Athanasius: Crusader of proper Christology

exploring the mighty work of a short life

Since Christmastime is here once more, I figured that I’d write about a church saint who championed a proper view of Christ’s divinity and humanity, so that perhaps it can be mulled over in the Advent season that is now wonderfully upon us again.

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A brief overview

Very little is know of Athanasius’ early life. It seems that his parents were not Christians, and that he was born around 295-299 CE in Alexandria, Egypt. At some point, however, Athanasius and his mother were baptised into the faith and discipled by Bishop Alexander, “who educated him with gentleness in every art. [Athanasius] memorized the gospels and read the divine scriptures and when he was mature, Alexander ordained him a deacon…”¹

Athanasisus’ attendance to the Nicene Council with Bishop Alexander by the time he was a young deacon would shape his theology, and he would defend it strongly for the rest of his life, something that would lead to his later exiles.²