apocryphal
.

Of the same form as a book of scripture but excluded from the
canon
as doubtful or spurious. Among Jewish writings the word is best applied not to the
Apocrypha
proper but to the wider class of
Pseudepigrapha
, and thus to the ‘Apocryphal Old Testament’. The ‘Apocryphal New Testament’ includes gospels, acts of apostles, epistles, and apocalypses.

 
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(
c.
310–
c.
390).
Christian heretic. Although as
bishop
of Laodicea he was an orthodox opponent of
Arianism
, his
christological
teaching was condemned, finally in 381 at the Council of
Constantinople
. He left the church
c.
375. Apollinarianism is the view which defends the divine nature in
Christ
by refusing to allow that there could be moral development during his lifetime. There can be a human body and soul, but the
Logos
replaces the human spirit and is thus not subject to change. Such a view, according to opponents, means that Christ was not fully human.

 
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Apollonian and Dionysiac religion
.

Contrasted forms of religion, the former being reflective and rational, the latter ecstatic and fervent. The distinction in its modern form derives from the work of
Nietzsche
.

 
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(Lat.,
apologia
, ‘defence’). The defence, or commendation, of a religion.
Among Christians, the name ‘Apologists’ is given to the earliest group of Christian writers who (
c.
120–220) composed defences of Christianity addressed to educated outsiders. They include Athenagoras,
Justin Martyr
,
Minucius Felix
,
Tatian
, and
Tertullian
. A notable later example is
Augustine's
City of God
.
Calvin's
Institutes of the Christian Religion
is addressed to Francis I (the French King) to persuade him of his error in pursuing a policy of persecution.

 
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Apologists
:

see
APOLOGETICS
.

 
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