A Christian Hero

Hello blogosphere, it has been quite some time since I have posted; however, today is a special day because my Father has written a compelling article about one of the key theologians of the 4th century called Athanasius. I was inspired to post this article here because this man encapsulates the ethos I wanted for this website, "the road less traveled". 

Enjoy!!

Athanasius – A Great Christian Hero

Wayne Shantz

What is a hero? Most would agree that it is someone who is known for their courage and self-sacrifice in overcoming great obstacles and ultimately emerging victorious.  Sadly today, we don’t have many great examples of heroes and sometimes we need to look to history for such people.

Well, if we go back as far as the 4^th century we do find one such hero in the person of Athanasius.  No, Athanasius was not a powerful monarch or a decorated general but was a pious Bishop from Alexandria. He was one of the pivotal figures during the tumultuous period of the 300’s when Christianity transitioned from being a despised, persecuted fringe movement to gradually becoming the state religion of the Roman Empire after the conversion of Constantine in 312. 

As Bishop of Alexandria for 45 years, Athanasius, more than anyone, was instrumental in defending and establishing the divinity of Christ and ultimately the divine equality of the Christian Trinity.  During the 4^th century the specific idea of orthodox doctrine was still being worked out in the Christian church.  Theological views were still very unformed and unsettled.  Athanasius, in his unwavering commitment, was a crucial architect in formulating solid doctrinal truth that Christianity throughout the world follows today.

In his pursuit of truth, his enemies gave him the nickname “Black Dwarf” and this short, dark-skinned Egyptian Bishop  was exiled for 17 years by 4 different emperors, denounced by ecclesiastical peers, raided by soldiers and openly defamed for his strong beliefs. Yet in the end, his theological enemies were "exiled" from the church's teaching, and it is Athanasius's life and writings that shaped the future of Christian orthodox teaching which now influences over 2.2 billion people worldwide.

To do this Athanasius spent much of his life refuting the ‘Arian’ heresy which taught that Jesus was created and not eternal and co-equal to God. He was a staunch defender of the Nicean Creed and many times in his life it was “Athanasius Contra Mundum” (Athanasius against the world). Because of his dedication, the Christian church has an aligned understanding of the nature of the trinity in which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a triune, eternal divinity.

For us today, Athanasius stands tall as a hero worthy of imitation through his unwillingness to compromise his beliefs, even if it meant losing his job and risking his life and reputation.  Athanasius, by his example, challenges us to personally consider whether we have beliefs that are worth sacrificing our comfort or reputation for while also giving us hope that if we persevere in our convictions we may one day be vindicated.