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St. Athanasius of Alexandria
Against the Heathen

Against the Heathen

St. Athanasius of Alexandria

1h 40m read

Nicene

Contra Gentes, the first half of Athanasius's early double work (paired with On the Incarnation), showing the emptiness of idolatry and leading the reader toward knowledge of the one God through the Logos.

Table of Contents

1Introduction:--The purpose of the book a vindication of Christian doctrine, and especially of the Cross, against the scoffing objection of Gentiles. The effects of this doctrine its main vindication 2Evil no part of the essential nature of things. The original creation and constitution of man in grace and in the knowledge of God 3The decline of man from the above condition, owing to his absorption in material things 4The gradual abasement of the Soul from Truth to Falsehood by the abuse of her freedom of Choice 5Evil, then consists essentially in the choice of what is lower in preference to what is higher 6False views of the nature of evil: viz., that evil is something in the nature of things, and has substantive existence. (a) Heathen thinkers: (evil resides in matter). Their refutation. (b) Heretical teachers: (Dualism). Refutation from Scripture 7Refutation of dualism from reason. Impossibility of two Gods. The truth as to evil is that which the Church teaches: that it originates, and resides, in the perverted choice of the darkened soul 8The origin of idolatry is similar. The soul, materialised by forgetting God, and engrossed in earthly things, makes them into gods. The race of men descends into a hopeless depth of delusion and superstition 9The various developments of idolatry: worship of the heavenly bodies, the elements, natural objects, fabulous creatures, personified lusts, men living and dead. The case of Antinous, and of the deified Emperors 10Similar human origin of the Greek gods, by decree of Theseus. The process by which mortals became deified 11The deeds of heathen deities, and particularly of Zeus 12Other shameful actions ascribed to heathen deities. All prove that they are but men of former times, and not even good men 13The folly of image worship and its dishonour to art 14Image worship condemned by Scripture 15The details about the gods conveyed in the representations of them by poets and artists shew that they are without life, and that they are not gods, nor even decent men and women 16Heathen arguments in palliation of the above: and (1) 'the poets are responsible for these unedifying tales.' But are the names and existence of the gods any better authenticated? Both stand or fall together. Either the actions must be defended or the deity of the gods given up. And the heroes are not credited with acts inconsistent with their nature, as, on this plea, the gods are 17The truth probably is, that the scandalous tales are true, while the divine attributes ascribed to them are due to the flattery of the poets 18Heathen defence continued. (2) 'The gods are worshipped for having invented the Arts of Life.' But this is a human and natural, not a divine, achievement. And why, on this principle, are not all inventors deified?19The inconsistency of image worship. Arguments in palliation. (1) The divine nature must be expressed in a visible sign. (2) The image a means of supernatural communications to men through angels 20But where does this supposed virtue of the image reside? in the material, or in the form, or in the maker's skill? Untenability of all these views 21The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency, nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image 22The image cannot represent the true form of God, else God would be corruptible 23The variety of idolatrous cults proves that they are false 24The so-called gods of one place are used as victims in another 25Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its prevalence. Its calamitous results 26The moral corruptions of Paganism all admittedly originated with the gods 27The refutation of popular Paganism being taken as conclusive, we come to the higher form of nature-worship. How Nature witnesses to God by the mutual dependence of all her parts, which forbid us to think of any one of them as the supreme God. This shewn at length 28But neither can the cosmic organism be God. For that would make God consist of dissimilar parts, and subject Him to possible dissolution 29The balance of powers in Nature shews that it is not God, either collectively, or in parts 30The soul of man, being intellectual, can know God of itself, if it be true to its own nature 31Proof of the existence of the rational soul. (1) Difference of man from the brutes. (2) Man's power of objective thought. Thought is to sense as the musician to his instrument. The phenomena of dreams bear this out 32(3) The body cannot originate such phenomena; and in fact the action of the rational soul is seen in its over-ruling the instincts of the bodily organs 33§33. The soul immortal. Proved by (1) its being distinct from the body, (2) its being the source of motion, (3) its power to go beyond the body in imagination and thought 34§34. The soul, then, if only it get rid of the stains of sin is able to know God directly, its own rational nature imaging back the Word of God, after whose image it was created. But even if it cannot pierce the cloud which sin draws over its vision, it is confronted by the witness of creation to God 35Creation a revelation of God; especially in the order and harmony pervading the whole 36This the more striking, if we consider the opposing forces out of which this order is produced 37The same subject continued 38The Unity of God shewn by the Harmony of the order of Nature 39Impossibility of a plurality of Gods 40The rationality and order of the Universe proves that it is the work of the Reason or Word of God 41The Presence of the Word in nature necessary, not only for its original Creation, but also for its permanence 42This function of the Word described at length 43Three similes to illustrate the Word's relation to the Universe 44The similes applied to the whole Universe, seen and unseen 45Conclusion. Doctrine of Scripture on the subject of Part I 46Doctrine of Scripture on the subject of Part 3 47Necessity of a return to the Word if our corrupt nature is to be restored