Athanasius, Early Church Father from North Africa

In America, and much of the West, we tend to think of church history as being dominated by white men. Artwork of most early Church fathers depict them as white men, especially Medieval artwork. However, I do think it is interesting, and perhaps even important, to acknowledge that some of the most important, and influential Church fathers were not as depicted in most Western artwork. All early Church fathers were not white men. Many secularists today say that Christianity is a "white man's religion". However, if not for a black man born in 298 AD, Christianity may have been overrun by false teachings.

Athanasius was an archdeacon and a secretary to the bishop of Alexandria and a man that God would use to defend and preserve Biblical truths. Athanasius was described as a short, dark skinned man who was a fierce defender of the Trinity, the teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one God in three divine persons. Shortly after Emperor Constantine changed Christianity from a persecuted religion to an officially sanctioned religion in 313 AD, Arius of Alexandria began to teach that Jesus was a created being, and not an eternal being. Arius taught that there was a time that Jesus did not exist, and that Jesus was God-like, and not actually God in the flesh. “There was a time when [the Son] was not" began to spread thanks to Arius. This teaching became known as Arianism.

Athanasius strongly refuted Arianism and taught that Scripture teaches that there is an eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. Athanasius argued that if Jesus were not fully divine, He would not be able to save mankind. He also said that Jesus has always existed and is equal with the Father, but also distinct from the Father. The same applies to the Holy Spirit.

In 325 AD, a council was called by Emperor Constantine to resolve the issue over the divinity of Jesus. This was known as the Council of Nicaea. The majority agreed with Athanasius, and the Greek word, "homoousious" (which means "of the same substance, nature, or essence”) was introduced. The result of the Council of Nicaea was the Nicene Creed, which declared "the Son to be “begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”

In 328 AD Athanasius became bishop of Alexandria. Arians, and even some bishops that wanted less divisive language than what was used in the Nicene Creed, sought compromise on the issue. However, Athanasius refused to compromise on the issue. He rightly viewed the issue of the Trinity to be one that there can be no compromise on. The Trinity is an issue that is non-negotiable. Athanasius feared that if he compromised on such a vital issue, then the truth could then become victim. There was much opposition against Athanasius, and even Emperor Constantine sided with the Arians. Athanasius did not budge. His stubbornness led to the phrase, Athanasius contra mundum, or “Athanasius against the world.”

Biblical truth prevailed and the Nicene Creed was confirmed at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. Unfortunately, Athanasius died in 373 AD and did not live to see the fruits of his work. However, his work still stands today and is one that Orthodox Christians worldwide affirm. The heresy of Arianism still exists today, however, with Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, but one has to wonder where Christian teaching would be without this short African man who stood firm for Biblical truth and the divinity of the Son.