Church History 17 – The Little Black Dwarf

Rachel punts to push back Tophat

Two chapters ago, we saw the Council of Nicea issue Christianity’s first statement of faith.  One person who attended the conference as an administrator for Bishop Alexander, was a guy named Athanasius who according to Gonzalez ‘was so dark and short that his enemies called him, the black dwarf.’  During the end of Constantine’s reign, through the pro-Arian reign on his son Constantius, all the way until Julian ‘the Apostate’ fell dead from a spear wound, the Church was being protected by a dark little man.

No much is known about Athanasius’ early years but he seems to have originated among the Copts in Egypt.  He is thought to have grown up around the monks in the desert who we remember fled the cities once Constantine came to power and royal influence seeped into the church.

Gonzalez: ‘From the monks, Athanasius learned a rigid discipline that he applied to himself, and an austerity that earned him the admiration of his friends and even the respect of many of his enemies. Of all the opponents of Arianism, Athanasius was most to be feared.  The reasons for this were not to be found in subtlety or logical argument, nor in elegance of style, nor even in political perspicuity.  In all these areas, Athanasius could be bested by his opponents.  His strong suit was in his close ties to the people among whom he lived, and in living out his faith without the subtleties of the Arians or the pomp of so many bishops or other important sees.  His monastic discipline, his roots among the people, his fiery spirit, and his profound and unshakable conviction made him invincible.’

Athanasius believed that Jesus Christ was the incarnation of God.  He wrote two books to support his position and taught that God himself came to dwell among us human beings.  When the Arian controversy blew up it was not a little matter for Athanasius.   According to Gonzalez Athanasius believed ‘the very core of the Christian message was at stake.’

When the bishop of Alexandria died, many assumed that Athanasius would be elected bishop.  But like many great bible people who were called by God, Athanasius did not feel like he was up to the task.  So he hid in the desert.

(God to Moses:

‘So get going.  I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.

But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I to go to Pharaoh and to bring the Israelites out of Egypt…but what if they don’t believe me or pay attention to me?...but I have a slow mouth and a thick tongue.’  Exodus 3: 10-11, 4:1, 10 CEB

The Lord to Jeremiah:

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations’

Ah, Sovereign Lord, ‘I said, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’ Jer 1:5-6 CEB)

Reluctantly in the 328AD Athanasius became bishop of Alexandria.  Of course the smooth talking Pro-Arians who lost at Nicea were bent on his downfall.  They brought false charge after false charge against him.  Athanasius stood his ground but eventually Constantine came to believe that he was a danger to his political future.  Constantine had Athanasius put in exile in the city of Trier.  But it was not long after this that Constantine died.  His sons let all the bishops in exile return to their home cities.

But the tranquility did not last very long.  Athanasius would spend much of his time under the reign of Constantius through Julian going in and out of exile.

The next time it was a pro-Arian guy named Gregory who claimed he was the legitimate bishop of Alexandria.  Gregory tried to take the church in Alexandria by force so Athanasius fled once again.  He went to Rome and spent time among the bishops there.  Athanasius convinced the bishops in Rome that the Nicene position was the correct one to take.

When the middle son of Constantine came to power, he allowed Athanasius to return to Alexandria.  Gregory had made a mess of the church and Athanasius was welcomed back with open arms.  He had about a ten year period where he could concentrate on writing and teaching against Arianism. 

In 353AD Constantius, finally rid of his brothers, put his full support behind Arianism.  Many bishops succumbed to the royal pressure and signed documents saying they supported the Emperor’s views.  Some bishops like Athanasius did not bend.  We can guess what happened next, back to desert exile for the little champion of our faith.

Arianism was the deal for the next five years.  Those in lust for power supported it.  Those who did not lived in exile.  In those days, if you hid a little while surely the emperor would die.  Constantius did, and Julian came to power. 

Gonzalez:  ‘Unexpectedly, Constantius died and was succeeded by his cousin Julian.  Since the new emperor has no interest in supporting either side of the controversy, he simply canceled all orders of exile against all bishops.  He was hoping the two parties would weaken each other while he moved forward in his goal of restoring paganism.  One of the consequences of this action was that Athanasius was able to return to Alexandria, where he undertook a much-needed campaign of theological diplomacy.’

During his forty years or so as bishop of Alexandria, Athanasius waited on God’s good time.  He hid when the emperors sent legions after him.  He built advocates through this writing and teaching during these times.  He did not form militias, burn buildings or create his own church.  He stood firm in the faith.  But he also did something else.  He tried to make a way forward for his opponents.  That is, those who were hung up on the substance of the parties of the Trinity.

Gonzalez:  ‘Through a series of negotiations, Athanasius convinced many of these Christians that the formula of Nicea would be interpreted in such as way as to respond to the concerns of those who would rather say, ‘of a similar substance.’  Finally, in a synod gathered in Alexandria in 362 AD, Athanasius and his followers declared that it was acceptable to refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as ‘one substance’ as long as this was not understood as obliterating the distinction among the three, and that it was also legitimate to speak of ‘three substances’ as long as this was not understood as if there were three gods.  On the basis of this understanding, most of the church rallied in support of the Council of Nicea.’

Athanasius stood firm in the face more leadership changes during his final years (Julian, Jovian, Valens).  One emperor would support him and another would not.  He died in 373AD never having seen a fully united church.  However, his life’s work, how he lived, what he wrote and taught, had a major influence on the theologians who would follow.  We owe a great deal of gratitude to the little black man from Alexandria.

Sources:

Justo L. Gonzalez from ‘The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation’

Common English Bible