A Defense of the Nicene Definition

by Athanasius of Alexandria, Bl. John Henry Newman (Translator)

St. Athanasius of Alexandria (298-373), Confessor and Doctor of the Church, was one of the principal architects of the Nicene Creed. He persisted throughout his life, in and out of persecution, in explaining and defending Christ’s divinity and the teachings of the Nicene Council.

In his Defense of the Nicene Definition, Athanasius defends the specific doctrine of the Council of Nicaea that the Father and the Son are “one in substance.” Responding to Arian efforts to show from Scripture that Christ is a created being, Athanasius examines the witness of Isaiah and the Gospels, showing that Christ is an eternal person, because he possesses the same undivided divine substance as the Father.

This translation by Bl. John Henry Newman, one of England’s greatest modern theologians, combines the best of Newman’s extensive scholarship of the Greek language and Early Church and his high mastery of English prose. He provides a clear and accessible entryway into the thought of one of the Church’s greatest and holiest teachers.

Genres: Theology, Church History, Christianity, Christian

82 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

born perhaps 293

Greek patriarch Saint Athanasius, known as "the Great," of Alexandria led defenders of Christian orthodoxy against Arianism.

An Athanasian follows him, especially in opposition to Arianism.

Christians attributed Athanasian Creed, which dates probably from the fifth century, but people now consider its unknown origin.

People also refer to Athanasius (Arabic: البابا أثناسيوس الرسولي, as the Confessor and the Apostolic, primarily in the Coptic Church; he served as the twentieth bishop. From 8 June 328, his episcopate lasted, but four different Roman emperors ordered him to spend five exiles for 17 years. People consider this renowned theologian, a Father of the Church, the chief of Trinitarianism, and a noted Egyptian of the fourth century.

People remember his role in the conflict. In 325, Athanasius at the age of 27 years played a role in the first council of Nicaea. At the time, he served as a deacon and personal secretary of Alexander, the nineteenth bishop. Constantine I convoked Nicaea in May–August 325 to address the position of Jesus of Nazareth of a distinct substance from the Father.

Three years after Nicæa and upon the repose of Alexander, bishop, he served in June 328 at the age of 30 years as archbishop. He continued to the conflict for the rest of his life, and theological and political struggles engaged him against Constantine and Constantius II, the emperors, and against Eusebius of Nicomedia and other powerful and influential churchmen. He stood as "Athanasius contra Mundum," against the world. Within a few years of his departure, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus called him the "pillar of the Church." All fathers of the Church followed and well regarded his writings in the west and the east. His writings show a rich devotion to the Word, the Son of Man, great pastoral concern, and profound interest in monasticism.

The Roman Catholic Church counts Athanasius and three other doctors, and east labels him the "father." Many Protestants also celebrate him and label him "father of the canon." People venerate Athanasius on feast day, 2 May in west, 15 May in Coptic, and 18 January in the other eastern churches. The Roman Catholic Church, Orient, east, Lutherans, and Anglican communion venerate him.

Reviews

[Frank Grobbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seru banget karena berasa kaya baca komenan debat agama di sosmed

[Charles Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in vol. 25 of the Patrologia Graeca.
I found it helpful in terms of explaining and defending some of the language contained in the Nicene Creed surrounding the divinity and eternality of Jesus Christ.
It is also good Greek practice, and the Greek is not too difficult (relatively speaking; it's certainly more challenging than, say, the gospels).

[Will Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into what the Council of Nicaea was addressing. Athanasius explains why the council used words such as “consubstantial” which aren’t found in scripture. These Greek terms were used to address errors stemming from Greek thought. Athanasius treatment of the term “ingenerate” is a case of point of this. The councils aim was orthodoxy and not innovation.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wordy, but helpful to understand what the Nicenes were thinking at the Council of Nicea. I recommend it to those who are wanting to understand Trinitarian theology more. Its a short read (~40pgs), but it can be hard to follow (not in difficulty of concepts, but the wordiness in the translation).

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Literally every theological subject that there is to write about, Athanasius somehow gets on the topic of “Arians are basically atheist because I said so”. It’s literally the 4th century version of “I’m a vegan”.

[Keith Welch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor translation

Athanasius is great and his works are worth reading but this translation is simply not readable. There has to be a better translation out there than this one.

[Chandler Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this work, Athanasius provides a great defense of Nicene Trinitarianism and an argument against Arian understandings of Christ. Athanasius also unpacks his Christological vision of the faith.