3 Important Things You May Not Know about Athanasius
By Kenneth Samples
Two thousand years of Christian history has given us a legacy of the church in all its triumphs and tragedies. One of my goals as an author is to introduce Christians to historical figures who made courageous stands during challenging times and whose voices remain critical for us today.
St. Athanasius (c. 296–373) was born and educated in the ancient city of Alexandria, Egypt. Likely coming from a Christian family, he would go on to an exceptional career and become the greatest theologian of his time. He was an articulate, tenacious, and untiring defender of Nicene orthodoxy. He battled what was perhaps the greatest heresy in church history and argued for the truth of such essential doctrines as the incarnation and the Trinity.
Yet while Athanasius is one of the most famous theologians in all of church history, there are three things you may not know about him.[1] I hope this brief sketch on Athanasius will inspire you in your service and devotion to Christ.
1. He battled the Arian heresy for some fifty years
Athanasius attended the pivotal Council of Nicea in 325 when the historic Christian church condemned the influential heresy known as Arianism—the view that Jesus was the first and highest creature of God but not fully equal with God. This view is similar to the one advocated by present-day Jehovah’s Witnesses. Despite conciliar condemnation, Arianism did not disappear but remained popular in some parts of Christendom. Athanasius later became bishop of Alexandria, a post he held for 46 years, though he was exiled five times for his outspoken opposition to the vexing Arian heresy that continued to gain influence. Athanasius died not knowing whether his efforts had been effective enough to defeat Arianism. They had, for later church councils reaffirmed Arianism as a heresy.
Athanasius marshalled the following positions and posture in favor of historic Christianity and against the great heresy of Arianism:
· Christology: Athanasius affirmed Nicene orthodoxy and argued that the Son (Jesus Christ) is homoousios (of the “same substance”) with God the Father.
· Argument: Athanasius tied the Incarnation and atonement together in his theological reasoning. He is known for formulating the following theological argument:
Only God can save people from sin.
Jesus Christ saves people from sin.
Therefore, Jesus Christ is God.
· Perseverance: At a time when the Arian heresy was at its most influential, the bishops who sided with Arianism taunted Athanasius with the words “You are fighting a losing battle. Does Athanasius not know that the world is against him? . . . He said quietly, ‘Is the world against Athanasius? Then Athanasius is against the world [Athanasius contra mundum].’”[2] While Arianism insisted that the Son was a mere creature, Athanasius argued for Christ’s full deity.
2. He wrote a book that influenced St. Augustine’s conversion
Athanasius was asked to write a biography about the great spiritual and monastic leader St. Antony (c. 251–356). Written in Greek around AD 360, The Life of Antony profiles St. Antony’s life of spiritual warfare in which he battles the devil during his sojourn in the Libyan desert. Athanasius’s account of Antony’s extraordinary life of spiritual discipline caused many people in history to consider a monastic vocation. When the work was translated into Latin it even influenced St. Augustine, who mentions Antony in his classic work Confessions.[3]
3. He may be the most honored theologian in church history
All three branches of Christendom revere Athanasius. The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic branches have granted him sainthood status. Protestants have also praised Athanasius as a great defender of the deity of Christ. As the bearer of the honorific titles of “father of orthodoxy” and the “father of the canon” Athanasius may be a rare universal voice within all of Christendom.
Theological Takeaway
Thus, we see three admirable things about Athanasius: (1) he was steadfast and determined to promote the truth at a time when the church was especially vulnerable to error, (2) he provided inspiration and an example that would influence one of the shapers of Western civilization, and (3) he was a force for unity that all Christians recognize.
Athanasius was a heroic figure who wouldn’t back down when it came to the essentials of the Christian faith. When contemporary Christians encounter Jehovah’s Witnesses at their door, they will gain a sense of what Athanasius was up against with the Arian heresy. Evangelicals can learn from Athanasius’ courage and steadfast witness to Christ, the divine-human Savior.
His example can inspire all of us. So how about taking up his book On the Incarnation? You’ll be reading a theological masterwork of historic Christendom.
Notes
1. For more about Athanasius and his accomplishments as a Christian thinker and writer, see Kenneth Richard Samples, Classic Christian Thinkers: An Introduction (Covina, CA: RTB Press, 2019), chapter 2.
2. H. W. Coray in Valiant for the Truth: A Treasury of Evangelical Writings, p. 15, quoted in Charles J. Terpstra, “Athanasius against the World (2),” Guided Into All Truth 65, no. 13 (April 1, 1989), standardbearer.rfpa.org/node/48548.
3. St. Augustine mentions Athanasius’s book about St. Antony in his own work Confessions, Book VIII, part 6.
—Kenneth Richard Samples serves as a senior research scholar with a focus on theological and philosophical apologetics at Reasons to Believe (RTB). He is the author of God among Sages, Christian Endgame, 7 Truths That Changed the World, A World of Difference, and Without a Doubt. He has also contributed to Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men as well as several other books. In addition, his articles have been published in Christianity Today, Christian Research Journal, and Facts for Faith. Kenneth also writes Reflections, a weekly blog dedicated to exploring the Christian worldview.
Image: St Athanasius the Apostolic
Give Yourself—or a Friend—the Gift of Knowledge!
Would you like to grow in your knowledge of the Christian worldview and your ability to defend it? Subscribe to The Worldview Bulletin for only $2.50 per month and learn from world-class Christian scholars and apologists. You’ll receive our free weekly email as well as our subscriber-only monthly newsletter.
Or, to give a gift subscription that a friend or family member will benefit from the whole year, visit here.
Be equipped, informed, and encouraged!
“The Worldview Bulletin is a must-have resource for everyone who’s committed to spreading and defending the faith. It’s timely, always relevant, frequently eye-opening, and it never fails to encourage, inspire, and equip.”
— Lee Strobel, New York Times bestselling author of more than forty books and founding director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics
“I find The Worldview Bulletin very stimulating and would encourage all thinking Christians to read it.”
— John Lennox, emeritus professor of mathematics, University of Oxford, emeritus fellow in mathematics and philosophy of science, Green Templeton College, author of Cosmic Chemistry: Do God and Science Mix? (Lion Books).
Ask Us a Question
Would you like to send a question for our team to answer? We’re collecting reader questions for an upcoming Roundtable article and we welcome you to send yours for consideration. Just drop us a line at worldviewbulletin@gmail.com.
News
Is Deconstruction the Same as Deconversion? A Few Reflections on Reforming the Church
Extraordinary Claims and Evidence: A Review of Jonathan Pearce’s Book on the Resurrection (Part 1)
Top 15 Books on Messianic Prophecy/Jewish Messianism
The Historical Uniqueness of Jesus Christ Among the Founders of the World’s Major Religions
Tolkien Turns 130: 5 Books to Go Deep with the Master of Myth
Video: Does God Exist? Richard Swinburne vs. Peter Millican
Video: Aliens, the Multiverse, or God?
Video: Atheist and Christian Book Club with Dr. Timothy McGrew
(*The views expressed in the articles and media linked to do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of The Worldview Bulletin.)
Book Deals and Resources
Look here for Faithlife’s free eBook of the Month.
Visit here to get the Logos Free Book of the Month. You can download the free version of Logos which will allow you to access the monthly free books. Logos 9 is a great investment, though, and has tons of tools that make Bible study easier and richer. New users can get 50% off of the Logos 9 Fundamentals package, which discounts it to $49.99.
Get a second free book of the month here.
See the Logos Monthly Sale for dozens of good deals, as well as the New Year’s Sale, for resources up to 75% off. Also, save up to 70% off of popular collections of series and commentaries.
The Faithlife free audiobook for January is The Heart of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth by Thomas Goodwin.
The Christianaudio free download for January is The Necessity of Prayer by E. M. Bounds.
Audiobook: The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis, $1.99
Audiobook: Spurgeon on the Christian Life by Michael Reeves, $1.99
Audiobook: Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Formation by D. A. Carson, $2.99
Stream the ESV Bible for free on ESV.org or the ESV Bible app on iOs and Android. Read by award-winning modern hymn writer Kristyn Getty. You can also audio stream the Bible in a few different translations using the new Bible Gateway Audio app.
Ending any time—Biblical Studies E-Book Sale
Surprised by Laughter Revised and Updated: The Comic World of C. S. Lewis by Terry Lindvall, $3.99
Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher, $4.99
Surviving Religion 101: Letters to a Christian Student on Keeping the Faith in College by Michael J. Kruger, $4.99
Journey into God's Word, Second Edition: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, $2.99
Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, $4.99
Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung, $3.19
The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller, $2.99
Basic Christianity by John Stott, $2.99
Walking Through Twilight: A Wife's Illness—A Philosopher's Lament by Douglas Groothuis, $3.99
Loving God with Your Mind: Essays in Honor of J. P. Moreland ed. by Paul Gould and Richard Brian Davis, $2.99