Without a Christological doctrine of creation, incarnation, and salvation, Christ’s work will not be incomprehensible, but Christ Himself will be blasphemed. Athanasius’ commitment to Christ as beginning and end of all things directed him to thoroughly reflect on creation and redemption, considering it as one divine work. Throughout his writings, Athanasius attempts to authenticate the one essence of God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - in order that the heresies may apprehend God’s triune nature.
Athanasius’ writing was designed to be a defense against views that contradicted his belief of the Trinity. Athanasius, in a brief section from Discourse Against the Arians, identifies the Arians ignorance to who God is as evinced…show more content… Athanasius meditates on the Word becoming man and His divine appearing in bodily form, arguing that it was man’s transgressions that caused the Word to take human form, for the incorruptible was made corruptible. Sin was dehumanizing; thus, causing humanity to become blind towards their Creator in pursuit of the world. Though Athanasius notes that who created the world and all of mankind became responsible for its re-creation. Within this, Athanasius presents the themes of relationship and worship, posing the question, why should God have made them, if His intention was not for them to know Him? Man was created in the Image of God, merely brought into existence to know, love, and worship God; thereby, the Word took on a body capable of death to face man’s ingrained corruption for the sake of all. Death could not imprison Christ, for He was immortal, and emerged victorious, obtaining incorruption for all through His resurrection. Athanasius concludes the incarnation freely gave Christians life…show more content… 79). Who had a bodily birth from a virgin alone? What king ever reigned victorious over his enemies before he could speak? Who was pierced upon a tree, and by a cross brought salvation for all? None but Jesus Christ fulfilled these prophecies, and Athanasius seeks to affirm God’s triune nature, which has been made
