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On the Incarnation
A universally acknowledged masterpiece of fourth-century patristic theology. As C. S. Lewis observes in his introduction: "When I first opened De Incarnatione I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece, for only a master mind could have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity."
Paperback, 120 pages
Published
June 28th 1977
by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
(first published 318)
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
Jan 18, 2016
Bill Kerwin
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
spirituality,
religion
I was pleased to find On the Incarnation remarkably fresh and engaging, still fierce and still passionate too. Such is rarely the case with works of theology, particularly when orthodoxy has robbed them even of the novelty of heresy, for dry-as-dust disquisitions on settled questions often summon our slumber, not our thoughts. But this work is an exception, for the intellect, honesty, and force of personality of St. Athanasius of Alexandria still blaze like a beacon after more than seventeen hun ...more
What a wonderful book!
I am currently studying and preaching through the Gospel of John, and have given 35 sermons on the gospel that clearly declares the deity of Jesus Christ. After seeing a couple of my GR friends had read or reading this (Nick and Bill), I thought that this little book would fit perfectly into my personal study of the fourth gospel.
On the whole, Anathasius does an admirable job of explaining why God had to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth so that sinful man could be redee ...more
I am currently studying and preaching through the Gospel of John, and have given 35 sermons on the gospel that clearly declares the deity of Jesus Christ. After seeing a couple of my GR friends had read or reading this (Nick and Bill), I thought that this little book would fit perfectly into my personal study of the fourth gospel.
On the whole, Anathasius does an admirable job of explaining why God had to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth so that sinful man could be redee ...more
Am I giving this extra stars because it was written in the 4th century and thus, getting some sort of extra credit for a very readable translation? Perhaps.
But it is what it is and what it is, is this: a simple, wonderful, foundational, Biblically-doctrinal book of great importance.
Easy to read.
Thick with Biblical truth.
Glorifies Christ in the highest.
I read this at the same time as Advent and I can't think of a better book to read during the holidays.
There is a lot of books that Christians sho ...more
But it is what it is and what it is, is this: a simple, wonderful, foundational, Biblically-doctrinal book of great importance.
Easy to read.
Thick with Biblical truth.
Glorifies Christ in the highest.
I read this at the same time as Advent and I can't think of a better book to read during the holidays.
There is a lot of books that Christians sho ...more
I read this book with others in a lunchtime discussion group. Our meetings were led by a local Orthodox minister.
This book, at first glance, is easier to read than you might expect. The sentences (a translation from Greek) are in simple structures. The vocabulary is fairly ordinary, and the chapters are short - but the content goes much, much deeper.
This book is a logical, reasoned proof for the incarnation of the Creator God in the person of Jesus Christ. Athanasius moves through the objections ...more
This book, at first glance, is easier to read than you might expect. The sentences (a translation from Greek) are in simple structures. The vocabulary is fairly ordinary, and the chapters are short - but the content goes much, much deeper.
This book is a logical, reasoned proof for the incarnation of the Creator God in the person of Jesus Christ. Athanasius moves through the objections ...more
C. S. Lewis had it right in his introduction to this spiritual classic dating from the 4th century. He pointed out how our fear causes us to shy away from reading these classics directly and instead we read commentaries on them and what other people "think" they mean. According to Lewis, "It has always therefore been one of my main endeavours as a teacher to persuade the young that firsthand knowledge is not only more worth acquiring than secondhand knowledge, but is usually much easier and more
...more
Outstanding! Athanasius wrote "On the Incarnation" to explain why Christ became a human (thus,it was the earliest writing we have soley dedicated to answer this question - it is like Anselm's "Cur Deo Homo" but about 700 years earlier!). Athansius explains that humans fell into death, through sin, because of the deception of the devil. God, who loves humankind, could not idly sit by and watch His creation crumble and be subject to the bondage of death so He sent His son, to become a human, and t
...more
It's frankly embarrassing to admit how little I've read from the Patristics directly. This is the first time I've read Athanasius, "On the Incarnation," and wow, what have I been doing with my life??
What I found most striking about this little work is clear Athanasius is. Somehow, I've been led to believe that the early Church Fathers are too cryptic and mysterious for modern readers to understand (I don't know where I got that idea, so there's no one to blame but myself), but Athanasius writes ...more
What I found most striking about this little work is clear Athanasius is. Somehow, I've been led to believe that the early Church Fathers are too cryptic and mysterious for modern readers to understand (I don't know where I got that idea, so there's no one to blame but myself), but Athanasius writes ...more
To begin: the introduction by C.S. Lewis is fantastic! Google "cslewis introduction of on the incarnation" to read it yourself. You'll read the famous quote, "The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books."
But I loved this one, too: "I believe that many who find that "nothing happens" when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are wor ...more
But I loved this one, too: "I believe that many who find that "nothing happens" when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are wor ...more
I cannot speak highly enough of this great work on the Incarnation of Christ. The doctrine and the mystery of Word become flesh, God become man, and Creator taking the form of His creation to restore it unto Himself is presented by Athanasius in a form that is short, direct, and overflowing with insight conveyed in simple language.
"Now, Macarius, true lover of Christ, we must take a step further in the faith of our holy religion, and consider also the Word's becoming Man and His divine Appearin ...more
"Now, Macarius, true lover of Christ, we must take a step further in the faith of our holy religion, and consider also the Word's becoming Man and His divine Appearin ...more
An early apologetic on the divinity of Christ, written in the 4th century by St. Athanasius around the time of the Arian controversy. My favorite section in this book was the refutation of the Jews and the Gentiles (the part labeled "skip if you want" -- don't skip it!), as it sheds some light on early objections to Christianity - some which are the same as today, some which are no longer raised. It helped me see the continuing relevance of Christ, from the 4th century (and before) until now. Ev
...more
I think this is my third time through but Athanasius never ceases to amaze with his clarity and pinpoint theology of why the Incarnation was necessary. His prose bleeds with passion to express the love of God for humanity and swaggers with a confidence in the Christian hope that is so shocking in its purity that it breezes over the hurdles of cynicism that we have placed unawares.
Not to mention C. S. Lewis's introduction. I have dedicated my life to "reading old books" but he makes me want to r ...more
Not to mention C. S. Lewis's introduction. I have dedicated my life to "reading old books" but he makes me want to r ...more
Frankly, for a C. S. Lewis fan, this was edition was worth buying just for his introduction. His essay expounds on the difficulties of approaching ancient texts generally with his customary acuity.
As for Athanasius himself, well, there's no denying that his whole way of thinking and approach to argument are unfamiliar to modern readers. If you want to learn about the Incarnation on your own level, then look elsewhere. But then you risk, as Lewis points out, losing your historic grounding, becomi ...more
As for Athanasius himself, well, there's no denying that his whole way of thinking and approach to argument are unfamiliar to modern readers. If you want to learn about the Incarnation on your own level, then look elsewhere. But then you risk, as Lewis points out, losing your historic grounding, becomi ...more
Jan 04, 2011
Dan Glover
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
bible-commentary,
theology-church-discipleship
C.S. Lewis's introductory essay on the reading of old books is excellent and worth the price of this little book several times over. I have read this essay several times over the years and it just keeps getting truer.
As for De Incarnatione, it was very good and one is glad of the gift God gave the church in St. Athanasius at just the right time to defend the deity of Christ and thereby a robust view of the Trinity. It is repetitive, however, but this is fitting for someone who repeatedly had to ...more
As for De Incarnatione, it was very good and one is glad of the gift God gave the church in St. Athanasius at just the right time to defend the deity of Christ and thereby a robust view of the Trinity. It is repetitive, however, but this is fitting for someone who repeatedly had to ...more
I never expected a work on the incarnation written in the 4th century to be so accessible. I guess a good bit of credit goes to the translator; it felt like I was reading a contemporary author, excepting the arguments that wouldn't necessarily seem pertinent today. I think this should be the first read for anyone wanting to understand the reasoning behind Christ's incarnation. I found a few arguments to have a bit of faulty logic, but as a whole the work is excellent, and paints a vivid picture
...more
A brilliant exposition of why Christ:
1. Has always existed as part of the God-head
2. Is the agent through whom God created the universe
3. Had to be born in the flesh as a man
4. Had to die
5. Had to die on the cross
6. Had to be resurrected
This particular edition includes Athanasius’ letter to his good friend Marcellinus on the importance of the Psalms, and an introduction by CS Lewis which, alone, is worth the price of the book.
"On the Incarnation of the Word of God" should be required reading for ...more
1. Has always existed as part of the God-head
2. Is the agent through whom God created the universe
3. Had to be born in the flesh as a man
4. Had to die
5. Had to die on the cross
6. Had to be resurrected
This particular edition includes Athanasius’ letter to his good friend Marcellinus on the importance of the Psalms, and an introduction by CS Lewis which, alone, is worth the price of the book.
"On the Incarnation of the Word of God" should be required reading for ...more
If you're looking on a little primer about why God became flesh in Jesus Christ, you could do alot worse than this 1700 year old book.
While some of it hasn't aged well (e.g. his anti-Semetic "refutations" of the Jews and Greeks), overall Athanasius succinctly describes the nature of the incarnation.
"He assumed humanity that we might become (like) God. He manifested Himself by means of a body in order that we might perceive the Mind of the unseen Father. he endured shame from men that we might in ...more
While some of it hasn't aged well (e.g. his anti-Semetic "refutations" of the Jews and Greeks), overall Athanasius succinctly describes the nature of the incarnation.
"He assumed humanity that we might become (like) God. He manifested Himself by means of a body in order that we might perceive the Mind of the unseen Father. he endured shame from men that we might in ...more
This was a much easier read than I anticipated. I love how much I was impacted by words written in the 4th century. C.S. Lewis says "only a mastermind could have written so deeply on a subject with such classical simplicity." Thanks Athanasius.
Wonderful.
A vital and central work on understanding the incarnation. A must-read for any pastor thinking through the incarnation— maybe one to repeat every year during Advent.
An amazing book from the brilliant mind of St. Athanasius. His arguments are so clear, and this allows the reader to grasp incredibly profound concepts in the course of a couple of paragraphs.
Athanasius is a careful thinker. He approaches quite logically the questions of why Christ came and in the way that He did and why He died the way He did. One can see arguments and thought patterns that were common in the early church. Athanasius alludes to issues such as docetism, impassibility, the legal aspects of the redemption, etc. Yet he approaches them with a kind of enthusiastic vigour.
Unfortunately this was an older edition. It did show hints of decent research into the original Greek ...more
Unfortunately this was an older edition. It did show hints of decent research into the original Greek ...more
This book suffered far more from my expectation than anything else. It's a wonderful, sound, important work of theology, and does much to cement the early church's steady belief in the deity of Christ. Athanasius does little to suggest his ideas regarding Christ's deity are innovative, new, or even particularly controversial (although they would be in opposing Arius); in fact, he seems to be simply writing a treatise of instruction for Macarius, instructing him in some basic tenets of the faith.
...more
Aug 08, 2011
Jeff
added it
You can't build a theology of the Incarnation without first looking at the New Testament, and early Church documents to understand what they were fighting at the time and why we have formulated the doctrine in such a way today. It definitely was a helpful read, and at times very mystical, and yet at the same time clear for readers to understand. I appreciate Athansius' view of Christ, and helping readers to understand early Christology. The one thing we need to remember is that some of what he s
...more
"And, in a word, the achievements of the Saviour, resulting from his becoming man are of such kind and number, that if one should wish to enumerate them, he may be compared to men who gaze at the expanse of the sea and wish to count its waves. For as one cannot take in the whole of the waves with his eyes, for those which are coming on baffle the sense of him that attempts it; so for him that would take in all the achievements of Christ in the body, it is impossible to take in the whole, even by
...more
Athanasius, a 4th century Christian, wrote this as a long letter to a recent convert in order to help him understand Christ's Incarnation. It is ripe with orthodox Christian doctrine and one of the more powerful sections of the book is how he ties the passage in 1 Cor. 15:55 (O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?) to the martyrdom of the early Christian church. That in Christ's conquest of death He not only provided reconciliation with the Father culminating in eternal li
...more
St Athanasius was born just before the year 300, when Christianity was still a young religion but rapidly expanding. This book is a distillation of that era, giving a fascinating view into the young, energetic, optimistic Christianity, so different from the pseudo-ethnicity that Christianity has become in much of the western world. Athanasius could say: Look for yourself! See the lives of the Christians! See the effect of our religion on society! Compare this with your philosophies and see where
...more
C.S. Lewis got it right: St. Athanasius wrote "so deeply on such a subject with classical simplicity." St. Athanasius lays out the doctrine of the Incarnation (God taking on human flesh in Jesus Christ) very clearly, being easily understood (though I had to reread many parts), while systematically building line upon line. I thoroughly enjoyed absorbing this classic book while letting it ruminate in the recesses of my mind and heart. I will definitely read this again—I doubt I scratched the surfa
...more
مبهر التجسد! وجميل الانبا اثناسيوس!
الكتاب رائع وموضوعه الرئيسي هو اسباب تجسد الله واللي اول مره اعرفها كده اللي هو انا مكنتش مسيحيه ولا ايه يا جدعان :'D
وحط جمبه دفاعه ضد اليهود واليونانين وكانت حاجه حلوه انه ارجع بالزمن واتفرج كانوا بيقولوا ايه والانبا اثناسيوس بيرد عليهم بأيه.. الكتاب رائع واساس يتشرح منه اسباب التجسد اللي تقريبا فيه مؤامره علي انه يتوه مننا ومنبقاش عارفين هو اتجسد ليه، ولا مين العدو الحقيقي اللي هزمه، ولا انه نعرف اللي لينا من ميراث فيه.. طبعا هو صدمني كتير يعني.. بس الصدمات ...more
الكتاب رائع وموضوعه الرئيسي هو اسباب تجسد الله واللي اول مره اعرفها كده اللي هو انا مكنتش مسيحيه ولا ايه يا جدعان :'D
وحط جمبه دفاعه ضد اليهود واليونانين وكانت حاجه حلوه انه ارجع بالزمن واتفرج كانوا بيقولوا ايه والانبا اثناسيوس بيرد عليهم بأيه.. الكتاب رائع واساس يتشرح منه اسباب التجسد اللي تقريبا فيه مؤامره علي انه يتوه مننا ومنبقاش عارفين هو اتجسد ليه، ولا مين العدو الحقيقي اللي هزمه، ولا انه نعرف اللي لينا من ميراث فيه.. طبعا هو صدمني كتير يعني.. بس الصدمات ...more
Read in the Previous Years:
2011 (3-4 November)
This is an excellent, and short, treatise on why God became man. It is not perfect. It seems at some points to treat the Incarnation as reactionary, almost as if God were surprised by our sin and needed to respond to it. But overall, the reasons he gives for why God became man ought to be studied by all Christians. Some would do good to remember that Christ came to do more than simply save us from sin. Others would do equally well to remember that Ch ...more
2011 (3-4 November)
This is an excellent, and short, treatise on why God became man. It is not perfect. It seems at some points to treat the Incarnation as reactionary, almost as if God were surprised by our sin and needed to respond to it. But overall, the reasons he gives for why God became man ought to be studied by all Christians. Some would do good to remember that Christ came to do more than simply save us from sin. Others would do equally well to remember that Ch ...more
This seems to be what Athanasius is famous for among moderns. I suppose it's fair enough. In terms of the book's thesis: Athanasius’s theological vision is Irenaean. He gives a number of basic, Scriptural arguments for Jesus's full humanity/divinity.
Back to the Irenaean paradigm: much of the book is a running eschatology where creation is being renewed--dare we say, renarrated?--around the Person of the En-Fleshed Logos.
This edition has the legendary introduction by Lewis, which is fun. This i ...more
Back to the Irenaean paradigm: much of the book is a running eschatology where creation is being renewed--dare we say, renarrated?--around the Person of the En-Fleshed Logos.
This edition has the legendary introduction by Lewis, which is fun. This i ...more
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Athanasius of Alexandria (Greek: Ἀθανάσιος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Athanásios Alexandrías)(Arabic: البابا أثناسيوس الرسولي) (b. ca. 296-298 – d. 2 May 373), also referred to as St. Athanasius the Great, St. Athanasius I of Alexandria, St Athanasius the Confessor and (primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church) St Athanasius the Apostolic, was the 20th bishop of Alexandria. His episcopate lasted 45 years (c. 8
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“I believe that many who find that "nothing happens" when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand.”
—
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“He, the Life of all, our Lord and Saviour, did not arrange the manner of his own death lest He should seem to be afraid of some other kind. No. He accepted and bore upon the cross a death inflicted by others, and those other His special enemies, a death which to them was supremely terrible and by no means to be faced; and He did this in order that, by destroying even this death, He might Himself be believed to be the Life, and the power of death be recognised as finally annulled. A marvellous and mighty paradox has thus occurred, for the death which they thought to inflict on Him as dishonour and disgrace has become the glorious monument to death's defeat.”
—
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