Nicene Era
On the Incarnation & Orations Against the Arians
Athanasius of Alexandria · c. 318 – 360
Historical Context
Athanasius served as bishop of Alexandria through five exiles and was the chief defender of the Nicene faith against successive forms of Arianism.
Summary
On the Incarnation argues that only the eternal Word made flesh could heal the corruption of human nature; the Orations Against the Arians defend the consubstantial divinity of the Son and ground salvation in his full deity.
Major Themes
- Consubstantial Son
- Incarnation as salvation
- Deification ('He became man that we might become God')
- Anti-Arian polemic
Important Quotations
“He was made man that we might be made God.”— On the Incarnation 54
Related Timeline Events
Primary Sources
Further Reading
- Khaled Anatolios, Athanasius (Early Church Fathers)
- John Behr, The Nicene Faith