Michael O'Brien's Reviews > Saint Athanasius: Selected Works and Letters

While probably not well known by many Christians, St. Athanasius is probably the single most influential Christian theologian and thinker who contested the Arian heresy. Had he not done so, it is quite likely that Christianity today would look much different than it does. Arianism was a slow creep back to the polytheism that Christianity was superseding, and St. Athanasius recognized it as such, combatting it doggedly in a series of books, dissertations, and letters contained in this book. I’d love to say that this is a gripping read, but it is not. To be honest, much of it is a plod to get through. Similar to St Ambrose’s writings, there is a tendency either to repeat key points over and over again, or just rephrase them slightly differently. This, along with long run on sentences and paragraphs running on more than half a page, make this a difficult book to get through. However, if you are trying to reach the source code for present day Christian doctrine, then this may be of value to you.

Of all St. Athanasius’ writings, the one in this book I found most enjoyable is his “Life of St. Anthony”. Anthony, through ascetism, prayer, fasting, study, and meditation, emerges as an ordinary man who is transformed by complete submission to God and total abnegation into a sort of Christian Jedi master —- total in tune with a higher spiritual power and holiness that give him the ability to do amazing service and feats in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. It’s an amazing story that all Christians will find inspiring.