"When I first opened his On the Incarnation I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece... Only a master mind could, in the fourth century, have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity." - C. S. Lewis During the fourth...
"When I first opened his On the Incarnation I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece... Only a master mind could, in the fourth century, have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity." - C. S. Lewis
During the fourth century, controversy raged in the church regarding the nature of Jesus Christ. On one side were the Arians, led by the Bishop Arius, who argued that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were materially separate from one another. They believed that Jesus had been created out of "non-existence" and thus was not on the same level of divinity as God the Father. In response, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, wrote On the Incarnation, a staunch defense of the full divinity and full humanity of Christ. In simple language and with Scripture as a guide, he argued for the eternal nature of the Trinity and that Jesus Christ is not a creation of God the Father but has existed from the very beginning. Athanasius celebrates the redeeming work that came forth through the God-man, Jesus Christ, and His eternal existence and essential unity with the Father.
Ultimately, Athanasius was exiled five times by four different Roman emperors due to his defense of the Trinity, but he remained faithful to his beliefs. Today, On the Incarnation is often included on lists of books every Christian should read.
"The greatest man of his age and one of the greatest religious leaders of any age, Athanasius of Alexandria rendered services to the Church the value of which can scarcely be exaggerated, for he defended the faith against almost overwhelming odds and emerged triumphant." - Alban Butler Author, Butler's Lives of the Saints
Two names stand above all others in the history of the early Christian church: Augustine and Athanasius. The former was from the West and contended for the doctrine of grace against Roman moralism, while the latter came from the East and became a champion of orthodoxy against Arian attacks on the doctrine of the Trinity. *On the Incarnation* was Athanasius' second apologetic work, and in it he defends the Christian faith and tries to convince Jews and Greeks that Jesus was not a prophet or teacher but the Christ, the divine incarnation of God's Word. You may find yourself reading Athanasius and thinking that the divine incarnation of Jesus is an obvious point, only to realize that, at some point, it wasn't so obvious. Three hundred years after Jesus ascended to heaven, the Council of Nicaea was still trying to figure out exactly who Jesus was. Through his presence at the Council of Nicaea as an assistant to Alexander and his work in this writing, Athanasius helped early Christianity--indeed all Christianity--to understand something more of the mystery of our faith: God was manifested in the flesh. All Christians, directly or indirectly, have been influenced by Athanasius because of his foundational insistence of who Jesus is. There is perhaps no other Christian writing in which the coming of our Savior is proclaimed so clearly as the way of victory over death. Thanks to Athanasius, and so many other early Christian thinkers, we have a firmer footing in our own exploration and understanding of who God is and how He works.
"When I first opened his On the Incarnation I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece... Only a master mind could, in the fourth century, have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity." - C. S. Lewis During the fourth...
"When I first opened his On the Incarnation I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece... Only a master mind could, in the fourth century, have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity." - C. S. Lewis
During the fourth century, controversy raged in the church regarding the nature of Jesus Christ. On one side were the Arians, led by the Bishop Arius, who argued that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were materially separate from one another. They believed that Jesus had been created out of "non-existence" and thus was not on the same level of divinity as God the Father. In response, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, wrote On the Incarnation, a staunch defense of the full divinity and full humanity of Christ. In simple language and with Scripture as a guide, he argued for the eternal nature of the Trinity and that Jesus Christ is not a creation of God the Father but has existed from the very beginning. Athanasius celebrates the redeeming work that came forth through the God-man, Jesus Christ, and His eternal existence and essential unity with the Father.
Ultimately, Athanasius was exiled five times by four different Roman emperors due to his defense of the Trinity, but he remained faithful to his beliefs. Today, On the Incarnation is often included on lists of books every Christian should read.
"The greatest man of his age and one of the greatest religious leaders of any age, Athanasius of Alexandria rendered services to the Church the value of which can scarcely be exaggerated, for he defended the faith against almost overwhelming odds and emerged triumphant." - Alban Butler Author, Butler's Lives of the Saints
Two names stand above all others in the history of the early Christian church: Augustine and Athanasius. The former was from the West and contended for the doctrine of grace against Roman moralism, while the latter came from the East and became a champion of orthodoxy against Arian attacks on the doctrine of the Trinity. *On the Incarnation* was Athanasius' second apologetic work, and in it he defends the Christian faith and tries to convince Jews and Greeks that Jesus was not a prophet or teacher but the Christ, the divine incarnation of God's Word. You may find yourself reading Athanasius and thinking that the divine incarnation of Jesus is an obvious point, only to realize that, at some point, it wasn't so obvious. Three hundred years after Jesus ascended to heaven, the Council of Nicaea was still trying to figure out exactly who Jesus was. Through his presence at the Council of Nicaea as an assistant to Alexander and his work in this writing, Athanasius helped early Christianity--indeed all Christianity--to understand something more of the mystery of our faith: God was manifested in the flesh. All Christians, directly or indirectly, have been influenced by Athanasius because of his foundational insistence of who Jesus is. There is perhaps no other Christian writing in which the coming of our Savior is proclaimed so clearly as the way of victory over death. Thanks to Athanasius, and so many other early Christian thinkers, we have a firmer footing in our own exploration and understanding of who God is and how He works.
Athanasius writes clearly giving the reasons for the incarnation (why Christ became man), and argues against common objects of the Jews and Gentiles. \\n\\nIt is fascinating to read the thoughts of Christian thinkers in a time so different to ours (more than 1600 years ago) while maintaining the same truth and familiarity of doctrine which goes to show the timelessness about the truth of Christ.
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Essential Reading for all
This classic of Christian theology helps to explain the Divinity of Christ and as to why Arianism was defeated at the Council of Nicea. \\n\\nFor your information: the Bishop of Alexandria is also the Coptic Pope and St Athanasius was the 20th person hold this position.
