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On the Incarnation
Athanasius of AlexandriaShort, readable, and central: why God became man, written from inside the Nicene fight.
Athanasius of Alexandria
c. 296 – 373 · b. Alexandria · Bishop of Alexandria
BishopTheologian
Quick facts
- Born
- c. 296, Alexandria
- Died
- 373, Alexandria
- See
- Alexandria
- Region
- egypt
- Era
- nicene
- Significance
- Major Father(3/4)
- Also known as
- Athanasius the Great
Highlights
- Main contribution
- Athanasius spent forty-five years as bishop of Alexandria and was exiled five times for refusing to compromise on the divinity of Christ.
- Event connection
- First Council of Nicaea (325)
- Best first read
- On the Incarnation
- Primary source
- Athanasius, Apologia contra Arianos
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 had attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 as a young deacon and secretary to Bishop Alexander; he did not call the council, but after it chose homoousios ('of one substance') he became the council's fiercest defender. The point was simple and enormous: if the Son is not truly God, the gospel cannot say that God himself has come to save us. That is why the Creed says the Son is 'one in being with the Father' rather than a created being close to God. Read On the Incarnation next: it is short, clear, and still the best first answer to 'why did God become man.' C.S. Lewis loved it enough to write the famous introduction, where he advised reading one old book for every three modern ones.
Recommended reading near Athanasius
A cover-visible starting point chosen from the curated reading path, either by this figure or by their era.
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
Short, clear classic on why God became man; modern editions often include C.S. Lewis's famous introduction.
- Life of Antonyc. 360
Hagiography of the desert father Antony — the founding text of monastic literature.
- Apology Against the Ariansc. 350
Defense of his actions during exile; primary source for the post-Nicene Arian crisis.
- Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spiritc. 360
First sustained patristic argument for the Spirit's full divinity; preceded Basil.
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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 AlexandriaAthanasius 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 AlexandriaAthanasius succeeded Alexander as bishop of Alexandria in 328.Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 1.15
- opposed AriusAthanasius's life work was the refutation of Arianism.Athanasius, Orationes contra Arianos
- knew of Anthony the GreatAthanasius wrote the Vita Antonii and reports having served Anthony personally.Athanasius, Vita Antonii (preface)
- knew of (incoming) Anthony the GreatAnthony visited Alexandria in support of Athanasius against the Arians (338).Athanasius, Vita Antonii 69-71
- cited (incoming) Cyril of AlexandriaCyril repeatedly invokes Athanasius as the standard of orthodoxy.Cyril, Epistulae 1, 39
- met (incoming) Marcellus of AncyraMarcellus and Athanasius were exiled to Rome together c. 339-343.Athanasius, Apologia contra Arianos 47-50
- knew of (incoming) Hilary of PoitiersHilary cited Athanasius and the Nicene cause; took up Athanasius's role in the West.Hilary, De Synodis
- corresponded (incoming) Basil of CaesareaBasil wrote to Athanasius seeking unity with Rome.Basil, Epistulae 66, 69, 80, 82
tradition connections(1)
- succeeded in see (incoming) Cyril of AlexandriaCyril 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
External resources
📖WikipediaFull encyclopedic biography with footnotes and further reading.🔗WikidataStructured data hub linking to library catalogues, archives, and academic sources worldwide.🏛️WikisourcePublic-domain primary texts and translations (search).⛪Catholic Encyclopedia1913 reference — long entries, useful for less-known figures (search for Athanasius of Alexandria).