Simple reading · Open the interactive atlas

Athanasius defends Nicene faith

Timeline Event · Fourth century

Across multiple exiles, Athanasius insists that the incarnate Son is fully divine and brings humanity into life with God.

People

Primary sources

Athanasius summarizes the incarnation:

Athanasius presents the incarnation as bringing humanity into participation in divine life.

For He was made man that we might be made God.

— St. Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation of the Word (Chapter 54, Section 3), trans. Archibald Robertson

Passage context and translation

Athanasius explains the Incarnation as the divine Word's healing and elevation of human nature. His language of becoming God concerns created humanity's share in divine life, while the Word remains God by nature.

Before the excerpt

by the Word becoming man, the universal Providence has been known, and its Giver and Artificer the very Word of God.

After the excerpt

and He manifested Himself by a body that we might receive the idea of the unseen Father

Robertson translation in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 4; section 54.3 is read with the surrounding account of the Word's incarnation and the promise of immortality.

Sources and further reading

Related records

All records