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~ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you … John 13:34

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Tag Archives: St Athanasius

St Athanasius the Apostolic

02 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by John Charmley in Early Church, Faith, Saints

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

history, orthodoxy, St Athanasius, The Fathers

Athanasius

We have lately been examining the career of St Cyril of Alexandria. Today, the Church celebrates the feast day of his great precedecessor, St. Athanasius (c. 296-373), the greatest champion of Christian orthodoxy, who was the 20th Patriarch of the See of Alexandria.

He first comes to our notice when Patriarch Alexander observed him playing on the sea shore with some friends. The boys were celebrating Mass and the young Athanasius was taking on the role of the priest, and baptising his peers. Alexander talked with the boy, and saw to it that his desire to serve God would receive fulfilment. As a young priest, Athanasius attended the Council of Nicea in 325 as assistant to the aged Alexander, whose excommunication of Arius had provoked it. The Council agreed that Christ was not ‘created’, but was rather ‘consubstantial’ with the Father. Despite this, within a few years, the Arians had rallied and, after the death of Constantine, secured the support of his sons. Across the Empire bishops hurried to accommodate themselves with the new order, seeking to devise phrases which would allow of a compromise: this Athanasius would not do. As Patriarch of the great See of Alexandria, he was a formidable thorn in the side of the Arians and semi-Arians.

His many enemies did not hesitate to bring charges against him, including one of murder – this last evaporated when, at the trial, Athanasius was able to call in aid the testimony of the man he was supposed to have murdered. His enemies conspired to bring about his death, but thanks to a merciful providence, he survived unscathed, although he suffered much, spending 17 of his 45 years as patriarch in exile. Between 339 and 346 he lived in exile in Rome under the protection of the Pope, Julius I. His defiance of the might of the Roman Empire in the cause of the Truth caused men to say he was ‘Athanasius contra mundum’ – Athanasius against the world. Neither threats, nor bribes, nor the opinion of the men of power prevailed against Athanasius’ faith in Christ and the truth that He was of one substance with the Father.

Despite eating the bitter bread of exile, Athanasius proved a good shepherd to his sheep. A much-beloved pastor, he was also a great theologian. His Life of St. Anthony is the model for all hagiography; his On the Incarnation is one of the defining works on Incarnational theology; his Paschal letter of 367 contains the first list of the canon of the Bible as the Church has received it. It was on his authority that St. Jerome added the Epistle to the Hebrews to his Vulgate; the book had been doubted in the West, but seeing that St. Athanasius accepted it, as the East always had, the Blessed St. Jerome also accepted it.

His writings, like his life, bore witness to the truth that God was made man so that we might become God:

We  are made sons through Him by adoption and grace, as partaking of His Spirit (for ‘as many as received Him,’ he says, ‘to them gave He power to become children of God, even to them that believe on His Name Jn1:12), and therefore also He is the Truth (saying, ‘I am the Truth,’ and in His address to His Father, He said, ‘Sanctify them through Thy Truth, Thy Word is Truth’ Jn 14:6); but we by imitation become virtuous and sons: — therefore not that we might become such as He, did He say ‘that they may be one as We are;’ but that as He, being the Word, is in His own Father, so that we too, taking an exemplar and looking at Him, might become one towards each other in concord and oneness of spirit, nor be at variance as the Corinthians, but mind the same thing, as those five thousand in the Acts (Acts 4: 4, 32), who were as one.

St. Athanasius, Discourses Against Arians, discourse III, Ch 25, p.404-405..

A fearless defender of the True Faith, St. Athanasius came back to his beloved Alexandria in 366 and lived there until his death in 373.

stathanasius

Father,

you raised up St. Athanasius
to be an outstanding defender
of the truth of Christ’s divinity.
By his teaching and protection
may we grow in your knowledge and love.
Grant us this through Our Lord, Jesus Christ, your son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
AMEN.

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St Athanasius: feast day

02 Monday May 2016

Posted by John Charmley in Catholic Tradition, Early Church, Faith, Saints

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Christianity, history, orthodoxy, St Athanasius

st_athanasios

2 May is the feast day of St Athanasius (c. 296-373) the 20th Patriarch of the See of Alexandria. Most of the early Christian saints were martyrs. Athanasius was one of the first saints to be canonised without that ordeal – although the early church, rightly, felt his entire life had been a martyrdom in the cause if orthodoxy.

He first comes to our notice when Patriarch Alexander observed him playing on the sea shore with some friends. They were reenacting the Divine Liturgy on the beach, with Athanasius playing the part of the priest. The Patriarch was struck by this choice of play, and recognising something in the young boy, took him under his wing and brought him up in his household. This was at the time when Alexandria was the intellectual powerhouse of early Christianity, and Athanasius came to manhood at a time when one of the priests of the diocese, Arius, was preaching that Jesus was not one with the Father, but was, rather, the first of creation. Alexander tried to persuade Arius of his error, but proud of his learning, the priest preferred the ‘truth’ he had come to to the advice of his bishop. When the Emperor Constantine called the first great ecumenical council at Nicaea in 325, Athanasius went along as assistant to the ageing Alexander.

The Council agreed that Christ was not ‘created’, but was rather ‘consubstantial’ with the Father. Despite this, within a few years, the Arians had rallied and, after the death of Constantine, secured the support of his sons. Across the Empire bishops hurried to accommodate themselves with the new order, seeking to devise phrases which would allow of a compromise: this Athanasius would not do. As Patriarch of the great See of Alexandria, he was a formidable thorn in the side of the Arians and semi-Arians.

His many enemies did not hesitate to bring charges against him, including one of murder – this last evaporated when, at the trial, Athanasius was able to call in aid the testimony of the man he was supposed to have murdered. His enemies conspired to bring about his death, but thanks to a merciful providence, he survived unscathed, although he suffered much, spending 17 of his 45 years as patriarch in exile. Between 339 and 346 he lived in exile in Rome under the protection of the Pope, Julius I. His defiance of the might of the Roman Empire in the cause of the Truth caused men to say he was ‘Athanasius contra mundum’ – Athanasius against the world. Neither threats, nor bribes, nor the opinion of the men of power prevailed against Athanasius’ faith in Christ and the truth that He was of one substance with the Father. For this Truth, Athanasius risked everything, relying on God to save him if he was, as he thought, the champion of truth.

Despite eating the bitter bread of exile, Athanasius proved a good shepherd to his sheep. A much-beloved pastor, he was also a great theologian. His Life of St. Anthony is the model for all hagiography; his On the Incarnation is one of the defining works on Incarnational theology; his Paschal letter of 367 contains the first list of the canon of the Bible as the Church has received it. It was on his authority that St. Jerome added the Epistle to the Hebrews to his Vulgate; the book had been doubted in the West, but seeing that St. Athanasius accepted it, as the East always had, the Blessed St. Jerome also accepted it.

His writings, like his life, bore witness to the truth that God was made man so that we might become God. He championed the Trinity and his courage ensured that the doctrine triumphed over error. His method of reasoning (taken here from a letter to Serapion (letter 1) is worth illustrating:

let us look at the very tradition, teaching, and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning, which the Lord gave, the Apostles preached, and the Fathers kept. Upon this the Church is founded, and he who should fall away from it would not be a Christian, and should no longer be so called. There is, then, a Trinity, holy and complete, confessed to be God in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, having nothing foreign or external mixed with it, not composed of one that creates and one that is originated, but all creative ; and it is consistent and in nature indivisible, and its activity is one. The Father does all things through the Word in the Holy Spirit. Thus the unity of the holy Trinity is preserved. Thus one God is preached in the Church, “who is over all, and through all, and in all” (Eph 4:6) “Over all”, as Father, as beginning, as fountain; “through all”, through the Word; “in all”, in the Holy Spirit. It is a Trinity not only in name and form of speech, but in truth and actuality. For as the Father is he that is, so also his Word is one that is and God over all. And the Holy Spirit is not without actual existence, but exists and has true being.

St Athanasius, champion of orthodoxy, pray for us!

 

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St Athanasius

02 Saturday May 2015

Posted by John Charmley in Early Church, Faith, Persecution, Saints

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Catholicism, Christianity, Faith, history, Obedience, orthodoxy, St Athanasius

Athanasius

Today is the feast day of the greatest champion of Christian orthodoxy, St Athanasius (c. 296-373) the 20th Patriarch of the See of Alexandria.

He first comes to our notice when Patriarch Alexander observed him playing on the sea shore with some friends. The boys were celebrating Mass and the young Athanasius was taking on the role of the priest, and baptising his peers. Alexander talked with the boy, and saw to it that his desire to serve God would receive fulfilment. As a young priest, Athanasius attended the Council of Nicea in 325 as assistant to the aged Alexander, whose excommunication of Arius had provoked it. The Council agreed that Christ was not ‘created’, but was rather ‘consubstantial’ with the Father. Despite this, within a few years, the Arians had rallied and, after the death of Constantine, secured the support of his sons. Across the Empire bishops hurried to accommodate themselves with the new order, seeking to devise phrases which would allow of a compromise: this Athanasius would not do. As Patriarch of the great See of Alexandria, he was a formidable thorn in the side of the Arians and semi-Arians.

His many enemies did not hesitate to bring charges against him, including one of murder – this last evaporated when, at the trial, Athanasius was able to call in aid the testimony of the man he was supposed to have murdered. His enemies conspired to bring about his death, but thanks to a merciful providence, he survived unscathed, although he suffered much, spending 17 of his 45 years as patriarch in exile. Between 339 and 346 he lived in exile in Rome under the protection of the Pope, Julius I. His defiance of the might of the Roman Empire in the cause of the Truth caused men to say he was ‘Athanasius contra mundum’ – Athanasius against the world. Neither threats, nor bribes, nor the opinion of the men of power prevailed against Athanasius’ faith in Christ and the truth that He was of one substance with the Father.

Despite eating the bitter bread of exile, Athanasius proved a good shepherd to his sheep. A much-beloved pastor, he was also a great theologian. His Life of St. Anthony is the model for all hagiography; his On the Incarnation is one of the defining works on Incarnational theology; his Paschal letter of 367 contains the first list of the canon of the Bible as the Church has received it. It was on his authority that St. Jerome added the Epistle to the Hebrews to his Vulgate; the book had been doubted in the West, but seeing that St. Athanasius accepted it, as the East always had, the Blessed St. Jerome also accepted it.

His writings, like his life, bore witness to the truth that God was made man so that we might become God:

We  are made sons through Him by adoption and grace, as partaking of His Spirit (for ‘as many as received Him,’ he says, ‘to them gave He power to become children of God, even to them that believe on His Name Jn1:12), and therefore also He is the Truth (saying, ‘I am the Truth,’ and in His address to His Father, He said, ‘Sanctify them through Thy Truth, Thy Word is Truth’ Jn 14:6); but we by imitation become virtuous and sons: — therefore not that we might become such as He, did He say ‘that they may be one as We are;’ but that as He, being the Word, is in His own Father, so that we too, taking an exemplar and looking at Him, might become one towards each other in concord and oneness of spirit, nor be at variance as the Corinthians, but mind the same thing, as those five thousand in the Acts (Acts 4: 4, 32), who were as one.

St. Athanasius, Discourses Against Arians, discourse III, Ch 25, p.404-405..

A fearless defender of the True Faith, St. Athanasius came back to his beloved Alexandria in 366 and lived there until his death in 373.

stathanasius

Father,

you raised up St. Athanasius
to be an outstanding defender
of the truth of Christ’s divinity.
By his teaching and protection
may we grow in your knowledge and love.
Grant us this through Our Lord, Jesus Christ, your son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
AMEN.

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Gospel: Divine Mercy Sunday Year A

27 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by John Charmley in Commentaries, Easter, Faith

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Catholic Church, Christianity, Gregory Nazianzus, St Athanasius, St John, St. Cyril

dthomas-b-west

St John 20:19-31

Chrysostom records that it was evening in more than the literal sense, for the disciples’ minds were clouded by grief. Jesus now appears to them, and not even the locked doors can stop him; may it be so with the locked doors of our hearts. His appearance gives us a foretaste of what our resurrected bodies will be like. He stands among them, as Gregory of Nyssa remarks, as God, with, St Cyril tells us, death finally vanquished; His greeting breathes into them the spirit of tranquillity which is the Holy Spirit. St Cyril tells us that the peace He offers is Himself, because He is peace. Irenaeus comments that by showing them the physical marks on His body, He is showing that it really is His body which has risen. Leo the Great comments that the wounds which brought us healing, also bring it to unbelieving hearts. He is truly both human and divine.

Chrysologus comments on how Jesus sends forth the disciples in love on the great commission. They are not, St Cyril remarks, to follow their own will, but that of the Father. Gregory the Great reminds us that the disciples will face great persecution. Gregory of Nazianzus reminds us that the Lord is preparing them to receive the Spirit at Pentecost. The Spirit is the Son’s to give, and, St Athanasius reminds, He gives them the power to remit sins; the powers He gave them then inhere, St Cyprian reminds us, in His Church through the successors of the Apostles.

Gregory the Great tells us that it was our benefit that St Thomas was not present. The Divine Marcy ordained that he would play the part of so many of us and refuse to believe unless he saw for himself. He proves to the disciples and to us that He really was risen in the flesh. St Gregory Nazianzus sees Thomas as the type for all those who want to believe but need to see. St Athanasius points out that Thomas’ doubt leads to one of the most telling confessions of Christ’s divinity – ‘My Lord, my God’. So although all Thomas sees is the flesh, he confesses the divinity through faith. St Leo asks us to take comfort here, for our faith, too, rests on more than the eyes can see. St Cyril comments on the patience Jesus shows with Thomas, that same patience He shows to us all; and He offers us the comfort that those who believe and yet do not see are also blessed.

St Irenaeus comments that John does not need to write everything, but what he writes here is to combat the heresies he foresaw would arise; we are to believe as Thomas did, that He is risen in the flesh and is truly God. If we believe that, we shall come to eternal life in Him

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