ATHANASIUS

In 367 A.D., a Bishop was removed from his position as leader of the church in Alexandria and was forced to live in exile for defending his belief that Jesus of Nazareth was not only fully man, but also, fully God. His firm stance against a pervading heresy that permeated even the upper echelons of the church would earn him the title of Athanasius contra mundum - "Athanasius against the world."

Athanasius was born in the Mediterranean town Alexandria, Egypt around 297 A.D.. Alexander, bishop (or pastor) of the church of Alexandria took Athanasius as a youth into his house and employed him as his secretary. In 313, Athanasius became devoted to the Christian ministry and attended the famous catechetical school of Alexandria. An intelligent and enthusiastic student, he wrote an influential work at the time entitled, On the Incarnation of the Word.

His thoughts on the nature of Christ were prophetic, as it was during this time that another clergyman, Arius from Alexandria, introduced the idea that Jesus Christ was not equal to God the Father in nature and divinity. That "God begat him, and before he was begotten, he did not exist." The Arian doctrine, as it would become to be known, concluded that Jesus Christ, although highly exalted and favored of God, was nevertheless a created being.

Emperor Constantine, who had in 313 made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, called a council to decide the issue. This council met in Nicea in the year 325 A.D. and consisted of 317 bishops from all over the empire.

Athanasius attended the council as an assistant to his bishop, Alexander. He was allowed to take part in the discussions and reportedly "contended earnestly for the apostolic doctrines, and was applauded by their champions, while he earned the hostility of their opponents."

In an effort to develop a creed that would decide the issue and unify the church, the debate at the council would eventually center around two Greek words to describe the nature of Christ. With Athanasius and others defending the Greek word "homo-ousios" meaning "of the same substance, or nature, or essence" of God to describe the divinity of Christ. Arius and others preferred "homo-i-ousios" meaning "similar nature." The council was persuaded by Athanasius and others and the Nicene Creed affirmed unambiguously that Jesus Christ, the Son of God was "of one substance" with the Father.

Although the Nicene Creed was formally adopted by the counsel, the controversy continued. Arius himself was still alive and with his friend, Eusebius of Nicomedia, rapidly regained influence resulting in many clergymen adhering to the Arian doctrine. Athanasius however stood firm and refused to have any fellowship with the advocates of "a heresy that was fighting against Christ."

When Athanasius refused to yield, a pro-Arian council held at Tyre in 335 A.D. found him guilty of various trumped up charges including sacrilege, the practice of magic, dishonest grain dealings, and even murder. He was ordered into exile. Athanasius traveled to Rome to appeal his case and two and a half years later was finally reinstated as Bishop. On his return to Alexandria, "the people ran in crowds to see his face; the churches were full of rejoicing; thanksgivings were offered up everywhere; the ministers and clergy thought the day the happiest in their lives."

However, the rejoicing would be short-lived. Another council brought some of the old charges against him and replaced Athanasius with a pro-Arian Bishop. Rather than insight insurrection, Athanasius left Alexandria to defend his cause. In 345, the Arian Bishop fell ill and died, which opened the door for Athanasius to again be reinstated as Bishop.

This time, he reigned for ten years, strengthening orthodoxy in Egypt and composing some of his greatest works, including his Defense Against the Arians. In 356, yet another Arian council set their sites on Athanasius. As he was conducting a service at the church of St. Thomas, a band of armed men broke into the sanctuary in order to capture him. Losing himself in the crowd, Athanasius escaped and for six years he took refuge among the monasteries and hermitages of Egypt. He would later write the biography of St. Antony which would become an important book promoting monasticism.

Reinstated to his office in Alexandria again, Athanasius continued to defend the full deity of Christ against Arian emperors, magistrates, bishops, and theologians. For this, he was regarded as a troublemaker in the church and would be banished, exiled and reinstated four more times during the course of his life. In 366 A.D., he returned for the last time to his post in Alexandria and seven years later, in the spring of 373, he died quietly in his own house.

Colossians 1:15 states that Jesus Christ "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation for by Him all things were created," and in verse 19 says that "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him."

The Westminster Confession of Faith, describes this doctrine of the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ this way, stating that, "The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin .. so that two whole, perfect and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion .. very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man."

The eternal Son of God taking on human flesh was the pinnacle of God's redemptive purposes. An incomprehensible display of humility, grace and mercy; the eternal Son left the glories of heaven to become a servant of mankind; seeking and saving that which was lost. By his sinless life, his subsitutionary death, glorious resurrection and ascension, he opened the gates of heaven to all that would place their faith and trust in Him for the forgiveness of their sins.

As Christians today we are called to continue the defense of this doctrine amid the postmodern skepticism of today - shining forth what is an ultimate mystery to the intellect but joy to the believing heart. As Athanasius stated, "the more He is mocked among the unbelieving, the more witness does He give of His own Godhead .. and what men, in their conceit of wisdom, laugh at as merely human, He by His own power demonstrates to be divine."

Athanasius, On The Incarnation of the Word.
Davis, Athanasius.
Kiefer, Athanasius: Bishop of Alexandria, theologian, doctor.
Shepherd, St. Athanasius the Great.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Athanasius: St. Bishop of Alexandria.
The Columbia Encyclopedia, St. Athanasius.