ABSTRACT
Athanasius (ca. 295-373) was a Patristic author, bishop of Alexandria, champion of Nicene orthodoxy, and unrelenting opponent of Arianism. He played a prominent role in the development of Christian theology and church order in the fourth century. Known for his depth of knowledge of Scripture, he was involved in the key doctrinal controversies that addressed the nature and person of Christ as well as the relationship of the Son to the Father within the Trinity. In opposition to those who would consider Christ a creature lacking eternal generation, Athanasius defended the full divinity of Christ, especially given the implications of this belief for the salvation of humankind from death and sin.
