Introduction
Introduction
Athanasius of Alexandria is a major figure in the history of Christian theology. He has been given titles such as “The Champion of Orthodoxy” for his contribution to the articulation of the Christian faith at a time of theological debate that rocked the universal church in the fourth century. Though his contribution to the understanding of the Trinity is foundational to Christian theology and his name is famous among early theologians, the details of his Trinitarian theology and the content of his writings are often unknown today and few of his books are on the bookshelves of systematic theologians, pastors, or inquiring Christian readers. C. S. Lewis correctly diagnosed the problem: “There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books . . . . This mistaken preference for the modern books and this shyness of the old ones is nowhere more rampant than in theology.” In his attempt to overcome the historical barrier, he wrote the introduction to a translation of On the Incarnation by Athanasius to help disseminate the text among a wider general audience. On the Incarnation is the most read of Athanasius’s writings, followed by the Life of Antony. The rest of Athanasius’s writings are still read by very few, mostly academics. Scholars of early Christianity have produced excellent research on Athanasius but their academically sophisticated work requires a person already well acquainted with the writings of Athanasius to appreciate their contribution to the subject matter. This book is an attempt to introduce Athanasius to a larger audience to generate interest and encourage readers to delve into the writings of this great thinker and theologian.
The Cascade Companions series, of which this book is a part, seeks to narrow the gap between the academy and broader ecumenical audiences. The term “introduction” in the subtitle points to the objective of this book. It is a guided introduction to the writings of Athanasius and not about what is written about Athanasius or those who have studied and written about Athanasius. The book incorporates the results of academic research by scholars who have spent time to understand the depth of Athanasius’s writings and made valuable contributions, but to keep to the introductory nature and objectives of the series it has minimal citations and is concisely written.
The aim of this book is to introduce Athanasius’s writings in an abridged and simplified form to help the reader navigate the labyrinthine, repetitive, and long-winded writing style characteristic of early Christian writers, who followed rhetorical rules different from our own. The reader is surprised when the author deviates into various subjects that might seem disconnected from the main topic. Such a writing style is not conducive to the modern reader, who can easily lose track of the author’s train of thought. The introduction aims to highlight the major historical, theological, biblical, and spiritual themes in Athanasius’s writings so that the reader will be attentive to them when she encounters them. Properly understood, reading Athanasius is always rewarding.
In this book we focus on the main points that interested Athanasius and introduce ideas that became influential in later theological Christian thought, either historically or in modern times. The first four chapters introduce, as systematically as possible, some, not all, of the main points that shaped the writings of Athanasius. The book begins by introducing Athanasius through his writings and putting his writings into context. As most of his writings were written in response to heresies, accusations, or current events, the first chapter introduces the writings within the context of Athanasius’s life story. We will see that Athanasius travelled to attend councils and meetings with the emperor, received letters from bishops throughout the empire, and was exiled for many years both within Egypt and outside it. A map in the appendix is marked with the cities and regions relevant to the life of Athanasius, giving the readers at a glance a sense of the huge distances Athanasius travelled. It also gives an idea of the extensive level of communications among bishops of the Roman Empire and the extent of the fame and influence Athanasius had among them. The map also conveys the spread of the Arian heresy across a vast geographical area and the extent to which it consumed the universal church.
Chapter 2 presents the main theological framework that guided all of Athanasius’s writings: his vision of salvation and how the Word/Logos restored and renewed the image of God in humanity. This is the core message of Athanasius and a theme that recurs throughout the book. This vision provides the context within which the theology of Athanasius and his spirituality is to be understood. Chapter 3 is about the role of Scripture in Athanasius’s theology; a topic that deserves more scholarly attention. The methods of interpretation explained in chapter 3 prepare the reader for the theological method Athanasius applied in his theology and help the reader navigate Athanasius’s writing style and sequence of thought, which is primarily dependent on biblical texts.
Chapter 4 is about the Trinity. The Arian controversy was focused on the status of the Son and his equality to the Father. For Athanasius, the Arian proposition, though focused on the Son, affected the understanding of the Trinity and the whole of salvation. Athanasius works within a clear Trinitarian framework. He wrote one of the earliest expositions on the Holy Spirit. The theological terms that Athanasius uses and the main themes that concern him are well represented in the Nicene Creed, thus it was deemed helpful to include the creed in an appendix for the reader to read it in tandem with the chapter. The creed also highlights the tremendous impact of Athanasius’s theology on the universal church.
The last two chapters are about themes of historical significance and of interest to modern scholarship and readers. Chapter 5 looks at Athanasius’s understanding of energeia and theopoiēsis. These two concepts contributed to the understanding of the Trinity and its essence. For Athanasius energeia or activity is not limited to divine activity but is also relevant to the incarnation and the person of Christ. The aim of this chapter is not to discuss the later theological and historical significance of this term in Latin and Byzantine theology, which is beyond the scope of this introductory book, but rather to present Athanasius’s contribution to the concept of energeia. Many claim that the term theosis, which has come to be of great interest to contemporary theologians in both east and west, is rooted in Athanasius’s dictum, “he became human that we might be made god (theopoiēthōmen).” This chapter investigates how the term theopoiēsis, “making Divine,” is expressed in Athanasius’s own words. The reader interested in theosis will discern Athanasius’s contribution and his distinctive thought on the topic. Thus, chapter 5 will be of interest to those interested in a more in-depth study of Athanasius and his impact on later theology.
The last chapter articulates, very briefly, the theological foundation of Athanasius’s spirituality. It is based on his theological vision discussed in chapter 2. This chapter also highlights the interconnectedness of theology and spirituality; early Christianity did not compartmentalize religious ideas but viewed the person with a holistic vision in which theology, morality, spirituality, and biblical interpretation cannot be separated. Though here the topics are treated in separate chapters, the chapters feed off each other. Foundational theological themes have to be reiterated to highlight their connectedness in Athanasian thought. This chapter also discusses the relationship between personal and corporate spirituality within his writings.
Each chapter in the book presents more an outline of the subject matter than an in-depth study. Volumes have been written on each topic and the “Bibliographical Works” will be a great resource for the reader who wants to delve more deeply into Athanasian studies. At the end of each chapter, as well, there is a list of “Suggested Readings” designed to introduce the reader gradually to the long list of Athanasius’s work. The accompanying readings do not suggest that other works are not important, but rather serve as a navigational tool. All of Athanasius’s writings are rewarding to read.
I would like to thank Cascade editors for inviting me to contribute to the Cascade Companions series. The introduction of the treasures of Christian thought in an accessible, brief format is a project worthy of commendation.
. Athanasius, On the Incarnation, 3.