St Athanasius
Micah Morris
History of Religions 1
Athanasius
Saint Athanasius was born in the city of Alexandria in the year 296. He was very intelligent growing up and studied Neo-Platonism. He came from a Christian family. He had a Christian brother, and later in his life, in one of his exiles, he hid in his father 's tomb. At the time he was a student, the influence of Origen was still felt in the traditions of the theological school of Alexandria. Saint Athanasius modified the philosophical thought of the School of Alexandria, he wrote a peice entitled On the Incarnation, affirming and explaining that Jesus was both God and Man. In about 319, when Athanasius was a deacon, a deacon named Arius began teaching that there was a time before God the Father had Jesus Christ when the latter did not exist. Athanasius responded that the Father 's begetting of the Son, was an eternal relationship between them, not an event that took place within time. Athanasius fought consistently against Arianism all his life. He accompanied bishop Alexander to the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which council produced the Nicene Creed and anathematized Arius and his followers. On May 9, 328, he succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria. As a result of rises and falls in Arianism 's influence, he was banished from Alexandria only to be later restored on at least five separate occasions, perhaps as many as seven. Athanasius is also the first person to identify the same 27 books of the New Testament that are in use today.
Works Cited
1. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/theologians/ athanasius.html
2. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02035a.htm
History of Religions 1
Athanasius
Saint Athanasius was born in the city of Alexandria in the year 296. He was very intelligent growing up and studied Neo-Platonism. He came from a Christian family. He had a Christian brother, and later in his life, in one of his exiles, he hid in his father 's tomb. At the time he was a student, the influence of Origen was still felt in the traditions of the theological school of Alexandria. Saint Athanasius modified the philosophical thought of the School of Alexandria, he wrote a peice entitled On the Incarnation, affirming and explaining that Jesus was both God and Man. In about 319, when Athanasius was a deacon, a deacon named Arius began teaching that there was a time before God the Father had Jesus Christ when the latter did not exist. Athanasius responded that the Father 's begetting of the Son, was an eternal relationship between them, not an event that took place within time. Athanasius fought consistently against Arianism all his life. He accompanied bishop Alexander to the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which council produced the Nicene Creed and anathematized Arius and his followers. On May 9, 328, he succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria. As a result of rises and falls in Arianism 's influence, he was banished from Alexandria only to be later restored on at least five separate occasions, perhaps as many as seven. Athanasius is also the first person to identify the same 27 books of the New Testament that are in use today.
Works Cited
1. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/theologians/ athanasius.html
2. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02035a.htm
Cited: 1. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/theologians/ athanasius.html 2. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02035a.htm