Epistles of Saint Athanasius the Great with an exposition of faith and teaching about Christ the Savior

Abstract

In the history of Christian theology, Saint Athanasius the Great is known first of all as a confessor of the faith in the consubstantiality of the Son of God with God the Father. However, in his epistles to Serapion, Bishop of Thmuis, he also clearly and openly speaks of the Divinity of the Holy Spirit. In addition, fighting for the purity of faith in the Trinity consubstantial, Saint Athanasius in his works devotes much attention to questions of soteriology. Faith in the Trinity consubstantial is considered by him not as an abstract truth, a consequence of the dialectical subtleties of theological thought, but as the basis of our hope for salvation. The dogmatic teaching of Saint Athanasius is a turning point and the beginning of a new era in the history of dogmas. It is obvious that his theology is based on the Holy Scripture, but it is also closely connected with the development of patristic thought that preceded it. Saint Athanasius is rightly called “the Great” and “the father of Orthodoxy” for his selfless struggle against Arianism and for the influence he had on the development of Orthodox theology. The victory of the Nicene Creed, as well as the triumph of the doctrine of the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son, are largely the fruit of the literary activity and feat of Athanasius the Great. His moral and religious significance in the history of theological thought lies in the fact that he was deeply convinced that in the person of Christ, the perfect God truly appeared on earth. And only He alone could save and recreate man. But it must be admitted that the saint did not leave a systematic exposition of his teaching: it is scattered throughout his various works.