Athanasius of Alexandria

c. 296 – 373 · b. Alexandria · Bishop of Alexandria

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Bishop of Alexandria and chief defender of Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism. Five times exiled. Wrote On the Incarnation and the Vita Antonii.

Why Athanasius matters

Athanasius spent forty-five years as bishop of Alexandria and was exiled five times for refusing to compromise on the divinity of Christ. When the empire wanted unity-at-the-cost-of-doctrine, he chose doctrine and lost everything. He's why the creed says Jesus is 'one in being with the Father' rather than something fudgier. His short book On the Incarnation is the simplest, sharpest answer ever written to 'why did God become man,' and the reason C.S. Lewis insisted every modern Christian read at least one old book a year.

Chain to Jesus

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Common questions

Who was Athanasius of Alexandria?: Athanasius of Alexandria (296–373) — Bishop of Alexandria and chief defender of Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism. Five times exiled. Wrote On the Incarnation and the Vita Antonii.
Who taught Athanasius of Alexandria?: Alexander of Alexandria.
Who did Athanasius of Alexandria correspond with?: Basil of Caesarea.
Who did Athanasius of Alexandria meet?: Marcellus of Ancyra.
Who did Athanasius of Alexandria oppose?: Arius.
Who did Athanasius of Alexandria succeed as bishop of Alexandria?: Alexander of Alexandria.
Who succeeded Athanasius of Alexandria as bishop of Alexandria?: Cyril of Alexandria.

Works

On the Incarnationc. 318
Concise classic on why God became man — paired with C.S. Lewis's famous introduction in modern editions.
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Life of Antonyc. 360
Hagiography of the desert father Antony — the founding text of monastic literature.
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Sources for biography

Athanasius, Apologia contra Arianos primary
Athanasius, Vita Antonii primary
Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 1-2 primary
Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 87 primary

documented connections(9)

taught by Alexander of Alexandria
Athanasius served as deacon and secretary to Alexander, accompanying him to Nicaea.
Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 1.8, 1.15 · Theodoret, Hist. Eccl. 1.26
succeeded in see Alexander of Alexandria
Athanasius succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria in 328.
Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 1.15
opposed Arius
Athanasius's life work was the refutation of Arianism.
Athanasius, Orationes contra Arianos
knew of Anthony the Great
Athanasius wrote the Vita Antonii and reports having served Anthony personally.
Athanasius, Vita Antonii (preface)
knew of (incoming) Anthony the Great
Anthony visited Alexandria in support of Athanasius against the Arians (338).
Athanasius, Vita Antonii 69-71
cited (incoming) Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril repeatedly invokes Athanasius as the standard of orthodoxy.
Cyril, Epistulae 1, 39
met (incoming) Marcellus of Ancyra
Marcellus and Athanasius were exiled to Rome together c. 339-343.
Athanasius, Apologia contra Arianos 47-50
knew of (incoming) Hilary of Poitiers
Hilary cited Athanasius and the Nicene cause; took up Athanasius's role in the West.
Hilary, De Synodis
corresponded (incoming) Basil of Caesarea
Basil wrote to Athanasius seeking unity with Rome.
Basil, Epistulae 66, 69, 80, 82

tradition connections(1)

succeeded in see (incoming) Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril became Patriarch of Alexandria (412) several bishops after Athanasius (d. 373) — Peter II, Timothy, Theophilus all intervened. Not a direct succession.
Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 7.7

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