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The Classics of Western Spirituality
Athanasius: The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus (CLASSICS OF WESTERN SPIRITUALITY)
"And it seems to me that these words become like a mirror to the persons singing them, so that he might perceive himself and the emotions of his soul, and thus affected, he might recite them. For in fact he who hears the one reading receives the song that is recited as being about him, and either, when he is convicted by his conscience, being pierced, he will repent, or hearing of the hope that resides in God, and of the succor available to believers-how this kind of grace exists for him-he exults and begins to give thanks to God." Athanasius (c. 295-373)
Athanasius was a major figure of 14th-century Christendom. As the Bishop of Alexandria, spiritual master and theologian, he led the Church in its battle against the Arian heresy. Athanasius' The Life of Antony is one of the foremost classics of Christian asceticism. It tells the spiritual story of St. Antony, the founder of Christian monasticism. Written at the request of the desert monks of Egypt to provide "an ideal pattern of the ascetical life," it immediately became astonishingly popular. This work contributed greatly to the establishment of monastic life in Western Christianity. From a literary perspective, it created a new Christian genre for the lives of saints.
The Letter to Marcellinus is an introduction to the spiritual sense of the Psalms. The Psalms are presented as a variety of attitudes which coexist in a truly harmonious and whole sense of prayer.
William A. Clebsch of Stanford University, President of the American Academy of Religion, in his Preface to this volume, says, "This translator's fidelity to the texts ensures that the reader receives in these works Athanasius' meaning, so far as feasible in the order of his thoughts and in the equivalence of his words."
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 357
About the author
Athanasius of Alexandria
398 books340 followersborn perhaps 293
Greek patriarch Saint Athanasius, known as "the Great," of Alexandria led defenders of Christian orthodoxy against Arianism.
An Athanasian follows him, especially in opposition to Arianism.
Christians attributed Athanasian Creed, which dates probably from the fifth century, but people now consider its unknown origin.
People also refer to Athanasius (Arabic: البابا أثناسيوس الرسولي, as the Confessor and the Apostolic, primarily in the Coptic Church; he served as the twentieth bishop. From 8 June 328, his episcopate lasted, but four different Roman emperors ordered him to spend five exiles for 17 years. People consider this renowned theologian, a Father of the Church, the chief of Trinitarianism, and a noted Egyptian of the fourth century.
People remember his role in the conflict. In 325, Athanasius at the age of 27 years played a role in the first council of Nicaea. At the time, he served as a deacon and personal secretary of Alexander, the nineteenth bishop. Constantine I convoked Nicaea in May–August 325 to address the position of Jesus of Nazareth of a distinct substance from the Father.
Three years after Nicæa and upon the repose of Alexander, bishop, he served in June 328 at the age of 30 years as archbishop. He continued to the conflict for the rest of his life, and theological and political struggles engaged him against Constantine and Constantius II, the emperors, and against Eusebius of Nicomedia and other powerful and influential churchmen. He stood as "Athanasius contra Mundum," against the world. Within a few years of his departure, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus called him the "pillar of the Church." All fathers of the Church followed and well regarded his writings in the west and the east. His writings show a rich devotion to the Word, the Son of Man, great pastoral concern, and profound interest in monasticism.
The Roman Catholic Church counts Athanasius and three other doctors, and east labels him the "father." Many Protestants also celebrate him and label him "father of the canon." People venerate Athanasius on feast day, 2 May in west, 15 May in Coptic, and 18 January in the other eastern churches. The Roman Catholic Church, Orient, east, Lutherans, and Anglican communion venerate him.
Greek patriarch Saint Athanasius, known as "the Great," of Alexandria led defenders of Christian orthodoxy against Arianism.
An Athanasian follows him, especially in opposition to Arianism.
Christians attributed Athanasian Creed, which dates probably from the fifth century, but people now consider its unknown origin.
People also refer to Athanasius (Arabic: البابا أثناسيوس الرسولي, as the Confessor and the Apostolic, primarily in the Coptic Church; he served as the twentieth bishop. From 8 June 328, his episcopate lasted, but four different Roman emperors ordered him to spend five exiles for 17 years. People consider this renowned theologian, a Father of the Church, the chief of Trinitarianism, and a noted Egyptian of the fourth century.
People remember his role in the conflict. In 325, Athanasius at the age of 27 years played a role in the first council of Nicaea. At the time, he served as a deacon and personal secretary of Alexander, the nineteenth bishop. Constantine I convoked Nicaea in May–August 325 to address the position of Jesus of Nazareth of a distinct substance from the Father.
Three years after Nicæa and upon the repose of Alexander, bishop, he served in June 328 at the age of 30 years as archbishop. He continued to the conflict for the rest of his life, and theological and political struggles engaged him against Constantine and Constantius II, the emperors, and against Eusebius of Nicomedia and other powerful and influential churchmen. He stood as "Athanasius contra Mundum," against the world. Within a few years of his departure, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus called him the "pillar of the Church." All fathers of the Church followed and well regarded his writings in the west and the east. His writings show a rich devotion to the Word, the Son of Man, great pastoral concern, and profound interest in monasticism.
The Roman Catholic Church counts Athanasius and three other doctors, and east labels him the "father." Many Protestants also celebrate him and label him "father of the canon." People venerate Athanasius on feast day, 2 May in west, 15 May in Coptic, and 18 January in the other eastern churches. The Roman Catholic Church, Orient, east, Lutherans, and Anglican communion venerate him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 12, 2017
I read a number of the Classics of Western Spirituality series for a class years ago and can't at this point remember much about which was which, but I'm pretty sure this was one of the ones I liked best. I'm skimming it in order to review. Overall the series is excellent, written in a clear and interesting way, with excellent notes (including on translation choices), indices, and suggestions for further reading.
Athanasius was the twentieth bishop of Alexandria (328 – 2 May 373). Before this he was an assistant to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria during the First Council of Nicaea. As a theologian he is best known for his opposition to Arianism, the heresy that held that Jesus Christ was begotten by God the Father at a point in time rather than being co-eternal, and is distinct from and is subordinate to the Father. He also wrote on monasticism and pastoral care. He is a Doctor of the Church. He refused to compromise out of political expediency and was exiled several times.
On the Life of Antony quickly became a paradigm for the genre of hagiography. Key traits are "preternatural courage under trial and torment, visions foretelling the manner of death, hints of identity with Christ and of his dying in and with them [the martyrs], direct flight of the soul to heaven, and burial with veneration by fellows in the faith," according the Preface by William A. Clebsch. Antony fought the devil. He quickly exhausted his strength, but by steps learning to rely more and more fully on Christ, becoming abjectly dependent and giving up his own agency (but not his personal identity) to become an agent of the divine. Athanasius called this salvation through deification theopoiesis: being raised by the deity above passion, purged and immaculate.
Athanasius' Letter to Marcellinus concerns the interpretation of the Psalms, which he thought summarized the entire Old Testament in a manner similar to the way in which the Old Testament anticipates the New. The readying of Israel for the Messiah is an allegory for the readying of the human soul for salvation. Athanasius analyzes the various emotional states , crises, joys, and temptations of daily life and explains how the Psalms correspond and soothe different emotional states.
Another influential writing of Athanasius' not included here is On the Incarnation of the Word of God.
Athanasius was the twentieth bishop of Alexandria (328 – 2 May 373). Before this he was an assistant to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria during the First Council of Nicaea. As a theologian he is best known for his opposition to Arianism, the heresy that held that Jesus Christ was begotten by God the Father at a point in time rather than being co-eternal, and is distinct from and is subordinate to the Father. He also wrote on monasticism and pastoral care. He is a Doctor of the Church. He refused to compromise out of political expediency and was exiled several times.
On the Life of Antony quickly became a paradigm for the genre of hagiography. Key traits are "preternatural courage under trial and torment, visions foretelling the manner of death, hints of identity with Christ and of his dying in and with them [the martyrs], direct flight of the soul to heaven, and burial with veneration by fellows in the faith," according the Preface by William A. Clebsch. Antony fought the devil. He quickly exhausted his strength, but by steps learning to rely more and more fully on Christ, becoming abjectly dependent and giving up his own agency (but not his personal identity) to become an agent of the divine. Athanasius called this salvation through deification theopoiesis: being raised by the deity above passion, purged and immaculate.
If it now happened that we were lords of all the earth, and renounced all the earth, that would amount to nothing as compared to the kingdom of heaven.
Athanasius' Letter to Marcellinus concerns the interpretation of the Psalms, which he thought summarized the entire Old Testament in a manner similar to the way in which the Old Testament anticipates the New. The readying of Israel for the Messiah is an allegory for the readying of the human soul for salvation. Athanasius analyzes the various emotional states , crises, joys, and temptations of daily life and explains how the Psalms correspond and soothe different emotional states.
the entire Holy Scripture is a teacher of virtues and of the truths of the faith, while the Book of Psalms possesses somehow the perfect image for the souls' course of life.
Another influential writing of Athanasius' not included here is On the Incarnation of the Word of God.
Even on the cross He did not hide Himself from sight; rather, He made all creation witness to the presence of its Maker.
September 30, 2019
ATHANASIUS (c. 295-373)
The Life of Anthony and the Letter to Marcellinus
My primary interest in reading this book was to compare it to “The Temptation of St. Anthony” composed by Gustave Flaubert in 1874.
Flaubert's version took the author twenty-five years to complete it to perfection.
It is a masterpiece of nineteenth-century literature.
Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in the 4th-century was a spiritual master and theologian.
He composed the “Life of Anthony” like an imaginative narrative based on religious beliefs of the time.
It was apparently quite soon after Anthony's death in 356 that Athanasius complied with a request for more information about the early life and the beginning of his ascetic discipline.
How Anthony was capable of frustrating the stratagems of the foes and how to recognize the apparitions in his cell between angels and demons.
How in later years he pronounced prophecies performed healings and other wonders and finally his death and burial.
Apart from a few likely factual dates, the work is written like an ancient severe religious sermon.
In the same style, he presents his “Letter to Marcellinus” treating mostly the reading and interpretation of the Psalter.
I must admit I prefer Gustave Flaubert's Anthony.
The Life of Anthony and the Letter to Marcellinus
My primary interest in reading this book was to compare it to “The Temptation of St. Anthony” composed by Gustave Flaubert in 1874.
Flaubert's version took the author twenty-five years to complete it to perfection.
It is a masterpiece of nineteenth-century literature.
Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in the 4th-century was a spiritual master and theologian.
He composed the “Life of Anthony” like an imaginative narrative based on religious beliefs of the time.
It was apparently quite soon after Anthony's death in 356 that Athanasius complied with a request for more information about the early life and the beginning of his ascetic discipline.
How Anthony was capable of frustrating the stratagems of the foes and how to recognize the apparitions in his cell between angels and demons.
How in later years he pronounced prophecies performed healings and other wonders and finally his death and burial.
Apart from a few likely factual dates, the work is written like an ancient severe religious sermon.
In the same style, he presents his “Letter to Marcellinus” treating mostly the reading and interpretation of the Psalter.
I must admit I prefer Gustave Flaubert's Anthony.
March 1, 2017
The Life of Antony – a biography of Saint Anthony the Great - was Athanasius’ most widely read work. The book was popular in its own era (the mid fourth century), where it was an important contributing factor to the rise of the monastic ideal in both Western and Eastern Christianity, and in the Middle Ages. Anthony, an uneducated and unassuming man, retreats to the Egyptian desert to embrace a life of prayer and solitude. In the process, he becomes a respected leader of the Christian community for his discipline, his wisdom, and his ability to work miracles. This is a historically important (and much-imitated) text due to its wide ranging and long lasting influence, but also an engaging and entertaining little biography.
My translation also included the Letter to Marcellinus, a short treatise on the use and importance of the psalter in the daily lives of individual Christians. The letter is notable as the only complete surviving Athanasian work dealing exclusively with the interpretation of Scripture.
Overall, a good pair of texts that should appeal to readers with an interest in fourth century Christianity. 3.5 stars, recommended.
My translation also included the Letter to Marcellinus, a short treatise on the use and importance of the psalter in the daily lives of individual Christians. The letter is notable as the only complete surviving Athanasian work dealing exclusively with the interpretation of Scripture.
Overall, a good pair of texts that should appeal to readers with an interest in fourth century Christianity. 3.5 stars, recommended.
December 4, 2009
This is a great, albeit brief, bio of Antony's life before he joined the Johnsons and launched his recording career. Much of the spectacle occurs at the beginning as the devil tempts Antony by dressing in drag and looking fabulous with the "spirit of fornication." Antony is unmoved but caves in a little, I'd say, by purchasing a boutique hairshirt, going on a diet, and working on his snow white complexion by residing in a cave and exfoliating against rocks. There's also a great scorpion and leopard and bull and wolf stampede, each demon-animal "moving according to its form," an observation I found reminiscent of Augustine, though Athanasius preceded him. All in all, this is another excellent book to add to my canon of convincing arguments for humankind's rottenness and the necessity to sever such ties, as Antony did in the desert, which he "filled with discipline." I, too, seek a desert of discipline but cannot shake off my vanity. Some more ink droppings? "Make a beginning daily," urges Antony. "Live as people dying daily," urges Antony as well. Do that and God will "make you famous everywhere." To be played at maximum volume.
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February 13, 2026banger
March 9, 2023
Read for class. The Life of Antony has been a spiritual balm for me in a very difficult time. Christ shines through on every page and how he works through his servants.
March 13, 2023
Read Life of Antony for a class on Athanasius. Fascinating Hagiographical account. Definitely worth recommending or reading again.
We also read Athanasius’ Letter to Marcellinus but we used a different translation than this book, but I am a still counting the book as fully read. This book’s translation of the letter is unfortunately heavily edited and parts are missing. Thus my 4/5 review.
We also read Athanasius’ Letter to Marcellinus but we used a different translation than this book, but I am a still counting the book as fully read. This book’s translation of the letter is unfortunately heavily edited and parts are missing. Thus my 4/5 review.
February 1, 2026
Книгата претставува житие на Свети Антониј Велики, напишано од страна на Св. Атанасиј Александриски, којшто бил негов современик. Инаку, книгата е патоказ за добродетелен живот. Кога би следеле само дел од поуките, човештвото би било почовечко.
August 29, 2022
A strong start for my senior seminar History class "Desert Mothers and Fathers" reading list! Growing up Southern Baptist meant that we didn't chat a lot about saints...and I have apparently been missing OUT! I thought this account was going to be more abstract than it ended up being; I thought most of the book was going to be like the part where the Devil takes the form of a dish and Antony is like 'nah I know it's you, Satan.' But it was actually fascinating advice about spiritual warfare that reminded me of my favorite book of all time: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Demons and angels are discussed in the Bible, but my running theory is that the spiritual world isn't discussed more in it because the people who were putting together the New Testament were trying to dissuade the movement of Gnosticism. I have no clue if that's accurate, but regardless, this account had a lot of advice about spiritually (and physically) fighting demons that was AWESOME.
Antony really said, “And he has not the power over swine, for as it is written in the Gospel, they besought the Lord, saying, 'Let us enter the swine.' But if they had power not even against swine, much less have they any over men formed in the image of God.” Dude says, "Satan doesn't even have power over pigs" and I'm sitting here reading a book assigned for a college class like "AMEN!"
“But no heed must be paid them even if they arouse to prayer, even if they counsel us not to eat at all even though they seem to accuse and cast shame upon us for those things which once they allowed.” <-- I've heard this one before, I think from C.S. Lewis, that demons get us to sin and then turn on us and make us guilty for doing what they were leading us to do in the first place.
“But concerning the Cross, which would you say to be the better, to bear it, when a plot is brought about by wicked men, nor to be in fear of death brought about under any form whatever; or to prate about the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, the plots of Typhon, the flight of Cronos, his eating his children and the slaughter of his father.” <--- the man @the Greek gods
“For that which appears in them is no true light, but they are rather the preludes and likenesses of the fire prepared for the demons who attempt to terrify men with those flames in which they themselves will be burned.” <--- Me: *chef hand emoji*
Antony really said, “And he has not the power over swine, for as it is written in the Gospel, they besought the Lord, saying, 'Let us enter the swine.' But if they had power not even against swine, much less have they any over men formed in the image of God.” Dude says, "Satan doesn't even have power over pigs" and I'm sitting here reading a book assigned for a college class like "AMEN!"
“But no heed must be paid them even if they arouse to prayer, even if they counsel us not to eat at all even though they seem to accuse and cast shame upon us for those things which once they allowed.” <-- I've heard this one before, I think from C.S. Lewis, that demons get us to sin and then turn on us and make us guilty for doing what they were leading us to do in the first place.
“But concerning the Cross, which would you say to be the better, to bear it, when a plot is brought about by wicked men, nor to be in fear of death brought about under any form whatever; or to prate about the wanderings of Osiris and Isis, the plots of Typhon, the flight of Cronos, his eating his children and the slaughter of his father.” <--- the man @the Greek gods
“For that which appears in them is no true light, but they are rather the preludes and likenesses of the fire prepared for the demons who attempt to terrify men with those flames in which they themselves will be burned.” <--- Me: *chef hand emoji*
December 2, 2022
Goodreads says that this was "first published December 31, 356," and I was staring at my screen trying to figure out the typo, and then I just realized I was stupid.
Every time Athanasius started dissing Arianism (not that Arianism) my blood pressure rose. Need to get better at conjuring Antony-level composure. May God help me.
Every time Athanasius started dissing Arianism (not that Arianism) my blood pressure rose. Need to get better at conjuring Antony-level composure. May God help me.
June 15, 2025
Athanasius’ letter on the Psalms is 🔥. One of these days I’ll need to read Life of Antony
March 25, 2023
This is an interesting example of watching a early church father do what a lot of modern church leaders do today - mythologize their experience into an example of the "ideal life" for other Christians. Watching Antony's life through Athanasius is also watching Athanasius' life pasted onto Antony. Athanasius essentially tells us through example how he believes Christian's should live. So apparently I need to go live in a mountain.
Also, there's lots of talk of demons. Like....lots. Athatnasius' would have loved "The Exorcist".
Also, there's lots of talk of demons. Like....lots. Athatnasius' would have loved "The Exorcist".
April 16, 2025
One of those books where the holiness of the person described makes you want to live a holy life also.
March 14, 2021
It's not hard to see why Athanasius' Life of Antony became something of an "instant classic" for centuries to come. Far from being mere biography or history, Athanasius' work seeks to build up and strengthen all who read, even to this day. In many places, the reader enters into a portion of the joy and relief that Antony bestowed on those who visited him in his earthly life. But of course, as Athanasius continually stresses, it is not Antony, but the Savior himself being victorious in Antony in every case. The reader is especially benefitted by pondering the many different ways in which the devil seeks to attack, even if the devil's form in the modern world seems to be quite different than the forms Athanasius describes in Antony's life. But the reader is also taught to spite the devil, who—as Antony often emphasizes—makes himself appear frightening and powerful because he knows that his power has in fact been overthrown by the cross of Christ. Knowing this, the Christian—armed with the Scriptures and the sign of the cross—may easily repel his manifold temptations. In several places, the reader also gets a glimpse into what Athanasius believed were the central points of contention in the Arian controversy.
The Letter to Marcellinus is likewise a helpful aid to the Christian engaged in the daily battle with the devil—or, as Athanasius points out, in each and every situation. The book of Psalms, while containing all that the rest of Scripture contains (such as history, legislation, and prophecy), is unique in that it covers the entire range of human emotions, and teaches the Christian how his soul might be rightly stabilized and ordered in every case. One might hesitate to take up the words of Moses or Jeremiah as if they were his own words, but the Psalms are meant to be taken up by the Christian in just this way. They are also meant to be sung, not simply to delight the ear, but to signify the harmonious ordering of the soul that is achieved by the one who recites them with a faithful heart. Throughout, Athanasius provides a vast overview of which Psalms are appropriate in a variety of circumstances, giving some insight into the piety of the man who remains so influential for every Christian to this day, whether we realize it or not.
The Letter to Marcellinus is likewise a helpful aid to the Christian engaged in the daily battle with the devil—or, as Athanasius points out, in each and every situation. The book of Psalms, while containing all that the rest of Scripture contains (such as history, legislation, and prophecy), is unique in that it covers the entire range of human emotions, and teaches the Christian how his soul might be rightly stabilized and ordered in every case. One might hesitate to take up the words of Moses or Jeremiah as if they were his own words, but the Psalms are meant to be taken up by the Christian in just this way. They are also meant to be sung, not simply to delight the ear, but to signify the harmonious ordering of the soul that is achieved by the one who recites them with a faithful heart. Throughout, Athanasius provides a vast overview of which Psalms are appropriate in a variety of circumstances, giving some insight into the piety of the man who remains so influential for every Christian to this day, whether we realize it or not.
December 20, 2014
I read this initially for his Letter to Marcellinus, which provides a very interesting window into 4th c. interpretation of the Psalms. Athanasius uses the metaphor of a mirror in which we ourselves and our emotions reflected, something Calvin picks up and passes on over a millennium later. The Greek text of the letter is available in PG.
The Life of Antony is…interesting. I have to wonder how much of Antony's opposition to Arianism is Antony's and how much of it belongs to his biographer. A good read, though.
The Life of Antony is…interesting. I have to wonder how much of Antony's opposition to Arianism is Antony's and how much of it belongs to his biographer. A good read, though.
July 26, 2012
Wonderful Classic of Western Spirituality about one of our Fathers of the Church! Have not read from cover to cover, but purchased while taking a course of Historical Foundations of Spirituality.
April 25, 2022
A classic read. Hagiography and spiritual direction from a 4th century Archbishop.
Want to Read
April 21, 2023Already have a copy of this, just need to read it.
February 3, 2025
I only understood like 35% of this book. Ooops.
October 7, 2025
Sort of finished…I read Life of Antony anyways, and I’d definitely recommend!! He’s an exemplar of virtuous living and also has a lot to say about contending with spiritual warfare (and winning!!)
March 26, 2026
The father of monasticism and the original Desert Father. Despite longing only solitude St Anthony ministered to all who came to him as a true father in the faith. To see the life of St Anthony is to see how Theosis plays out in one’s life who is abandoned to God.
November 4, 2017
A collection of two historical classics from one author, The Life of Antony and The Letter to Marcellinus reach out from the 4th century and allow Bishop Athanasius to continue to minister to modern readers. In Life he captures the early father of asceticism and his many battles with demons, as well as his service to the persecuted church and his stand against those wretched Arians. In Letter he shares his deep knowledge of the Psalms and gives advice on how to interpret and engage them. Both works are fascinating in their historical context, helpful in their pastoral goals, and educational in their positive saturation of biblical and theological literacy. 129 pages of helpful introductions, dense and historically distant but understandable content, I recommend to church history plunderers and theological pundits. Happy reading.
July 19, 2024
It is telling that in the middle of contending for Orthodoxy Athanasius made time to write a biography about Antony. That’s how important Antony’s life was. A necessary read to understand the Desert fathers (10.08.22).
Even more enlightening the second time around. All Christians would be helped by this hagiography, but especially Charismatic Christians (and cessationists ;-) ). I found Athanasius' letter to Marcellinus especially helpful as I continue to read and pray the Psalms every 30 days. A great guide as to how to read, pray, and sing the Psalms (the earliest extant handbook for personal and devotional meditation of the Psalms, xiii). Moreover, this letter is "the only surviving complete Athanasian work dealing exclusively with Scripture and its interpretation" (19).
Clebsch calls the Psalms "universal pharmacopoeia of what we might call the 'psalm-balm' (xix).
Favorite quotes from the Life of Antony:
"And in order that we not become negligent, it is good to carefully consider the Apostle's statement: 'I die daily.' For if we so live as people dying daily, we will not commit sin. The point of the saying is this: As we rise daily, let us suppose that we shall not dally survive till evening, and again, as we prepare for sleep, let us consider that we shall not awaken. By its very nature–our life is uncertain, and is meted out daily by providence. If we think this way, and in this way live-daily—we will not sin, nor will we crave anything, nor bear a grudge wow. against anyone, nor will we lay up treasures on earth, but as people who anticipate dying each day we shall be free of possessions, and we shall forgive all things to all people" (45).
"... how is it that he was heard of, though concealed and sitting in a mountain, in Spain and Gaul, and in Rome and Africa, unless it was the God who everywhere makes his men known who also promised this to Antony in the beginning?" (99)
Great quote for those trying to be influencers. Antony was heard of though concealed. Many of us are unheard of though revealing ourselves constantly.
Favorite quotes from the Letter to Marcellinus:
"The Book of the Psalms is like a garden containing things of all these kinds, [from the rest of the Bible] and it sets them to music; but also exhibits things of its own that it gives in song along with them" (102).
In the Psalms we find "the therapy and correction suited for each emotion" (112).
"... the Book of Psalms possesses somehow the perfect image for the souls' course of life" (ibid).
"Thus, as in music there is a plectrum, [pick] so the man becoming himself a stringed instrument and devoting himself completely to the Spirit may obey all his members and emotions, and serve the will of God" (124).
"... I believe that the whole of human existence, both the dispositions of the soul and the movements of the thoughts, have been measured out and encompassed in those very words of the Psalter. And nothing beyond these is found among men" (126). (07.18.24)
Even more enlightening the second time around. All Christians would be helped by this hagiography, but especially Charismatic Christians (and cessationists ;-) ). I found Athanasius' letter to Marcellinus especially helpful as I continue to read and pray the Psalms every 30 days. A great guide as to how to read, pray, and sing the Psalms (the earliest extant handbook for personal and devotional meditation of the Psalms, xiii). Moreover, this letter is "the only surviving complete Athanasian work dealing exclusively with Scripture and its interpretation" (19).
Clebsch calls the Psalms "universal pharmacopoeia of what we might call the 'psalm-balm' (xix).
Favorite quotes from the Life of Antony:
"And in order that we not become negligent, it is good to carefully consider the Apostle's statement: 'I die daily.' For if we so live as people dying daily, we will not commit sin. The point of the saying is this: As we rise daily, let us suppose that we shall not dally survive till evening, and again, as we prepare for sleep, let us consider that we shall not awaken. By its very nature–our life is uncertain, and is meted out daily by providence. If we think this way, and in this way live-daily—we will not sin, nor will we crave anything, nor bear a grudge wow. against anyone, nor will we lay up treasures on earth, but as people who anticipate dying each day we shall be free of possessions, and we shall forgive all things to all people" (45).
"... how is it that he was heard of, though concealed and sitting in a mountain, in Spain and Gaul, and in Rome and Africa, unless it was the God who everywhere makes his men known who also promised this to Antony in the beginning?" (99)
Great quote for those trying to be influencers. Antony was heard of though concealed. Many of us are unheard of though revealing ourselves constantly.
Favorite quotes from the Letter to Marcellinus:
"The Book of the Psalms is like a garden containing things of all these kinds, [from the rest of the Bible] and it sets them to music; but also exhibits things of its own that it gives in song along with them" (102).
In the Psalms we find "the therapy and correction suited for each emotion" (112).
"... the Book of Psalms possesses somehow the perfect image for the souls' course of life" (ibid).
"Thus, as in music there is a plectrum, [pick] so the man becoming himself a stringed instrument and devoting himself completely to the Spirit may obey all his members and emotions, and serve the will of God" (124).
"... I believe that the whole of human existence, both the dispositions of the soul and the movements of the thoughts, have been measured out and encompassed in those very words of the Psalter. And nothing beyond these is found among men" (126). (07.18.24)
February 6, 2022
In choosing to set down The Life of Antony, Athanasius had agendas beyond commemorating a wise monk. The selection of stories and teaching drawn from Antony’s life seem intentionally curated to be an inspiration and guide to holy living—while also undermining heterodox forms of Christianity, like the Arians Athanasius perpetually fought. I wonder, as well, if The Life of Antony is Athanasius's critique of the quickly developing culture among the bishops. Having observed the Council of Nicea and spent years wrangling with bishops whose concerns often seem far removed from spirituality, the principled, simple, and God-captivated life of Antony must have seemed like something from another world—a more holy world. In presenting Antony in this light, Athanasius set forward an idealized vision of the faithful Christian and even a model for Christian leaders.
Athanasius shows that while Antony had a spiritual impulse and desire to pursue God, his maturity depended on two things. First, Antony listened to and took the guidance of the Apostles as recorded in scripture seriously. When he heard the gospel read and learned the Acts account of early Christians giving their wealth to the poor, he did so himself. (31) Second, he followed this act of commitment by humbly seeking out guidance and spiritual wisdom from other Godly teachers. When he found teaching or examples that made sense and aligned with his understanding of scripture, he would incorporate it into his own life and practice. “And having been filled in this manner, He returned to his own place of discipline, from that time gathering the attributes of each [teacher] in himself, and striving to manifest in himself what was best from all.” (33) Here, Athanasius shows quite clearly that the Christian faith does not occur in a vacuum, even for hermits! Christian faith begins with the Apostles' teachings, is formed in obedience to those teachings, and is strengthened and honed under the instruction of wise elders.
A lengthy portion of the biography focuses on Antony’s ascetic practices in the wilderness, particularly his struggles with evil spirits. I found most compelling in these stories that Antony’s posture toward Satan and the power of evil was never a position of fear. Rather than fight back with spectacle or elaborate rituals, Antony simply believed that the completed work of Christ on the cross included the total defeat of Satan. “Since the Lord made his sojourn with us, the enemy is fallen and his powers have diminished.” (52). Rooted in this complete trust in God’s power and authority, Antony would simply dismiss the demons attacking him. In one episode, he spoke to Satan, saying, “You, then, are much to be despised…like a powerless child. From now on you cause me no anxiety, for the Lord is my helper…” (35). This doesn’t mean that Antony didn’t struggle, yet the struggles are not portrayed as fighting against a powerful outside enemy, but instead as fighting against his own pride and risk of falling to temptation. While this spiritual oppression was at times painful, he accepted the discomfort. “Here I am—Antony! I do not run from your blows, for even if you give me more, nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ.” (38). In another case, Antony drew a line in the sand. He was willing to die as a martyr, but he also didn’t accept that the demonic forces assailing him had any power over him. He ended one episode by declaring: “If you have received authority over me, I am prepared to be devoured by you. But if you were sent by demons, waste no time retreating, for I am a servant of Christ.” (70)
As time passed, Antony became famous for both his holiness and manifestations of spiritual power that increasingly accompanied him. People traveled far into the desert to find him and seek his guidance. They even brought their injured and sick to him for healing. Later in his life, there were great crowds. And yet, Athanasius presents Antony as avoiding all self-inflation that might result from these circumstances. “And Antony was neither boastful when he was heeded, nor disgruntled when he was not; rather, he gave thanks to the Lord always.” (73). This was part of the state of equilibrium that he seemed to have achieved. “The state of his soul was…not constricted by grief, nor relaxed by pleasure, nor affected by either laughter or dejection. Moreover, when he saw the crowd, he was not annoyed any more than he was elated…He maintained utter equilibrium.” (42) This graciousness was not only interior for Antony. It shaped his relationship with others. “He was gracious and civil, and his speech was seasoned with divine salt, so that no one resented him—on the contrary, all who came to him rejoiced.” (84) Even as a person of significant influence, he respected those who had been appointed to leadership. “Though the sort of man he was, he honored the rule of the church with extreme care, and he wanted every cleric to be held in higher regard than himself. He felt no shame bowing the head to the bishops and priests; even if a deacon came time for assistance, he discussed the things that were beneficial, and gave place to him in prayer, not being embarrassed to put himself in a position to learn.” (81)
Not only did Athanasius portray Antony as an elevated, spiritual, and gracious soul, but he also pointed out that Antony used his influence not only to elevate others to holiness but also to oppose injustice. “He aided judges, advising them to value justice over everything else, and to fear God, and to realize that by the judgment with which they judged, they themselves would be judged.” (92). In another case, Athanasius uses words that I sincerely wish could be ascribed to Christians today. Antony “lent his support to victims of injustice so avidly, that it was possible to think that he, not the others, was the injured party.” (94)
If Athanasius uses Antony to provide a sketch of the mature Christian life, then this is what we see: A mature and healthy Christian reads and obeys scripture, taking the Apostles' instructions seriously. They exhibit a humble spirit, seeking spiritual wisdom from their elders and applying that insight for personal growth and holiness. They live with a deep trust in God and the completed work of Jesus on the cross that enables them to stand without fear in the face of evil and enables them to sacrifice their life and comfort rather than submitting to evil. To a modern reader, the supernatural elements of the story and Antony’s dramatic struggles with evil spirits make The Life of Antony seem legendary. Yet, for me, the descriptions of his character and demeanor are the real issue. Even these seem deeply idealized and so far beyond the average person. But this only strengthens my suspicion that Athanasius intended this story to be a foil and critique of the bishops of his day. To the bishops, The Life of Antony could serve as a challenge to greater holiness and self-sacrifice personally, and also to see their role as shepherds extend beyond souls and salvation to include safety and fair treatment in the world. To the people under the bishops, the book could serve as a measuring rod, giving them a standard to expect from their leaders.
I was most deeply moved learning that this giant of faith continued to see himself as someone who was learning and growing in holiness. Athanasius recorded that Antony taught his monks the following: “Let us take courage and let us always rejoice, like those who are being redeemed.” (63) If someone with such indisputable credentials of spiritual maturity can consider himself merely one who is “being redeemed,” perhaps the rest of us can be exorcised of our driving demons of spiritual accomplishment, trusting Christ’s work within us to be completed in his own good time.
Athanasius shows that while Antony had a spiritual impulse and desire to pursue God, his maturity depended on two things. First, Antony listened to and took the guidance of the Apostles as recorded in scripture seriously. When he heard the gospel read and learned the Acts account of early Christians giving their wealth to the poor, he did so himself. (31) Second, he followed this act of commitment by humbly seeking out guidance and spiritual wisdom from other Godly teachers. When he found teaching or examples that made sense and aligned with his understanding of scripture, he would incorporate it into his own life and practice. “And having been filled in this manner, He returned to his own place of discipline, from that time gathering the attributes of each [teacher] in himself, and striving to manifest in himself what was best from all.” (33) Here, Athanasius shows quite clearly that the Christian faith does not occur in a vacuum, even for hermits! Christian faith begins with the Apostles' teachings, is formed in obedience to those teachings, and is strengthened and honed under the instruction of wise elders.
A lengthy portion of the biography focuses on Antony’s ascetic practices in the wilderness, particularly his struggles with evil spirits. I found most compelling in these stories that Antony’s posture toward Satan and the power of evil was never a position of fear. Rather than fight back with spectacle or elaborate rituals, Antony simply believed that the completed work of Christ on the cross included the total defeat of Satan. “Since the Lord made his sojourn with us, the enemy is fallen and his powers have diminished.” (52). Rooted in this complete trust in God’s power and authority, Antony would simply dismiss the demons attacking him. In one episode, he spoke to Satan, saying, “You, then, are much to be despised…like a powerless child. From now on you cause me no anxiety, for the Lord is my helper…” (35). This doesn’t mean that Antony didn’t struggle, yet the struggles are not portrayed as fighting against a powerful outside enemy, but instead as fighting against his own pride and risk of falling to temptation. While this spiritual oppression was at times painful, he accepted the discomfort. “Here I am—Antony! I do not run from your blows, for even if you give me more, nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ.” (38). In another case, Antony drew a line in the sand. He was willing to die as a martyr, but he also didn’t accept that the demonic forces assailing him had any power over him. He ended one episode by declaring: “If you have received authority over me, I am prepared to be devoured by you. But if you were sent by demons, waste no time retreating, for I am a servant of Christ.” (70)
As time passed, Antony became famous for both his holiness and manifestations of spiritual power that increasingly accompanied him. People traveled far into the desert to find him and seek his guidance. They even brought their injured and sick to him for healing. Later in his life, there were great crowds. And yet, Athanasius presents Antony as avoiding all self-inflation that might result from these circumstances. “And Antony was neither boastful when he was heeded, nor disgruntled when he was not; rather, he gave thanks to the Lord always.” (73). This was part of the state of equilibrium that he seemed to have achieved. “The state of his soul was…not constricted by grief, nor relaxed by pleasure, nor affected by either laughter or dejection. Moreover, when he saw the crowd, he was not annoyed any more than he was elated…He maintained utter equilibrium.” (42) This graciousness was not only interior for Antony. It shaped his relationship with others. “He was gracious and civil, and his speech was seasoned with divine salt, so that no one resented him—on the contrary, all who came to him rejoiced.” (84) Even as a person of significant influence, he respected those who had been appointed to leadership. “Though the sort of man he was, he honored the rule of the church with extreme care, and he wanted every cleric to be held in higher regard than himself. He felt no shame bowing the head to the bishops and priests; even if a deacon came time for assistance, he discussed the things that were beneficial, and gave place to him in prayer, not being embarrassed to put himself in a position to learn.” (81)
Not only did Athanasius portray Antony as an elevated, spiritual, and gracious soul, but he also pointed out that Antony used his influence not only to elevate others to holiness but also to oppose injustice. “He aided judges, advising them to value justice over everything else, and to fear God, and to realize that by the judgment with which they judged, they themselves would be judged.” (92). In another case, Athanasius uses words that I sincerely wish could be ascribed to Christians today. Antony “lent his support to victims of injustice so avidly, that it was possible to think that he, not the others, was the injured party.” (94)
If Athanasius uses Antony to provide a sketch of the mature Christian life, then this is what we see: A mature and healthy Christian reads and obeys scripture, taking the Apostles' instructions seriously. They exhibit a humble spirit, seeking spiritual wisdom from their elders and applying that insight for personal growth and holiness. They live with a deep trust in God and the completed work of Jesus on the cross that enables them to stand without fear in the face of evil and enables them to sacrifice their life and comfort rather than submitting to evil. To a modern reader, the supernatural elements of the story and Antony’s dramatic struggles with evil spirits make The Life of Antony seem legendary. Yet, for me, the descriptions of his character and demeanor are the real issue. Even these seem deeply idealized and so far beyond the average person. But this only strengthens my suspicion that Athanasius intended this story to be a foil and critique of the bishops of his day. To the bishops, The Life of Antony could serve as a challenge to greater holiness and self-sacrifice personally, and also to see their role as shepherds extend beyond souls and salvation to include safety and fair treatment in the world. To the people under the bishops, the book could serve as a measuring rod, giving them a standard to expect from their leaders.
I was most deeply moved learning that this giant of faith continued to see himself as someone who was learning and growing in holiness. Athanasius recorded that Antony taught his monks the following: “Let us take courage and let us always rejoice, like those who are being redeemed.” (63) If someone with such indisputable credentials of spiritual maturity can consider himself merely one who is “being redeemed,” perhaps the rest of us can be exorcised of our driving demons of spiritual accomplishment, trusting Christ’s work within us to be completed in his own good time.
December 8, 2019
Vita Antony: The Ascesis of the Sage and Saint
In the Life of Antony, Athanasius pens a foundational account that would influence the following two millennia of Hagiography, influencing everything from Historia Ecclesiastica to the allegoric Pilgrim's Progress. This third-person narrative was piecemealed together from historical accounts and letters of St. Antony that Athanasius collected after a brief encounter with the monk himself. It details the beginnings of Christian monasticism, the differences between early Christian demonology and pagan Greek daemonology, the contrast between heterodoxy and orthodoxy, and the critical role monastics plan in the health of the church.
One of the more interesting frameworks Athanasius uses is the delineation between a sage and a saint. While Ascetics may look similar on the surface, Athanasius spends quite a bit of the Life of Antony highlighting distinctions between them. The Greek Philosophers, the Persian Sage, the Egyptian Pagan, and the Arian Schismatic are all secular ascetics (here broadly referred to as "Sages") who brandish power they have wrestled from an external divine source. They become an Agent of the god they serve and operate with imbued power. But the Saint, Athanasius argues, is a vessel that reflects the power of God to work miracles; his power is not native to himself. This distinction is slight on the surface, Athanasius argues, but the difference leads the soul to a fundamentally different destination. The source of power is a critical distinction in Bishop Athanasius' mind.
Through this subtle distinction, Athanasius describes how the Arian heresy leads a person down a fundamentally different path across a lifetime; Arianism to self-reliant and self-destructive paganism, and Apostolic Orthodoxy to humility before God and, ultimately, salvation. He never misses an opportunity to draw the line more clearly between the Arian Schismatics and the Orthodox. He outright creates opportunities to articulate his disgust for them to the point of humor.
Even in a book written specifically about a single monk, Athanasius Contra Mundum is readily apparent. He included arguments against the agnostic philosophy of the Stoic & Cynic Greeks, the Pagan Greeks and Egyptians, the Arians, Donatists, and other Schismatics, including a direct refutation of the Stoic philosopher Amun (a Greek ascetic documented by Socrates who had quite the following). He talks specifically about the worship of Osiris, Isis, and theological stories such as the Flight of Kronos. Antony tells the Greek thinkers who come to debate him, "you rely on sophistic word battles" while he relies on the living person of Christ.
Even in the mid 4th century, Saint Athanasius showed a deep reverence for the Necrology of the church up to his day. His subject Antony did as well; he notes that Antony stayed with other saints "until they were perfected" and gave them a proper Christian burial (vice mummification like Egyptian Christians frequently did in the 1-4th centuries). Despite Antony being the first of his kind in many ways, he was not unprecedented. He relied upon those who had already trodden the narrow path before him.
The monk Antony exhibits a strong emphasis on Cristus Victor Soteriology and Theopascitism in his apologetics against the pagan Egyptian and Greeks: "Which is better- to confess a Cross or to attribute acts of adultery and pederasty to those whom you call gods? For what which is stated by us is a signal of courage, and evidence of disdain for death, while your doctrines have to do with incidents of lewdness." While the cross is a morbid symbol for a religion, Antony explains it is an inverse representation that stands for the defeat of death.
Asceticism and isolation did not remove Antony's concern for human affairs but increased it. Athanasius recounts that when Constantine Augustus wrote Antony, he replied urging the Emperor and the other Roman rulers to "not count present realities as great, but rather to consider the coming judgment, and to recognize that Christ alone is the true and eternal ruler. He implored them to be men of human concern, and to give attention to justice and the poor." This lesson of detached passion leading to an increase in one's humanity and compassion is a lesson the West has all but forgotten.
Letter to Marcellinus
Athanasius a critical figure in the development of the New Testament. He was at the Council of Nicaea and utilized the apostolic authority of his position as Bishop of Alexandria to further define the books, which would become the scriptures of the New Testament. In the Letter to Marcellinus, he expounds on his understanding of what scripture is and how the authors intended it to be used, focusing almost exclusively on the Psalms. He writes that the canonizes of the New Testaments viewed the Jewish scriptures "for the same spirit is overall."
While the whole of scripture is critical to read as one, he writes that the Psalms is unique because it contains the full spectrum of human emotions: "I believe that the whole of human existence, both the dispositions of the soul and the movements of the thoughts, have been measured out and encompassed in those very words of the Psalter." It is precisely this "plectrum" of scripture, which enables a pious life across all of its flavors. He writes:
"For in the other books, one hears only what one must do and what one must not do. And one listens to the Prophets so as solely to know the coming of the savior. One turns his attention to the histories based on which he can know the deeds of the kings and saints. But in the Book of Psalms, the one who hears, in addition to learning these things, also comprehends and is taught in it the emotions of the soul, and consequently, on the basis of that which affects him and by which he is constrained, he also is enabled by this book to possess the image deriving from the words."
The Bishop specifically calls out the Gnostic heresy of Fatalism, a close cousin of the 16th-century heresy Unconditional Predestination, that was specifically renounced by the 12 Apostles and thoroughly refuted by ancient church fathers. He writes that some twist the works of Paul out of context to prove the heresy of the Fatalistic Greeks. These Gnostics believed that an individual's nature and subsequent actions are pre-determined before birth, and this idea occasionally tried to enter the church. St. Irenaeus of Lyons (disciple of Polycarp, the disciple of the Apostle John) wrote about this heresy in detail and defended the moral autonomy and agency of the individual man. He writes in Chapter 18, "Should you spy the zeal for evil among those who transgress the law, do not think that the evil is in their very nature, which is what the heretics assert."
Athanasius incorporates Psalms into the everyday liturgy of the Christian. For instance, Chapters 22 and 23 provide instructions for the Sabbath (Saturday) and the Lord's Day (Sunday) and the differences between them. He writes that the Psalms provide "the perfect image for the souls' course through life" and that "through hearing, it teaches not only to disregard passion but also how one must heal passion through speaking and acting."
In the Life of Antony, Athanasius pens a foundational account that would influence the following two millennia of Hagiography, influencing everything from Historia Ecclesiastica to the allegoric Pilgrim's Progress. This third-person narrative was piecemealed together from historical accounts and letters of St. Antony that Athanasius collected after a brief encounter with the monk himself. It details the beginnings of Christian monasticism, the differences between early Christian demonology and pagan Greek daemonology, the contrast between heterodoxy and orthodoxy, and the critical role monastics plan in the health of the church.
One of the more interesting frameworks Athanasius uses is the delineation between a sage and a saint. While Ascetics may look similar on the surface, Athanasius spends quite a bit of the Life of Antony highlighting distinctions between them. The Greek Philosophers, the Persian Sage, the Egyptian Pagan, and the Arian Schismatic are all secular ascetics (here broadly referred to as "Sages") who brandish power they have wrestled from an external divine source. They become an Agent of the god they serve and operate with imbued power. But the Saint, Athanasius argues, is a vessel that reflects the power of God to work miracles; his power is not native to himself. This distinction is slight on the surface, Athanasius argues, but the difference leads the soul to a fundamentally different destination. The source of power is a critical distinction in Bishop Athanasius' mind.
Through this subtle distinction, Athanasius describes how the Arian heresy leads a person down a fundamentally different path across a lifetime; Arianism to self-reliant and self-destructive paganism, and Apostolic Orthodoxy to humility before God and, ultimately, salvation. He never misses an opportunity to draw the line more clearly between the Arian Schismatics and the Orthodox. He outright creates opportunities to articulate his disgust for them to the point of humor.
Even in a book written specifically about a single monk, Athanasius Contra Mundum is readily apparent. He included arguments against the agnostic philosophy of the Stoic & Cynic Greeks, the Pagan Greeks and Egyptians, the Arians, Donatists, and other Schismatics, including a direct refutation of the Stoic philosopher Amun (a Greek ascetic documented by Socrates who had quite the following). He talks specifically about the worship of Osiris, Isis, and theological stories such as the Flight of Kronos. Antony tells the Greek thinkers who come to debate him, "you rely on sophistic word battles" while he relies on the living person of Christ.
Even in the mid 4th century, Saint Athanasius showed a deep reverence for the Necrology of the church up to his day. His subject Antony did as well; he notes that Antony stayed with other saints "until they were perfected" and gave them a proper Christian burial (vice mummification like Egyptian Christians frequently did in the 1-4th centuries). Despite Antony being the first of his kind in many ways, he was not unprecedented. He relied upon those who had already trodden the narrow path before him.
The monk Antony exhibits a strong emphasis on Cristus Victor Soteriology and Theopascitism in his apologetics against the pagan Egyptian and Greeks: "Which is better- to confess a Cross or to attribute acts of adultery and pederasty to those whom you call gods? For what which is stated by us is a signal of courage, and evidence of disdain for death, while your doctrines have to do with incidents of lewdness." While the cross is a morbid symbol for a religion, Antony explains it is an inverse representation that stands for the defeat of death.
Asceticism and isolation did not remove Antony's concern for human affairs but increased it. Athanasius recounts that when Constantine Augustus wrote Antony, he replied urging the Emperor and the other Roman rulers to "not count present realities as great, but rather to consider the coming judgment, and to recognize that Christ alone is the true and eternal ruler. He implored them to be men of human concern, and to give attention to justice and the poor." This lesson of detached passion leading to an increase in one's humanity and compassion is a lesson the West has all but forgotten.
Letter to Marcellinus
Athanasius a critical figure in the development of the New Testament. He was at the Council of Nicaea and utilized the apostolic authority of his position as Bishop of Alexandria to further define the books, which would become the scriptures of the New Testament. In the Letter to Marcellinus, he expounds on his understanding of what scripture is and how the authors intended it to be used, focusing almost exclusively on the Psalms. He writes that the canonizes of the New Testaments viewed the Jewish scriptures "for the same spirit is overall."
While the whole of scripture is critical to read as one, he writes that the Psalms is unique because it contains the full spectrum of human emotions: "I believe that the whole of human existence, both the dispositions of the soul and the movements of the thoughts, have been measured out and encompassed in those very words of the Psalter." It is precisely this "plectrum" of scripture, which enables a pious life across all of its flavors. He writes:
"For in the other books, one hears only what one must do and what one must not do. And one listens to the Prophets so as solely to know the coming of the savior. One turns his attention to the histories based on which he can know the deeds of the kings and saints. But in the Book of Psalms, the one who hears, in addition to learning these things, also comprehends and is taught in it the emotions of the soul, and consequently, on the basis of that which affects him and by which he is constrained, he also is enabled by this book to possess the image deriving from the words."
The Bishop specifically calls out the Gnostic heresy of Fatalism, a close cousin of the 16th-century heresy Unconditional Predestination, that was specifically renounced by the 12 Apostles and thoroughly refuted by ancient church fathers. He writes that some twist the works of Paul out of context to prove the heresy of the Fatalistic Greeks. These Gnostics believed that an individual's nature and subsequent actions are pre-determined before birth, and this idea occasionally tried to enter the church. St. Irenaeus of Lyons (disciple of Polycarp, the disciple of the Apostle John) wrote about this heresy in detail and defended the moral autonomy and agency of the individual man. He writes in Chapter 18, "Should you spy the zeal for evil among those who transgress the law, do not think that the evil is in their very nature, which is what the heretics assert."
Athanasius incorporates Psalms into the everyday liturgy of the Christian. For instance, Chapters 22 and 23 provide instructions for the Sabbath (Saturday) and the Lord's Day (Sunday) and the differences between them. He writes that the Psalms provide "the perfect image for the souls' course through life" and that "through hearing, it teaches not only to disregard passion but also how one must heal passion through speaking and acting."
July 20, 2018
Nothing short of amazing. Everyone should read The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus in addition to Athanasius' Contra Gentes and De Incarnatione Verbi Dei.
November 24, 2022
Always instructive to read books written millennia before your time. While some of us might know about Athanasius book On the Incarnation, it was actually his Life of Antony that was the best-seller in his time and was considered the most influential on succeeding generations, indeed "one of the most influential writings in Christian history" ("Introduction," 3). The Life of Antony was even influential in Augustine's friend group which we learn about in Book 8 of Confessions.
It's a fascinating book. One of the themes is a radical egalitarianism: "[Antony] signals a mode of Christian achievement, an opportunity to join an elite that bars no one on the basis of social pedigree, lack of official membership, or privileged training" (Introduction, 10).
There are a lot of demons in this book, which Antony faces down without fear. One in particular struck me as particularly relevant to our age, of rising Christian nationalism, and also the way evangelical Christians like to tell history with a heavy reliance on "providence." Here's the scene:
"Once a very tall demon appeared in an apparition and had the daring to say, 'I am the Power of God,' and 'I am Providence; what do you wish that I would give you?' But then, especially, I puffed at him, and speaking the name of Christ I made an attempt to strike him. I seemed to have hit home, and at once, with the mention of the name of Christ, this giant figure vanished, along with all his demons" (61). What a powerful illustration of that temptations to baptize our movements with the divine sanction of "Providence," and the remedy--the humble, just, kind, good, crucified and risen Christ. Athanasius's Antony is a stark contrast to a figure like Eusebius's Life of Constantine!
Interesting to see Antony teach that joy is the defense of the soul against demonic attacks: "However, should they discover us rejoicing in the Lord... then seeing the soul safeguarded by such thoughts, they are put to shame and turned away... So if we wish to despise the enemy, let us always contemplate the things that have to do with the Lord, and let the soul always rejoice in hope" (63).
Loved this: "what we have is not skill with words, but faith through love that works for Christ" (89).
Antony "lent his support to victims of injustice so avidly that it was possible ot think that he, not the others, was the injured party" (94).
The Life of Antony gives us a powerful, inspiring example of the Christian life.
Included in this edition also is his Letter to Marcellinus which is a treatise on how to read the Psalms, a great example of Patristic use of the Psalter.
Especially helpful (in The Classics of Western Spirituality edition) were the preface and introduction, giving a great overview of the historical context, the scholarly context, with great footnotes to sources in Patristic scholarship.
It's a fascinating book. One of the themes is a radical egalitarianism: "[Antony] signals a mode of Christian achievement, an opportunity to join an elite that bars no one on the basis of social pedigree, lack of official membership, or privileged training" (Introduction, 10).
There are a lot of demons in this book, which Antony faces down without fear. One in particular struck me as particularly relevant to our age, of rising Christian nationalism, and also the way evangelical Christians like to tell history with a heavy reliance on "providence." Here's the scene:
"Once a very tall demon appeared in an apparition and had the daring to say, 'I am the Power of God,' and 'I am Providence; what do you wish that I would give you?' But then, especially, I puffed at him, and speaking the name of Christ I made an attempt to strike him. I seemed to have hit home, and at once, with the mention of the name of Christ, this giant figure vanished, along with all his demons" (61). What a powerful illustration of that temptations to baptize our movements with the divine sanction of "Providence," and the remedy--the humble, just, kind, good, crucified and risen Christ. Athanasius's Antony is a stark contrast to a figure like Eusebius's Life of Constantine!
Interesting to see Antony teach that joy is the defense of the soul against demonic attacks: "However, should they discover us rejoicing in the Lord... then seeing the soul safeguarded by such thoughts, they are put to shame and turned away... So if we wish to despise the enemy, let us always contemplate the things that have to do with the Lord, and let the soul always rejoice in hope" (63).
Loved this: "what we have is not skill with words, but faith through love that works for Christ" (89).
Antony "lent his support to victims of injustice so avidly that it was possible ot think that he, not the others, was the injured party" (94).
The Life of Antony gives us a powerful, inspiring example of the Christian life.
Included in this edition also is his Letter to Marcellinus which is a treatise on how to read the Psalms, a great example of Patristic use of the Psalter.
Especially helpful (in The Classics of Western Spirituality edition) were the preface and introduction, giving a great overview of the historical context, the scholarly context, with great footnotes to sources in Patristic scholarship.
Read
July 9, 2025Athanasius displays the Triple Cord (prayer, fasting, and almsgiving) as practical through his exposition of the life of Antony. Perhaps never before have I annotated a book so fully! Here I bring to you my highlights:
Antony is a model for the watchful soul, one who is ever in tune with his spiritual strength through the grace of God, and his spiritual weaknesses. He begins his journey to perfection by drawing upon the virtues of others.
"He was sincerely obedient to those men of zeal he visited, and he considered carefully the advantage of zeal in ascetic living that each held in relation to him. He observed the graciousness of one, the eagerness for prayers in another; he took careful note of one's fredom from anger, and the human concern of another. And he paid attention to one while he lived a watchful life, or one who pursued studies, as also he admired one for patience, and another for fastings and sleeping on the ground. The gentleness of one and the long-suffering of yet another he watched closely. He marked, likewise, the piety toward Christ and the mutual love of them all. And having been filled in this manner, he returned to his own place of discipline, from that time gathering the attributes of each in himself, and striving to manifest in himself what was best from all."
His deep ascetical devotion to fasting in order to fortify the spirit against the temptations and weaknesses of the flesh was profound! Through this, however, I had the privilege to explore my perennial question: when is ascetical living excessive or scrupulous? The answer I found, although not a perfect answer by any means, is that fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are good *insofar* as they promote living one's vocation most excellently! For the nursing mother, severe fasting would be a sin, against her body and the child's. For the hermit, it may be a path to grow in holiness! One must evaluate actions not in a vacuum or in isolation, but in the broader context of their call from God. For we do not take up these actions of our own desire for them, but rather, in order to respond faithfully to God.
Immediately upon hearing the instruction in youth to pray without ceasing, he led a life entirely devoted to such a practice of the presence of God. In this, he lived life as an everlasting present moment, "leaving it all on the field, everyday," as a wise man told me. Antony lived every day precisely as though he were to die that very night. Live with no regrets, for real! Let not the sun fall on your sin; make an examination of conscience each night and repent of your evil deeds!
My soul has been greatly fortified by this desert father through whom Christ reclaimed the Desert. The Devil called it before Antony a barren land where he could dwell freely. Now, barren no longer. Christ the Reclaimer!
Antony is a model for the watchful soul, one who is ever in tune with his spiritual strength through the grace of God, and his spiritual weaknesses. He begins his journey to perfection by drawing upon the virtues of others.
"He was sincerely obedient to those men of zeal he visited, and he considered carefully the advantage of zeal in ascetic living that each held in relation to him. He observed the graciousness of one, the eagerness for prayers in another; he took careful note of one's fredom from anger, and the human concern of another. And he paid attention to one while he lived a watchful life, or one who pursued studies, as also he admired one for patience, and another for fastings and sleeping on the ground. The gentleness of one and the long-suffering of yet another he watched closely. He marked, likewise, the piety toward Christ and the mutual love of them all. And having been filled in this manner, he returned to his own place of discipline, from that time gathering the attributes of each in himself, and striving to manifest in himself what was best from all."
His deep ascetical devotion to fasting in order to fortify the spirit against the temptations and weaknesses of the flesh was profound! Through this, however, I had the privilege to explore my perennial question: when is ascetical living excessive or scrupulous? The answer I found, although not a perfect answer by any means, is that fasting, prayer, and almsgiving are good *insofar* as they promote living one's vocation most excellently! For the nursing mother, severe fasting would be a sin, against her body and the child's. For the hermit, it may be a path to grow in holiness! One must evaluate actions not in a vacuum or in isolation, but in the broader context of their call from God. For we do not take up these actions of our own desire for them, but rather, in order to respond faithfully to God.
Immediately upon hearing the instruction in youth to pray without ceasing, he led a life entirely devoted to such a practice of the presence of God. In this, he lived life as an everlasting present moment, "leaving it all on the field, everyday," as a wise man told me. Antony lived every day precisely as though he were to die that very night. Live with no regrets, for real! Let not the sun fall on your sin; make an examination of conscience each night and repent of your evil deeds!
My soul has been greatly fortified by this desert father through whom Christ reclaimed the Desert. The Devil called it before Antony a barren land where he could dwell freely. Now, barren no longer. Christ the Reclaimer!
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October 29, 2025This edition is prefaced by two helpful essays. First, William Clebsch outlines the tropes that made Anthony's story the paradigmatic hagiography for those that came after it: Anthony is eminently "convertible," his life of holiness beginning with a conversion and continuing apace through successive stages of holiness; the devil rises to meet the occasion and becomes more powerful, albeit never successful, in each of his temptations; it is only through faith in Christ that Anthony can withstand these temptations, to the point that Anthony's personality disappears into Christ's; and this is evident from the Christlike works Anthony performs on behalf of others. All of this is to say that this is a story, essentially, of deification, in the vein of Irenaeus's famous remark that Christ became human so that humans might become like Christ.
The author of this tale, of course, was Athanasius, famous for his intellectual battles against the Arians who believed that Jesus was not a divine but a created being. Athanasius's adoption of Irenaeus's itinerary, then, reflects his own clear theological agenda. The anti-Arian screeds that Athanasius puts into Anthony's mouth are perhaps less convincing, for being so obviously polemical, than the saint's lived experience itself, which inspired countless of his contemporaries and centuries' worth of imitators. (Robert Gregg, in the second introduction, remarks that "the monk's isolation has more geographical than social reality," for plenty of pilgrims followed him into the desert for healing and advice.) The sheer fact of what became possible for Anthony is the most eloquent rhetorical argument for the divinity of the Lord he followed.
Anthony was not, in point of fact, a scholar like Athanasius was. As Gregg suggests, Anthony's life was a sign that anyone, no matter their origins, could attain "a mode of Christian attainment" restricted to no one "on the basis of social pedigree, lack of official sponsorship, or privileged training." And what is arguably most original in this work is as far from academic theology as you can get: it's his pragmatic counsel about demons. They are so scary, Anthony says, because ALL they have is fear; if they could damn us through any powers of their own, they'd do so directly, without resorting to the hoopla of horror. And no matter that they can see into our souls or into the future, as indeed they often can; those who ride horses, Anthony says, can report information faster than those who come on foot, but that doesn't make them divine. Indeed, I thought often of the old Spanish proverb as I was rereading Anthony's story: "Más sabe el diablo por viejo, que por diablo." (The devil is wise -- not because he's the devil, but because he's old.)
The author of this tale, of course, was Athanasius, famous for his intellectual battles against the Arians who believed that Jesus was not a divine but a created being. Athanasius's adoption of Irenaeus's itinerary, then, reflects his own clear theological agenda. The anti-Arian screeds that Athanasius puts into Anthony's mouth are perhaps less convincing, for being so obviously polemical, than the saint's lived experience itself, which inspired countless of his contemporaries and centuries' worth of imitators. (Robert Gregg, in the second introduction, remarks that "the monk's isolation has more geographical than social reality," for plenty of pilgrims followed him into the desert for healing and advice.) The sheer fact of what became possible for Anthony is the most eloquent rhetorical argument for the divinity of the Lord he followed.
Anthony was not, in point of fact, a scholar like Athanasius was. As Gregg suggests, Anthony's life was a sign that anyone, no matter their origins, could attain "a mode of Christian attainment" restricted to no one "on the basis of social pedigree, lack of official sponsorship, or privileged training." And what is arguably most original in this work is as far from academic theology as you can get: it's his pragmatic counsel about demons. They are so scary, Anthony says, because ALL they have is fear; if they could damn us through any powers of their own, they'd do so directly, without resorting to the hoopla of horror. And no matter that they can see into our souls or into the future, as indeed they often can; those who ride horses, Anthony says, can report information faster than those who come on foot, but that doesn't make them divine. Indeed, I thought often of the old Spanish proverb as I was rereading Anthony's story: "Más sabe el diablo por viejo, que por diablo." (The devil is wise -- not because he's the devil, but because he's old.)
June 18, 2025
The Life of Antony
One of the earliest biographies of a great saint, the eastern ascetic Antony of the Desert, who was moved, upon hearing the reading in Mass of Matthew 19, to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and enter a hermit's life in the desert. There, he was plagued constantly by demons of every tempting, vicious, and frightening stripe. Resisting them with an implacable spirit of calm and good cheer, Antony became famous - a wise teacher of the Faith sought by multitudes, a healer of exceptional power, a model of growth in holiness. And so he moved even further away, to the interior of a beautiful mountain where he made his home for the rest of his long life. Eventually, the hurting and the vulnerable and the lovers of knowledge found him there, and the ebb and flow between his engagement with the world and his removal back into solitude make for a fascinating study in the branching road of sanctification.
This moving biography was written by St. Athanasius, himself a wise and holy teacher of the Faith, Bishop of Alexandria, and, as Chris Hall once wrote, a theological streetfighter who was a strong voice in rebuking the Arian heresy of the fourth century. I'd never say that Athanasius would dare to put words into the mouth of St. Antony that did not belong there, but let's just say that Antony himself was pretty adamant about the wickedness of the Arians.
The Letter to Marcellinus
I have a hard time with the Psalms (I know, I know, I'm a spiritual midget in the land of giants), but I appreciate St. Athanasius's treatment of them in this letter to his friend. The psalms, he contends, express the totality of human encounter with the divine and encompass the entirety of prayer. Chris Hall once noted that this book "involves hermeneutics (how to read the Psalms well) on a fairly technical level," and the manner in which Athanasius engages with the psalms can be overwhelming on paper. But, if you read between the long lists of psalms and the situations in which they can profitably be used to illuminate the mind and turn the heart toward God (in this particular edition, I am thinking here of pages 113-123, which seem endless when one is caught between those pages with no end in sight!), you will find some truly helpful ways to think about this songs of Scripture.
Overall, this two-book collection by one of the greatest saints and a true doctor of the Church, is a marvelous read and a must-have addition to the library of anyone who wishes to think seriously about spiritual things.
One of the earliest biographies of a great saint, the eastern ascetic Antony of the Desert, who was moved, upon hearing the reading in Mass of Matthew 19, to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and enter a hermit's life in the desert. There, he was plagued constantly by demons of every tempting, vicious, and frightening stripe. Resisting them with an implacable spirit of calm and good cheer, Antony became famous - a wise teacher of the Faith sought by multitudes, a healer of exceptional power, a model of growth in holiness. And so he moved even further away, to the interior of a beautiful mountain where he made his home for the rest of his long life. Eventually, the hurting and the vulnerable and the lovers of knowledge found him there, and the ebb and flow between his engagement with the world and his removal back into solitude make for a fascinating study in the branching road of sanctification.
This moving biography was written by St. Athanasius, himself a wise and holy teacher of the Faith, Bishop of Alexandria, and, as Chris Hall once wrote, a theological streetfighter who was a strong voice in rebuking the Arian heresy of the fourth century. I'd never say that Athanasius would dare to put words into the mouth of St. Antony that did not belong there, but let's just say that Antony himself was pretty adamant about the wickedness of the Arians.
The Letter to Marcellinus
I have a hard time with the Psalms (I know, I know, I'm a spiritual midget in the land of giants), but I appreciate St. Athanasius's treatment of them in this letter to his friend. The psalms, he contends, express the totality of human encounter with the divine and encompass the entirety of prayer. Chris Hall once noted that this book "involves hermeneutics (how to read the Psalms well) on a fairly technical level," and the manner in which Athanasius engages with the psalms can be overwhelming on paper. But, if you read between the long lists of psalms and the situations in which they can profitably be used to illuminate the mind and turn the heart toward God (in this particular edition, I am thinking here of pages 113-123, which seem endless when one is caught between those pages with no end in sight!), you will find some truly helpful ways to think about this songs of Scripture.
Overall, this two-book collection by one of the greatest saints and a true doctor of the Church, is a marvelous read and a must-have addition to the library of anyone who wishes to think seriously about spiritual things.
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