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Description
Drawn from school, has become one of my favorite figures of the Early Christian Church.

St. Athanasius was the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria during a time when the heretical doctrine of Arianism (a doctrine taught by a bishop named Arius where the Son was lower in status to the Father in the Holy Trinity) was extremely widespread; even though the heresy had been condemned at the First Council of Nicaea, it soon found its way into Christian doctrines. St. Athanasius became Patriarch just as this was all kicking off, and quickly became the foremost defender of Trinitarianism (the Nicaea-affirmed doctrine where all members of the Trinity are co-eternal and equal to each other) against Arianism. His struggles with other major figures of the Christian church and the Roman emperors who subscribed to the Arian heresies led to his five exiles from his see in Alexandria.

Despite this, Athanasius remained steadfast, and continued in his defense of Trinitarianism against Arianism, to the point where, being effectively alone against the world, he was known as "Athanasius Contra Mundum" (Athanasius Against the World). One of his most famous statements reads: "If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world."

Athanasius's efforts would never be in vain, far from it, as after Valens allowed him to return to his post as Patriarch of Alexandria in 364 after his fifth exile, Athanasius got to work fixing all the damage done over the previous few decades, writing books and re-emphasizing the Nicaean view of the Incarnation. Athanasius died peacefully on May 2, 373 after consecrating his successor, one of his very few loyal followers during the Arian controversy, Peter II, as Patriarch of Alexandria. Not long after his death, contemporary theologian Gregory of Nazianzus declared him a "Pillar of the Church."

Today, Trinitarianism is established as the correct form of the Trinity in Christianity, affirming the Nicene Creed, and Arianism has been condemned as a heresy.

Description
Drawn from school, has become one of my favorite figures of the Early Christian Church.

St. Athanasius was the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria during a time when the heretical doctrine of Arianism (a doctrine taught by a bishop named Arius where the Son was lower in status to the Father in the Holy Trinity) was extremely widespread; even though the heresy had been condemned at the First Council of Nicaea, it soon found its way into Christian doctrines. St. Athanasius became Patriarch just as this was all kicking off, and quickly became the foremost defender of Trinitarianism (the Nicaea-affirmed doctrine where all members of the Trinity are co-eternal and equal to each other) against Arianism. His struggles with other major figures of the Christian church and the Roman emperors who subscribed to the Arian heresies led to his five exiles from his see in Alexandria.

Despite this, Athanasius remained steadfast, and continued in his defense of Trinitarianism against Arianism, to the point where, being effectively alone against the world, he was known as "Athanasius Contra Mundum" (Athanasius Against the World). One of his most famous statements reads: "If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world."

Athanasius's efforts would never be in vain, far from it, as after Valens allowed him to return to his post as Patriarch of Alexandria in 364 after his fifth exile, Athanasius got to work fixing all the damage done over the previous few decades, writing books and re-emphasizing the Nicaean view of the Incarnation. Athanasius died peacefully on May 2, 373 after consecrating his successor, one of his very few loyal followers during the Arian controversy, Peter II, as Patriarch of Alexandria. Not long after his death, contemporary theologian Gregory of Nazianzus declared him a "Pillar of the Church."

Today, Trinitarianism is established as the correct form of the Trinity in Christianity, affirming the Nicene Creed, and Arianism has been condemned as a heresy.