Tag Archives: Athanasius

Blogging thru On the Incarnation: The Prequel (part 2)

Posted on by
Reply

This is part 2  of 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.

The opening statements of the first chapter in On The Incarnation refer to a prior work of Athanasius. That work is Against the Gentiles.

In what preceded we have sufficiently treated a few points from many, regarding the error of the Gentiles concerning idols and their superstition, how their invention was from the beginning, and that out of wickedness human beings devised for themselves the worship of idols.

On the INcarnation chap 11

The translator Behr suggests that “[both works] need to be considered together, for the first work sets up the problem that the second resolves.”2 Therefore, before reading On the Incarnation, I took the time to read Against the Gentiles.

In Against the Gentiles, Athanasius explores how idolatry came into existence and then spends a great portion of the work refuting it in all of its forms. If I were to summarize the work, Against the Gentiles is a full length treatment of the concepts laid out in Romans 1:18-28. Athanasius will start by explaining the power all people have to direct their attention to God. He will then show that each person knows God but suppresses the truth that is available. He then traces the history of futility as mankind traded the Creator for the created. An exchange that leads down a path deeper and deeper into darkness, accepting various forms of idolatry and adopting sinful behaviors. He will also point to our need to avail ourselves of the ability we have to turn back to God. Throughout the work, Athanasius focuses on the rationality that exists in mankind. Therefore he dedicates part of the work toward defending the existence of the soul, for him the seat of rationality. He concludes by showing that Nature reveals a Creator.

Continue reading →

Blogging thru On the Incarnation: Who is Athanasius? (part 1)

Posted on by
Reply

With Christmas coming, I decided to take C.S. Lewis’ advice and read an old book, tackling On the Incarnation by Athanasius during Advent. Up to now I’ve only read excerpts from this work (post), but I plan on reading and blogging through the entire book. I will be using the translation published as part of the Popular Patristics Series. This edition is translated by John Behr and contains the famous preface by C.S. Lewis (see blog post on that here).

Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books.

Preface by C.S. Lewis

On the Incarnation

On the Incarnation is considered an apology (or defense) of the cross and is the sequel to an earlier work entitled Against the Gentiles. 1 The dating for On the Incarnation is debated, with some favoring an early date prior to the Council of Nicaea, citing the lack of mentioning Arius. 2 Others suggest it was probably written sometime after the council, given that the author would have been writing at a very young age if it was earlier.3 These provide a range of time for the composition that would fall somewhere between 318 and 337 AD.

that you may be able to know the cause of the manifestation in the body of such and so great Paternal Word, … that, being by nature bodiless and existing as the Word, by the love for humankind and goodness of his own Father he appeared to us in a human body for our salvation.

On the INCARNATION 1

Who was Athanasius?

Athanasius contra mundum

Continue reading →

Reading History: Athanasius answers Why the Cross?

Posted on by
3

As we approach Easter, it seemed fitting that we read some early views on the cross.  Who better to start with then Athanasius, a fourth century bishop of Alexandria. He was, after all, known for writing letters around Easter. The most famous is the 39th Festal Letter. Written in 367 it is widely considered the earliest list containing all 27 books of the New Testament (see this post for a possible earlier list). He was also at the Council of Nicea. Around 318, he wrote what may be his most famous work, On the Incarnation.

That opening chapter of the work clearly states it’s purpose:

You must understand why it is that the Word of the Father, so great and so high, has been made manifest in bodily form. … He has been manifested in a human body for this reason only, out of the love and goodness of His Father, for the salvation of us men.

Later in the work, Athanasius examines the question: why crucifixion?

The rest of this post contains portions of chapter 4.19-25 from CCEL.

Thus it happened that two opposite marvels took place at once: the death of all was consummated in the Lord’s body; yet, because the Word was in it, death and corruption were in the same act utterly abolished. Death there had to be, and death for all, so that the due of all might be paid. Wherefore, the Word, as I said, being Himself incapable of death, assumed a mortal body, that He might offer it as His own in place of all, and suffering for the sake of all through His union with it, might bring to nought Him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver them who all their lifetime were enslaved by the fear of death. Continue reading →