Athanasius of Alexandria
(296-298 – 2 May 373)

Synopsis

Athanasius will always be remembered for his role in the theological controversies of the fourth century sparked by the teachings of Arius. Although the details of this debate are beyond the scope of this present study their effect on the doctrine of the church and on its relationship with the emperors was far reaching. Athanasius was taken into the household of Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, who apparently recognised his potential from an early age.[1] His education appears to have concentrated on the scriptures and their exegesis rather than the Greek classics.[2] Athanasius was ordained as a deacon and assisted his protégé at the Council of Nicaea. Following Alexander’s death Athanasius succeeded him as bishop of Alexandria and continued his struggle against the Arians.

Rob Bradshaw, Webmaster

References

[1] Socrates, History 1.15; Sozomenus, History, 2.17 (NPNF, 2nd series, Vol. 2, 20, 269-270).

[2] Timothy D. Barnes, Athanasius and Constantius: Theology and Politics in the Constantinian Empire. (Cambridge MA / London: Harvard University Press, 1993), 11.

Primary Sources

	Athanasius (Christian Classic Ethereal Library)
	St. Athanasius, "The Life of Antony," trans. Robert T. Meyer, Ancient Christian Writers, Vol. 10. New York: Newman Press, 1950. Hbk. ISBN: 0809102501. {CBD} {Amazon.com}
	St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation: The Treatise De Incarnatione Verbi Dei. St Vladimirs Seminary Press, 1975. Pbk. ISBN: 0913836400. {CBD} {Amazon.com}
	St. Athanasius, The Monastic Letters of St Athanasius the Great, Leslie Barnard (Translator). Fairacres Publications, 1994. Pbk. ISBN: 0728301385.
	R.C. Gregg, Athanasius: The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus. R.J. Payne, et al, eds. Classics of Western Spirituality. New York: Paulist, 1980. Pbk. ISBN: 0809122952. {CBD} {Amazon.com}
	Gregory of Nazianzus, Orations, 21.
	Jerome, Lives of Illustrius Men, 87.

Secondary Sources

	Khaled Anatolios, Athanasius: The Structure of His Thought. London: London: Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Ltd., 1998. Hbk. ISBN: 0415186374. pp.272. {Amazon.com}
	Duane W. H Arnold, The Early Episcopal Career of Athanasius of Alexandria. University of Notre Dame Press, 1991. Hbk. ISBN: 0268009252. pp.235. {Amazon.com}
	Duane W.H. Arnold, "Excursus on the Athanasian Use of Sources in De Decretis," Patristic and Byzantine Review 11.1-3 (1992): 33-51.
	L W Barnard, "Some Liturgical Elements in Athanasius' Festal Epistles," Studia Patristica 13 (1975): 337-42.
	L W Barnard, Studies in Athanasius' "Apologia Secunda". Peter Lang, 1992. Pbk. ISBN: 3261045736. {Amazon.com}
	Timothy D. Barnes, Athanasius and Constantius: Theology and Politics in the Constantinian Empire. Cambridge MA / London: Harvard University Press, 2001. ISBN: 067400549X. pp.364. {Amazon.com}
	Wolfgang Bienert, "The Significance of Athanasius of Alexandria For Nicene Orthodoxy," Irish Theological Quarterly 48.3/4 (1981): 181-195.
	D. Brakke, "Canon Formation and Social Conflict in ivth-cent. Egypt, Athanasius of Alexandria's Thirty-ninth Festal Letter," Harvard Theological Review 87 (1994): 395-419.
	David Brakke, Athanasius and Asceticism. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998. Pbk. ISBN: 0801860555. pp.376. {Amazon.com}
	B.R. Brennan, "Dating Athanasius' Vita Antonii," Vigiliae Christianae 30 (1976): 52-54.
	Jill S. Burnett, "Congregational Song and Doctrinal Formation: The Role of Hymnody in the Arian/Nicene Controversy," Liturgical Ministry 10.2 (2001): 83-92.
	V. Burrus, "The Heretical Woman as Symbol in (bishop) Alexander, Athanasius, Epiphanius, and Jerome," Harvard Theological Review 84 (1991): 229-48.
	T.C. Campbell, "The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit in the Theology of Athanasius," Scottish Journal of Theology 27 (1974): 408-40.
	Robert A. Case, "Will the real Athanasius please stand up," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 19.4 (Fall 1976): 283-295. pdf
	F. Stuart Clarke, "Lost and Found: Athanasius' Doctrine of Predesitination," Scottish Journal of Theology 29 (1976): 435-
	St. Athanasius (Cornelius Clifford)
	Athanasius of Alexandria (Glenn Davis)
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	Athanasius, St, Bishop of Alexandria (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
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	G. Florovsky, "The Concept of Creation in Athanasius," Studia Patristica 6 (1962): 36-57.
	Rudolph Graber, Athanasius and the Church of Our Time. On the 1600th Anniversary of His Death. Van Duren Contract Publications, 1974. Pbk. ISBN: 0901072133. pp.80. {Amazon.com}
	R.A. Greer, "The Captain of Our Salvation. A Study in the Patristic Exegesis of Hebrews," Beiträge zur Geschichte der biblischen Exegese 15. Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr, 1973. pp.371.
	Aloys Grillmeier, Christ in Christian Tradition: From the Apostolic Age to Chalcedon (451), Vol. 1. Atlanta: John Knox, 1975. Pbk. ISBN: 066422301X. pp.308-328. {Amazon.com}
	M.B. Hanspicker, "Athanasius on Scripture and Tradition," Andover Newton Quarterly 3 (1972-1973): 13-29.
	R.P.C. Hanson, The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God: The Arian Controversy 318-381. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1988. ISBN: 0567094855. pp.954.{Amazon.com}
	Trevor A. Hart, "The Two Soteriological Traditions of Alexandria," The Evangelical Quarterly 61.3 (1989): 239-259. pdf [Clement and Athanasius]
	Michael A.G. Haykin, "'The Spirit of God': The Exegesis of 1 Cor. 2:10-12 by Origen and Athanasius," Scottish Journal of Theology 35 (1982): 513-28.
	Michael A.G. Haykin, "'A Sense of Awe in the Presence of the Ineffable': 1 Cor 2:11-12 in the Pneumatomachian Controversy of the Fourth Century," Scottish Journal of Theology 41 (1988): 341-57.
	Michael A.G. Haykin, The Spirit of God: Exegesis of 1 and 2 Corinthians in the Pneumatomachian Controversy of the Fourth Century. Vigiliae Christianae Supplements Series 27. Leiden: Brill, 1993. Hbk. ISBN: 9004099476. pp.350. {Amazon.com}
	Charles Kannengeiser, "Athanasius of Alexandria and the Foundation of Traditional Christology," Theological Studies 34 (1973): 103-13.
	Charles Kannengeiser, "Athanasius of Alexandria and the Holy Spirit Between Nicea and Constantinople 1," Irish Theological Quarterly 48 (1981): 166-80.
	Charles Kannengeiser, "Athanasius of Alexandria: Three Orations Against the Arians: A Reappraisal," Studia Patristica, Vol. 18. (1982): 981-995.
	Charles Kannengeiser, "The Athanasian Decade 1974-84: A Bibliographic Report," Theological Studies, Vol. 46 (1985): 524-541.
	Charles Kannengeiser, Arius and Athanasius: Two Alexandrian Theologians. London: Variorum, 1991. Hbk. ISBN: 0860783146. pp. xiv + 330. {Amazon.com}
	Alan L. Kolp, "Partakers of the Divine Nature: The Use of 2 Peter 1:4 by Athanasius." Studia Patristica 17 (1982): 1018-1023.
	Peter L'Huillier,"Ecclesiology in the Canons of the First Nicene Council," St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly 27.2 (1983): 119-131.
	William Ince [1825-1910], "The Life and Times of Athanasius," William Lefroy [1836-1909], ed., Church Leaders in Primitive Times. Lectures on Their Words and Works. Delivered in Norwich Cathedral by Eminent Anglican Devines, 2nd edn. London: Chas. J. Thynne, 1909. Hbk. pp.342-373. pdf [This material is in the Public Domain]
	J.T. Lienhard, "On 'Discernment of Spirits' in the Early Church (1 Cor 12:10 for Chrysostom, Origen, Athanasius; Cassian," Theological Studies 41 (1980): 505-29.
	Andrew Louth, "Reason and Revelation in St. Athanasius," Scottish Journal of Theology 23 (1970): 385-
	R.P. Martin, "(Ps 42: Athanasius 'most of scripture speaks to us, while the Psalms speak for us') Depression, a case-study," Expository Times 95 (1983): 23-25.
	F.P. Meijering, Orthodoxy and Platonism in Athanasius: Synthesis or Antithesis. Leiden: Brill, 1974. pp. iii + 201.
	John R. Meyer, "Athanasius' Use of Paul in his Doctrine of Salvation," Vigiliae Christianae 52.2 (1998): 146-171.
	H. Nordberg, On the Bible Text of St. Athanasius. Philologica Fennica NS 3 1962.
	H. Nordberg, "On the Bible Text of St. Athanasius (LXX + NT)," Arctos 3 (1962): 119-41.
	Stephen M. Reynolds, "Calvin's View of the Athanasian and Nicene Creeds," Westminster Theological Journal 23.1 (1961): 33-37.
	Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, The Light of the World: a Basic Image in Early Christian Thought. New York: Harper, 1962. pp.128.
	A. Pettersen, "Christ's Death - A Liturgical Event for Athanasius of Alexandria?" Downside Review 102 (1984): 22-31.
	Alvyn Pettersen, "(Mt 26:39) Did Athanasius Deny Christ's Fear?" Scottish Journal of Theology 39 (1986): 327-40.
	Alvyn Pettersen, "The Courage of Christ in the Theology of Athanasius," Scottish Journal of Theology 40 (1987): 363-77.
	C.R.B. Shapland, The Letters of Saint Athanasius Concerning the Holy Spirit. London, 1951.
	G.C. Stead, "Rhetorical Method in Athanasius," Vigiliae Christianae 30 (1976): 121-137.
	G.C. Stead, "The Thalia of Arius and the Testimony of Athanasius," Journal of Theological Studies 29 (1978): 20-52.
	G.C. Stead, "The Scriptures and the Soul of Christ in Athanasius," Vigiliae Christianae 36 (1982): 233-50.
	T.F. Torrance, "Athanasius: A Study in the Foundations of Classical Theology," in Theology in Reconciliation. London, 1975. Reprinted: Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1996. Pbk. ISBN: 1579100236. {Amazon.com}
	T.P. Torrance, "The Hermeneutics of St. Athanasius. Introduction, Theology, Background," Ekklesiastikos Pharos 52/1.2.3 (1970): 446-68, 89-106, 237-49.
	T. Vivian, "'Everything Made by God is Good.' A Letter Concerning Sexuality from Saint Athanasius to the Monk Amoun," Église et Théologie 24 (1993): 75-108.
	Jonathan Wells, "The Argument to Design in Athanasius and Maximus," Patristic and Byzantine Review 8.1 (1989): 45-54.
	J,C, Winden, "On the Date of Athanasius' Apologetical Treatises," Vigiliae Christianae 29 (1975): 291-95.
	Frances M Young, From Nicaea to Chalcedon: A Guide to the Literature and Its Background. London: SCM Press, 1983. pp.65-83. {Amazon.com}

Biographies

	W. Bright, "St. Athanasius of Alexandria," W. Smith & H. Wace, editors, Dictionary of Christian Biography, Vol. 1. London: John Murray, 1877. pp.179-203.
	Frederic William Farrar [1831-1903], Lives of the Fathers. Sketches of Church History in Biography, 2 Vols. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1907. Hbk. pp.781+737. pdf [This material is in the Public Domain]
	F. A. Forbes, St. Athanasius. Tan Books & Publishers Inc., 1999. Pbk. ISBN: 0895556235. pp.98. {Amazon.com}
	Alvyn Pettersen, Athanasius. Morehouse Publishing, 1996. Pbk. ISBN: 0819216550. pp.224. {Amazon.com}
	Henry Robert Reynolds [1825-1896], Athanasius. His Life and Life-Work. The Church History Series V. London: The Religious Tract Society, 1889. Hbk. pp.192. pdf [This material is in the Public Domain]