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