This is an addendum to the series blogging through the book On the Incarnation by Athanasius. You might want to start with part 1 and work your way through the series. This is also an extension to a series of posts that explored The Early Church on Free Will. These can be found in the Series page under that heading.
In both Against the Gentiles and in On the Incarnation, Athanasius was primarily focused on articulating the reasons for the cross of Jesus. Since he is writing to believers to demonstrate the rationality of faith in Christ it isn’t surprising that he does not spend much space elaborating on how one would become a follower of Jesus.
so let the one not believing the victory over death accept the faith of Christ and come over to his teaching, and he will see the weakness of death and the victory over it. (On the Incarnation Chap 28)
In Against the Gentiles he does offer some thoughts on the decision making capability that is inherent in people made in the image of God. Whether one would anachronistically label this libertarian free will or not, Athanasius’ viewpoint would not readily align with the doctrines of original sin that would be debated nearly a century later by Augustine against Pelagius. His view on decision making also falls in line with his contemporaries and predecessors.
In chapter 4, he notes that people are “by nature mobile”. That is an odd turn of phrase. Given it is an underlying part of his understanding of humankind we should quickly touch on what Athanasius means by this claim.
For being by nature mobile … 1
Athanasius does not explain the phrase, however the idea he has in mind is likely related to the Greek philosophical ideas of motion. We saw how Athanasius draws on the idea of eudaimonia as well as motion in the series that explored On the Incarnation.
Aristotle’s account of motion and its place in nature can be found in the Physics. By motion, Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.) understands any kind of change. He defines motion as the actuality of a potentiality.2
It should be noted that the Greek idea of motion does not only, or even primarily, refer to an object moving physically from one place to another but rather involves different ways of changing. Without diving into the complexities behind Aristotle’s ideas on motion, we need only understand that the idea carries with it the ability of an object to change. That will give us enough information to see what Athanasius intends.
In chapter 4, we will find Athanasius ascribe the ability of a person to change with a focus on an their power to direct their attention and actions towards both virtue and vice. For Athanasius, this power is inherent in being made in the image of God and rooted in the rationality of the soul. Athanasius makes it clear this capability was not lost when humans turned away from what is good.
For being by nature mobile , even though she have turned away from what is good, yet she does not lose her mobility. She moves then, no longer according to virtue or so as to see God, but imagining false things, she makes a novel use of her power, abusing it as a means to the pleasures she has devised, since she is after all made with power over herself.
Having turned from good, a person can still move back in that direction or continue in doing what is evil. It is this ability that would be under intense scrutiny during the debates between Augustine and Pelagius.
For she is able, as on the one hand to incline to what is good, so on the other to reject it; but in rejecting the good she of course entertains the thought of what is opposed to it, for she cannot at all cease from movement, being, as I said before, mobile by nature. And knowing her own power over herself, she sees that she is able to use the members of her body in either direction, both toward what is [good], or toward what is not [evil].
Athanasius words this ability to change in a way that suggests that the good is drawing the person back towards itself, yet is able to be rejected.
she is made not merely to move, but to move in the right direction.
Regardless of where theological views would shift in the future, for Athanasius, a person is by nature able to use their inherent ability to choose between what is (ie good) and what is not (ie evil).
Athanasius will return to this ability in chapters 30-34 of Against the Gentiles. Having examined the descent of humankind into evil and idolatry, Athanasius will explore how we can reverse course by reaching out and finding God. This road back to God, as Athanasius will describe it, is not far away for the ability is within ourselves.
[the pursuit of idolatry and ungodliness] have been proved to be nothing more than a false guide for life; but the way of truth will aim at reaching the real and true God. But for its knowledge and accurate comprehension, there is need of none other save of ourselves. Neither as God Himself is above all, is the road to Him afar off or outside ourselves, but it is in us and it is possible to find it from ourselves, in the first instance, as Moses also taught, when he said: The word of faith is within your heart (Deuteronomy 30:14). Which very thing the Savior declared and confirmed, when He said: The kingdom of God is within you.
(chap 30)
Athanasius warns the idolatrous Greek:
And let not the Greeks, who worship idols, make excuses, nor let any one else simply deceive himself, professing to have no such road and therefore finding a pretext for his godlessness.
For we all have set foot upon it, and have it, even if not all are willing to travel by it, but rather to swerve from it and go wrong, because of the pleasures of life which attract them from without. And if one were to ask, what road is this? I say that it is the soul of each one of us, and the intelligence which resides there. For by it alone can God be contemplated and perceived. (chap 30)
Athanasius throughout his works has made it clear that God has providentially provided humans with many ways by which He might be found. This list (see part 6 and 10) included, the power within from being made in His image, the harmony of creation, the law and the prophets, and the Incarnation of the Word. The person is already standing in the road. The only thing left for a person to do is turn themselves in the right direction.
For Athanasius the seat of decision making within the person is in the intellect residing in the soul.
And every one, if he be a friend of truth, perceives that the intelligence of mankind is distinct from the bodily senses. Hence, because it is distinct, it acts as judge of the senses, and while they apprehend their objects, the intelligence distinguishes, recollects, and shows them what is best.
For the sole function of the eye is to see, of the ears to hear, of the mouth to taste, of the nostrils to apprehend smells, and of the hands to touch. But what one ought to see and hear, what one ought to touch, taste and smell, is a question beyond the senses, and belonging to the soul and to the intelligence which resides in it. Why, the hand is able to take hold of a sword-blade, and the mouth to taste poison, but neither knows that these are injurious, unless the intellect decide. (chap 31)
During soteriological debates it often is asked, why did one person choose to turn to God when another did not. Athanasius muses over that question, flipping it on its head and asks why one would choose to reject the good.
why do they, as though they had no soul, venture to go against reason, and think not as they ought, but make themselves out higher even than the Deity? For having a soul that is immortal and invisible to them, they make a likeness of God in things visible and mortal. Or why, in like manner as they have departed from God, do they not betake themselves to Him again? For they are able, as they turned away their understanding from God, and feigned as gods things that were not, in like manner to ascend with the intelligence of their soul, and turn back to God again.
… if the soul’s own teaching is insufficient, by reason of the external things which cloud its intelligence, and prevent its seeing what is higher, yet it is further possible to attain to the knowledge of God from the things which are seen, since Creation, as though in written characters, declares in a loud voice, by its order and harmony, its own Lord and Creator. (chap 34)
However we may wish to label the views of soteriology and free will based on the decision making capabilities that Athanasius ascribes to every person, it is clear that he finds in everyone the ability to choose either good or evil within themselves so that one may respond to the Gospel and believe in the Lord Jesus.
- All quotes from Against the Gentiles from New Advent translation unless otherwise noted.
https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2801.htm ↩︎ - Aristotle: Motion, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
https://iep.utm.edu/aristotle-motion/ ↩︎
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