Saint Athanasius of Alexandria

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, also known as Saint Athanasius the Great, was a 4th century Patriarch of Alexandria and one of the main opponents of the Arian heresy.  In his struggle against the heretics, Saint Athanasius was deposed, banished and reinstated from his post as Patriarch of Alexandria five times. He gained the epithet, Athanasius contra mundum (Athanasius against the world) because at times he was the only Christian leader who stood for Trinitarian doctrine against the Arians.

He is also a very celebrated theologian, recognized by the Roman Catholics as one of the four "doctors of the church" (the word "doctor" here is Latin for "teacher"). In this episode, we recount the story of his life and read excerpts from his writings. 

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Transcript

 God is glorious in his saints! 
 
 Welcome to the Christian Saints Podcast. My name is Darren Ong, recording from Sepang in Malaysia. In this podcast, we explore the lives of the Christian saints, from the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Today, we will commemorate Saint Athanasius the Great , also known as Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. He was a 4th century Patriarch of Alexandria, one of the most important theologians in the history of the church, and the foremost figure in the battle against the Arian heresy. 

Athanasius was born in Alexandria around the year 297, and his piety was noted even at a young age. There is a famous story about his childhood that is too adorable not to share. This version of this story was told by Metropolitan Ephrem of Boston, in a lecture about Saint Athanasius:
 
 Saint Athanasius was noticed by Saint Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, when Athanasius was still a teenager. According to the Ecclesiastical History of Rufinus, Bishop Alexander, on the anniversary of the martyrdom of his predecessor, Peter, was expecting some clergy to dinner in a house by the sea after the church service. Out of the window of the upper floor he saw some boys at play on the beach. As he watched, it became apparent they were imitating the Church's sacred rite of baptism! In fact, what had happened was that some of the boys had been appointed Readers; others were serving as Deacons, others as Presbyters, others as Bishops. Young Athanasius himself had been elected Patriarch, and they were in the process of catechizing and baptizing some little pagan Greek boys in the waters of the Mediterranean!

Thinking at last that the boys had gone too far, Saint Alexander sent some of his clergy to bring them in. At first his inquiries of the little rascals produced a Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer type of tongue-tied denial. But at length he elicited that one of them had acted as Patriarch and had baptized some of the others in the character of catechumens. On ascertaining that, in fact, all the details of the Church's rite had been correctly and duly observed, he consulted his clergy and decided that the baptisms should be treated as valid, and that the boy-bishop and his small-fry clergy had given such plain proof of their vocation that their parents should be instructed to hand them over to be educated for the sacred calling of the priesthood. Saint Alexander, in the meantime, read some appropriate prayers over the newly-baptized youngsters, chrismated them, and sent them off. 
 
As a young man and as a deacon, Saint Athanasius would accompany Saint Alexander in the First Ecunemical Council of Nicaea in the year 325, where he made arguments refuting the Arian heresy. This first battle would prefigure conflict with the Arians for the rest of his life. When his mentor Saint Alexander reposed, Athanasius would succeed him as Patriarch of Alexandria. 
 
Saint Athanasius’ tenure as head of the church of Alexandria would be mark with continual conflict with the Arian heretics. He was deposed and exiled and reinstated five times, and spent about 20 of his 45 years of his time as Patriarch in exile. There were times when he was the only bishop in Christendom who still held fast to the Trinitarian faith against the Arian heresy – this earned him the epithet, Athanasius Contra Mundum – Athanasisus against the World.
 
 We have discussed the Arian heresy at least once before, in our episode on Santa Claus himself, Saint Nicholas of Myra, who was another important opponent of the Arian heresy. As a brief summary, the Arians did not believe that Jesus Christ was equal to got the father, but that he was a created being.
 True Christian doctrine of course holds to the doctrine of the trinity, that Jesus Christ is God himself, and not merely a creation of God.
 Saint Athanasius wrote many texts refuting and arguing against the Arian heresy throughout his life. Here is the introductory paragraph for one of the most important of those texts, the four discourses against the Arians:
 
 Of all other heresies which have departed from the truth it is acknowledged that they have

but devised 1821 a madness, and their irreligiousness has long since become notorious to all men. For

that 1822 their authors went out from us, it plainly follows, as the blessed John has written, that they

never thought nor now think with us. Wherefore, as saith the Saviour, in that they gather not with

us, they scatter with the devil, and keep an eye on those who slumber, that, by this second sowing

of their own mortal poison, they may have companions in death. But, whereas one heresy, and that
 the last, which has now risen as harbinger 1823 of Antichrist, the Arian, as it is called, considering

that other heresies, her elder sisters, have been openly proscribed, in her craft and cunning, affects

to array herself in Scripture language 1824 , like her father the devil, and is forcing her way back into

the Church’s paradise,—that with the pretence of Christianity, her smooth sophistry (for reason

she has none) may deceive men into wrong thoughts of Christ,—nay, since she has already seduced

certain of the foolish, not only to corrupt their ears, but even to take and eat with Eve, till in their

ignorance which ensues they think bitter sweet, and admire this loathsome heresy, on this account

I have thought it necessary, at your request, to unrip ‘the folds of its breast-plate 1825 ,’ and to shew

the ill savour of its folly. So while those who are far from it may continue to shun it, those whom

it has deceived may repent; and, opening the eyes of their heart, may understand that darkness is

not light, nor falsehood truth, nor Arianism good; nay, that those 1826 who call these men Christians

are in great and grievous error, as neither having studied Scripture, nor understanding Christianity

at all, and the faith which it contains.

Also assiciated with Saint Athanasius is the Athanasian Creed which affirm the Trinity. This Creed was probably not written by Athanasius, but it was definitely inspired by his ideas. This Creed was influential for a time in the Western church, but it has become less commonly used today:
 
1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; 

2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; 

4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. 

5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 

6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. 

7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. 

8. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 

9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 

10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. 

11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. 

12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 

13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. 

14. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. 

15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; 

16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. 

17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; 

18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 

19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; 

20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. 

21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. 

22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. 

23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 

24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. 

25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. 

26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. 

27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 

28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity. 

29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

30. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. 

31. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. 

32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. 

33. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. 

34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. 

35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God. 

36. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. 

37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; 

38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; 

39. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty; 

40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 

41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; 

42. and shall give account of their own works. 

43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. 

 44. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.
 
Athanasius was a very prolific writer, and a very influential one for the development of Christian theology. The many years that he spent in exile also gave him the time to write a lot of books about various topics about Christianity. Perhaps his most cherished work is a text called “On the Incarnation”, which addressed the incarnation of Christ. It is from this text that the most well-known quotes from Athanasius come from- for example the quote that “Christ became what we are so that he might make us what he is.” or “Christ was made man that we might be made God.” Here is a wonderful meditation from that book regarding Christ’s passion. Very appropriate this year, as Saint Athanasius’ feast day coincides with Eastern Orthodox easter.
 
“He, the Life of all, our Lord and Saviour, did not arrange the manner of his own death lest He should seem to be afraid of some other kind. No. He accepted and bore upon the cross a death inflicted by others, and those other His special enemies, a death which to them was supremely terrible and by no means to be faced; and He did this in order that, by destroying even this death, He might Himself be believed to be the Life, and the power of death be recognised as finally annulled. A marvellous and mighty paradox has thus occurred, for the death which they thought to inflict on Him as dishonour and disgrace has become the glorious monument to death's defeat.”
 ― St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation

He also wrote a text “Against the Heathens” arguing for Christian theology against paganism. Although Roman paganism was on the wane in his time, it was still influential. Part of his term as Patriarch of Alexandria coincided with the rule of Julian the Apostate, the last pagan emperor of Rome. Here is an excerpt of that text

How is it, that whereas the body is mortal by nature, man reasons on the things of immortality, and often, where virtue demands it, courts death? Or how, since the body lasts only for a time, does man imagine eternal things, so as to despise what lies before him, and desire what is beyond ? The body could not spontaneously have such thoughts about itself, nor could it consider what is external to itself. For it is mortal and lasts only for a time. And it follows that that which thinks what is opposed to the body and against its nature must be distinct in kind. What then can this be, save a rational and immortal soul? For it introduces the echo of higher things, not outside, but within the body, as the musician does with his lyre. Or how again, do the eye and the ear being naturally constituted to see and to hear, turn from some objects and choose others ? For who is it that turns away the eye from seeing? Or who shuts off the ear from hearing, its natural function ? Or who often hinders the palate, for which it is natural to taste things, from its natural impulse ; 

Or who withholds the hand from its natural activity of touching something, or turns aside the sense of smell from its normal exercise ? Who is it that thus acts against the natural instincts of the body ? Or how does the body, turned from its natural course, turn to the counsels of another and allow itself to be guided at the beck of that other? Why, these things simply prove that the rational soul presides over the body. For the body is not even constituted to drive itself, but it is driven by another’s will, just as a horse does not harness himself, but is driven by his master. Hence laws for human beings to practise what is good and to abstain from evil-doing, while for animals evil remains unthought of and undiscerned, because they lie outside rationality and the process of understanding. I think then that the existence of a rational soul in man is proved by what we have said. 
 
Another important text that Saint Athanasius wrote is a biography of Saint Anthony the Great, the founder of the desert monastic community in Egypt. We recorded an episode about Saint Anthony and his Egyptian community of Desert Fathers and Mothers as our third episode of this podcast, if you want to learn more. Saint Anthony the Great was also an opponent of the Arian heresy, probaby another reason that Saint Athanasius thought it good to write about him. The text was written in response to a community of monks who asked for an account of Saint Anthony’s life. Here is the beginning passage of that Life of Saint Anthony.:
 
It is a good contest in which you have entered with the monks of Egypt, purposing to equal or surpass them in your resolute exercise of virtue; for you also have monasteries, and the name of monks is cultivated among you. This your purpose is worthy of praise, and may God accomplish your prayers for it. But since you have asked of me also concerning the mode of life of blessed Antony, in your wish to learn how he began his ascetic training, and what he was before it, and what was his life's end, and if the things said of him are true, that you may set yourselves after his example, I have most readily accepted your charge. For to me also the sole remembrance of Antony is a great gain. And I know, too, that when you hear me, together with your admiration of the man, you will wish to imitate his purpose.

 

This life of Saint Anthony comes with another favourite quote of mine.

 “Let no one who hath renounced the world think that he hath given up some great thing... the whole earth set over against heavenʼs infinite is scant and poor” 

 ***
Saint Athanasius’s struggle against the Arian heresy was long, difficult, but ultimately successful. He died peacefull in the year 373 holding his see in Alexandria, having outlasted and defeated all his many enemies. He was almost immediately recognized as an important theologian. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus refered to him as a pillar of the church very shortly after his death. He is known today by the Roman Catholics as one of the four doctors of the church (doctor here is Latin for teacher, different from its modern meaning) and he is celebrated a Saint by every Christian denomination that recognizes saints. His feast day is celebrated on May 2, and the Eastern Orthodox have an additional feast day for him on January 18, shared with Saint
 Cyil of Alexandria. ,
 
 Here is the Eastern Orthodox Troparion for Saint Athanaius’ feast day:
 
 You were a pillar of Orthodoxy, Hierarch Athanasius, / supporting the Church with divine doctrines; / you proclaimed the Son to be of one Essence with the Father, / putting Arius to shame. / Righteous father, entreat Christ God to grant us His great mercy.
 
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Christian saints podcast. Look for the Christian Saints podcast page on Facebook or Instagram, or look for us on Twitter at podcast_saints. All music in this episode was composed by my good friend, James John Marks of Generative sounds. Please check out his music at https://generativesoundsjjm.bandcamp.com/
 
Let us end this episode with another excerpt from Athanasius’ On the incarnation, this one a wonderful meditation on the way to achieve true happiness:
 

“For of what use is existence to the creature if it cannot know its Maker? How could men be reasonable beings if they had no knowledge of the Word and Reason of the Father, through Whom they had received their being? They would be no better than the beasts, had they no knowledge save of earthly things; and why should God have made them at all, if He had not intended them to know Him? But, in fact, the good God has given them a share in His own Image, that is, in our Lord Jesus Christ, and has made even themselves after the same Image and Likeness. Why? Simply in order that through this gift of Godlikeness in themselves they may be able to perceive the Image Absolute, that is the Word Himself, and through Him to apprehend the Father; which knowledge of their Maker is for men the only really happy and blessed life.”