Athanasius of Alexandria

Born circa 295; died May 2, 373. Church leader and theologian; bishop of Alexandria from 328.

Athanasius was an active opponent of Arianism; during the struggle against Arianism he developed the mystical doctrine of “consubstantiality” of god the father and god the son, which was made dogma at the first (325) and second (381) ecumenical councils. (However, Athanasius is not the author of the Creed, which was ascribed to him.) He glorified asceticism as an ideal of religious life. He was the author of the Life of St. Antony. Depending on the support of the monks, he defended the independence of the Church of Alexandria, for which the emperors deposed and exiled him five times in the period 335–65.