Saint Athanasius

Description

PRODUCT INCLUDES: 45 mp3 audio files, 10 pdf files: slide notes, map, original writings, and timeline or 6 CDs

DESCRIPTION: St. Athanasius the Great is the first Doctor of the Church. It is arguable that no other saint (outside the Apostolic Age) has had a greater influence upon our understanding of the mysteries of the Holy Trinity and Incarnation. He is known as the Apostle of the Holy Trinity, Doctor of the Incarnation, Champion of Orthodoxy and Defender of Truth. He helped fashion the Nicene Creed to defend Catholic orthodoxy against the arch-heresy of Arianism (a denial that Jesus Christ is God). He stood up against mighty emperors and resisted the machinations of heretical bishops and malevolent churchmen. For many years, soldiers scoured the Egyptian deserts hunting him down with an imperial ‘death warrant.’ Nearly every bishop in the world (who formally remained head of his dioceses) signed a condemnation against St. Athanasius, refusing to hold communion with him, and even Pope Liberius [falsely] excommunicated him. As St. Jerome famously wrote, the world groaned in astonishment to find itself Arian and it was Athanasius against the world. Despite his greatness and importance, St. Athanasius remains a largely unknown saint today, ignored or forgotten by many Catholics.

This course informs Catholics about his life, work, writings and also provides an excellent summary of Catholic history in the 4th century. It was a highly tumultuous age and controversial time which had a decisive impact upon the development and growth of the Church. It also contains many parallels resembling our own age.