The Doctrine of God and Deification in Athanasius of Alexandria

371 Pages·2014·3.12 MB·English

UNIVERZITA KARLOVA V PRAZE
EVANGELICKÁ TEOLOGICKÁ FAKULTA

Dizertačni práce

The Doctrine of God and Deification
in Athanasius of Alexandria:
Relations and Qualities

Doktrína Boha a zbožštění
podle Atanáše Alexandrijského:
vztahy a kvality

Viacheslav V. Lytvynenko

Katedra filosofie
vedoucí doc. Ph.D. Prof. Lenka Karfíková
studijní program Filozofie
studijní obor Filozofie

Praha 2014
Prohlášení

Prohlášuji, že jsem tuto dizertační práci s názvem ‘The Doctrine of God and
Deification in Athanasius of Alexandria: Relations and Qualities’ napsal samostatně
a výhradně s použitím citovaných pramenů.

Souhlasím s tím, aby práce byla zveřejněna pro účely výzkumu a soukromého
studia.

V Praze dne 30.04.2014 …………………………..
Viacheslav V. Lytvynenko

Acknowledgement

I hereby confirm that I have written this doctoral thesis on my own and that I have
not used any other sources than the ones referred to in this thesis.

Permission is granted to use and distribute this work for purposes of research or
private study.

Prague, April 30, 2014 …………………………..
Viacheslav V. Lytvynenko

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Bibliographic Citation
LYTVYNENKO, VIACHESLAV. ‘The Doctrine of God and Deification in
Athanasius of Alexandria: Relations and Qualities’. Ph.D. diss., Charles University
of Prague, Protestant Theological Faculty, 2014.

Summary
This study seeks to interpret Athanasius’ concept of deification in close connection
with his doctrine of God. It asks where Athanasius placed the source of divinity (in
the generic essence or the Father?), in which way he used the Nicene homoousios
formula, and what he meant by arguing that the Son was equally divine with the
Father. It asks further how Athanasius’ understanding of God affected the way he
described salvation as deification and related three major soteriological aspects to
each other: relational, ontological, and juridical. To answer these questions, this
thesis examines the way Athanasius responded to the pagan worldview (in his early
treatise Contra Gentes―De Incarnatione) and the Arian thought (mainly in his
Orationes Contra Arianos and several other later writings). It observes that
Athanasius’ understanding of God was in sharp contrast to Arius’ theology, and that
his interpretation of the homoousios formula makes most sense in the context of his
anti-Arian arguments. It comes to the conclusion that Athanasius’ understanding of
the Father-Son relationship led him to consider incarnation and crucifixion within
the relational framework. In this framework the qualities of godlikeness (whether
ontological or juridical) are tied to the way God gives us himself and restores us to
the original state of relationship with him.

Keywords
Deification, Arian controversy, homoousios, Trinity, incarnation, relational,
ontological, and juridical aspects of salvation, Platonism, Irenaeus, Origen, sonship,
adoption, love, delight, Antony the Great.

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Bibliografická citace
LYTVYNENKO, VIACHESLAV. The Doctrine of God and Deification in
Athanasius of Alexandria: Relations and Qualities. Praha, 2014. Dizertační práce.
Univerzita Karlova, Evangelická teologická fakulta. Vedoucí práce:
doc. Ph.D. Lenka Karfíková.

Anotace
V této práci se snažíme vyložit Atanášův koncept zbožštění v úzkém vztahu
s jeho doktrínou Boha. Zabýváme se otázkou, v čem Atanáš viděl zdroj božství
(v obecné podstatě nebo v Otci?), jakým způsobem použil nicejskou formulaci
soupodstatnosti a co měl na mysli svou argumentací, že Syn byl stejné božské
podstaty jako Otec. Dále zkoumáme, jak Atanášovo chápání Boha ovlivnilo jeho
popis spasení jako zbožštění a jakým způsobem usouvztažnil tři hlavní
soteriologické aspekty: vztahový, ontologický a právní. Odpověď
na tyto otázky hledáme v přezkoumání Atanášovy reakce na pohanský světonázor
(v jeho raném pojednání Contra Gentes–De Incarnatione)
a na ariánské myšlení (především v jeho Orationes Contra Arianos a několika
dalších pozdějších pracích). Sledujeme, jak bylo Atanášovo pojetí Boha
v ostrém kontrastu s Ariovou teologií a že jeho interpretace soupodstatnosti je
nejsrozumitelnější právě v kontextu jeho anti-ariánských argumentů. Docházíme k
závěru, že Atanášovo chápání vztahu Otec-Syn ho přivedlo
k uvažování o vtělení a ukřižování v rámci příbuznosti. Na tomto pozadí jsou
božské vlastnosti (ať už ontologické nebo právní) svázány se způsobem, jakým se
nám Bůh dává a navrací nás do původního stavu příbuznosti s ním.

Klíčová slova
Zbožštění, ariánský spor, soupodstatnost, Trojice, vtělení, vztahové, ontologické
a právnické aspekty spasení, platonismus, Irenej, Origen, synovství, přijetí, láska,
radost, Antonín Veliký.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. 8
List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. 9
Note on the Use of Sources ....................................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER ONE―Introduction ............................................................................................ 17
1.1 Scholarly Views on Athanasius’ Soteriology ....................................................................... 22
1.1.1 Physical View of Deification ................................................................................ 22
1.1.2 Deification and Atonement ................................................................................... 22
1.1.3 Deification as Personal Relationship with God ..................................................... 30
1.2 Terminological Clarifications: Deification, Qualities and Relations ..................................... 36

CHAPTER TWO―Athanasius in the Broader Context ....................................................... 39
2.1 Ancient Notions of Divinity and Deification ....................................................................... 40
2.1.1 Poetic Literature ................................................................................................... 40
2.1.1 Greek Natural Philosophy: Xenophanes ................................................................ 44
2.1.3 Platonic Tradition ................................................................................................. 46
2.1.3.1 Plato ....................................................................................................... 48
2.1.3.2 Philo ...................................................................................................... 54
2.1.3.3 Plotinus .................................................................................................. 64
2.2 Deification in the Scripture ................................................................................................. 73
2.3 Deification in Irenaeus and Origen: Tension of Emphases ................................................... 77
2.3.1 Irenaeus of Lyon ................................................................................................... 79
2.3.1.1 From God as ‘What’ to God as ‘Who’ .................................................... 79
2.3.1.2 The Roles of the Son and Holy Spirit in Deification ............................... 83
2.3.2 Origen of Alexandria ............................................................................................ 88
2.3.2.1 Relations and Qualities: Posing the Question .......................................... 88
2.3.2.2 From the Image to Likeness ................................................................... 94

CHAPTER THREE―God, Man, and Deification in the Contra Gentes and De Incarnatione
Verbi ........................................................................................................................................ 98
3.1 Deification and the Issue of Inconsistency in the Double Treatise ....................................... 98
3.2 Man and Deification in the Contra Gentes ........................................................................ 101
3.2.1 The Original Relationship with God and the Fall ................................................ 101
3.2.2 Pagan Deification: Texts and Analysis ................................................................ 108
3.2.2.1 Texts .................................................................................................... 108
3.2.2.2 Analysis ............................................................................................... 112
3.2.3 Three Primary Ways of Redirecting Man to God ................................................ 116
3.2.3.1 The Soul............................................................................................... 116
3.2.3.2 The Creation ........................................................................................ 117
3.2.3.3 The Scriptures ...................................................................................... 120
3.3 Christ and Deification in the De Incarnatione Verbi .......................................................... 123
3.3.1 From the Process of Redirection to its Accomplishment ..................................... 123
3.3.2 Christ’s Divinity ................................................................................................. 127
3.3.3 Incarnation: The Personal Subject of Christ ........................................................ 134
3.3.4 The Fruits of Salvation ....................................................................................... 143
3.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 150

CHAPTER FOUR―God the Father, Christ, and Deification in Arius’ Letters
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and the Thalia ....................................................................................................................... 152
4.1 Scholarly Opinions about the Arian Dispute: Cosmological and Soteriological
Arguments ........................................................................................................................ 153
4.1.1 Cosmological Approach: The Influence of Later Hellenism, Monotheistic
Tendencies of Judaism and Biblical Exegesis ..................................................... 153
4.1.2 Soteriological Approach ..................................................................................... 158
4.2 God as the Transcendent Being and the Unique Possessor of Divine Qualities
in Arius ............................................................................................................................. 162
4.2.1 Arius’ Letters ..................................................................................................... 162
4.2.2 Fragments of the Thalia ...................................................................................... 167
4.2.2.1 Contra Arianos 1.5-6 ........................................................................... 168
4.2.2.2 De Synodis 15 ...................................................................................... 174
4.2.3 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 181
4.3 The Saviour Who is to be Saved: The Arian Christ, Salvation, and Alexander’s
Response ........................................................................................................................... 184
4.3.1 Christ’s Preeminent and Inferior Status, and the Implications for
Soteriology ......................................................................................................... 185
4.3.2 Alexander’s Response to Arius’ Teaching about God and Salvation ................... 195

CHAPTER FIVE―God and Deification in Athanasius’ Later Writings ........................... 203
5.1 God as Father .................................................................................................................... 204
5.1.1 Starting Points for the Doctrine of God: Modern Discussions ............................. 204
5.1.2 Person versus Essence in the Contra Arianos 1.14-32 ......................................... 210
5.1.2.1 Contra Arianos 1.14-29 ........................................................................ 210
5.1.2.2 Contra Arianos 1.30-4 .......................................................................... 219
5.2 Father and Son .................................................................................................................. 223
5.2.1 metoch, ................................................................................................................. 223
5.2.2 i;dioj .................................................................................................................... 227
5.2.3 cara,( cai,rw( and euvfrone,w .................................................................................. 230
5.3 The Work of the Son ......................................................................................................... 233
5.3.1 Partitive Exegesis: God become Man .................................................................. 233
5.3.2 Deification in the Christian Context: Texts and Analysis .................................... 240
5.3.2.1 Deification and Christ’s Body .............................................................. 241
5.3.2.1.1 Texts ...................................................................................... 241
5.3.2.1.2 Analysis ................................................................................. 243
5.3.2.2 Deification of Men ............................................................................... 246
5.3.2.2.1 Texts ...................................................................................... 246
5.3.2.2.2 Analysis ................................................................................. 251
5.3.2.3 Deification, Sin, and Atonement ........................................................... 253
5.3.2.3.1 Texts ...................................................................................... 253
5.3.2.3.2 Analysis ................................................................................. 254
5.3.2.4 Summary, Questions, and Suggestions ................................................. 255
5.4 The Identity and Deifying Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistulae ad Serapionem .......... 271

CHAPTER SIX―Athanasius’ Spirituality in the Vita Antonii ........................................... 279
6.1 The Problem of Non-Athanasian Elements in the Vita Antonii .......................................... 280
6.1.1 Aspiration for Perfection .................................................................................... 280
6.1.2 Ascetic Firmness: Spiritual Progress and Fight with the Devil ............................ 282
6.1.3 Elements of Impersonal Description of Salvation ................................................ 285
6.2 Scholarly Approach to the Problem of Tensions ................................................................ 286
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6.3 God, Incarnation, and Deification ...................................................................................... 290
6.3.1 Antony as a Theologian: God, Christ, and Incarnation ........................................ 291
6.3.1.1 Apology of Christ’s Divinity against the Pagans ................................... 291
6.3.1.2 Apology of Christ’s Divinity against the Arians ................................... 297
6.3.1.3 Christ’s Divinity in Action: God Does What Man Cannot Do ............... 303
6.3.2 Antony and the Saving Act of God ..................................................................... 310
6.3.2.1 Redemption .......................................................................................... 311
6.3.2.2 Christ’s Victory over the Devil ............................................................. 314
6.3.2.3 Antony as the Exemplar of Deification ................................................. 318

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 329
Tables ..................................................................................................................................... 332
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 336

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LIST OF TABLES

1. Participation in Athanasius’ Writings: metousi,a( me,tocoj( metoch,( mete,cw(
me,qexij( meta,lhmyij( metalamba,nw( koinwni,a( koinwne,w.

2. Love in Athanasius Writings: avga,ph( avgaphto,j( avgapa,w( e;rwj( po,qoj(
filanqrwpi,a( filanqrwpo,j( filanqrw,pwj( filanqrwpeu,w( fi,loj( filo,cristoj(
fi,ltatoj( adamo, benignitas, caritas, diligo, dilectus, deliciae, deliciolae.

3. Delight, Joy, and Gladness in Athanasius’ Writings: cara,( cai,rwn(
proscai,rw( euvfrone,w( euvfrosu,nh( avgalli,asin( exsultatio, gaudium,
oblectamentum, voluptas.

4. Sonship in Athanasius’ Writings: ui`o,j( ui`oqesi,a.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

1. Authors and Works

Albinus (Alcinous), Epit. Albinus, Epitome doctrine platonicae
(Didaskalikos)
Alexander of Alexandria, Urk. Alexander of Alexandria, Urkunden 4b, 14
Alexander of Aphrodisias, Arist. Met. Alexander of Aphrodisias, In Aristotelis
Metaphysica commentaria
Apophthegmata Patrum, AP Apophthegmata Patrum
Aristotle, Metaph. Aristotle, Metaphysica
Categ. Categoriae
De Anima De Anima
NE Ethica Nicomachea
Arius, Urk. Arius, Urkunden 1, 6, 30
Athanasius, CG Athanasius, Contra Gentes
Ap. Const. Apologia ad Constantium
Ap. de Fuga Apologia de fuga sua
Ap. Sec. Apologia secunda
CA Orationes contra Arianos
De Decr. De decretis nicaenae Synodi
De Inc. De Incarnatione verbi
De Sen. Dion. De sententia Dionysii
De Syn. Epistula de Synodis
Ep. Afr. Epistula ad Afros episcopos
Ep. Adelph. Epistula ad Adelphium
Ep. Aeg. Lib. Epistula ad episcopos Aegypti et Libyae
Ep. Enc. Epistula encyclica
Ep. Epic. Epistula ad Epictetum
Ep. fest. Epistulae festales
Ep. Jov. Epistula ad Jovianum
Ep. Mar. Epistula ad Marcellinum
Ep. Max. Epistula ad Maximum
Ep. Ser. Epistulae quattuor ad Serapionem
Exp. Fid. Expositio Fidei
HA Historia Arianorum
Tom. Ant. Tomus ad Antiochenos
VA Vita Antonii
Augustine, Conf. Augustine, Confessiones
Cicero, De Nat. Deor. Cicero, De natura Deorum
Epicurus, Ep. Men. Epicurus, Epistula ad Menoeceum
Epiphanius, Anc. Epiphanius, Ancoratus
Euripides, Andr. Euripides, Andromache
HF Heracles
Hec. Hecuba
Hipp. Hippolytus
Med. Medea
Or. Orestes
Eusebius of Caesarea, Con. Mar. Eusebius of Caesarea, Contra Marcellum
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Gregory Nazianzen, Or. Gregory Nazianzen, Orationes
Gregory of Nyssa, Eun. Gregory of Nyssa, Refutatio confessionis
Eunomii
Hippolytus, Ref. Hippolytus, Refutatio omnium haeresium
Homer, Il. Homer, Ilias
Od. Odyssea
Hymn. Hom. Hymni Homerici
Hymn. Hom. Aph. Hymnus Homericus ad Venerem
Hymn. Hom. Dem. Hymnus Homericus ad Demeter
Hesiod, Erga Hesiod, Erga
Hermias, Hermias, In Platonis Phaedrum Scholia
Herodotus, Hist. Herodotus, Historia
Ignatius of Antioch, Eph. Ignatius of Antioch, Ad Ephesios
Phil. Ad Philadelphenos
Tral. Ad Trallianos
Irenaeus of Lyon, Adu. Haer. Irenaeus of Lyon, Aduersus haereses
Dem. Praed. demonstratio praedicationis apostolicae
John of Damascus, Cap. Ph. Dialectica sive capita philosophica
Justinian (emperor), Ep. Mem. Epistula ad Memnam
Origen, Com. Cant. Origen, Commentarii in Cantica
Canticorum Salomonis
Com. Mt. Commentarii in Matthaeum
Com. Mt. Ser. Commentarii Series in Evangelium Matthaei
Com. Ioh. Commentarii in Ioannem
Com. Rom. Commentarii in epistulam ad Romanos
Cont. Cels. Contra Celsum
De Princ. De principiis
Exh. Ad Mart. Exhortatio ad martyrium
Fragm. in Mt. Fragmenta in Matthaeum
Fragm. in Is. Fragmentum in Isaiae
Hom. Ez. Homiliae in Ezechielem
Hom. Ex. Homiliae in Exodum
Hom. Gen. Homiliae in Genesim
Hom. Lev. Homiliae in Leviticum
Orat. De Oratione
Philo, Abr. Philo, De Abrahamo
Aet. De aeternitate mundi
Cher. De Cherubim
Det. Quod deterius potiori insidiari soleat
Ebr. De ebrietate
Fug. De fuga et inventione
Leg. All Legum allegoriae
Migr. De migratione Abrahami
Mos. De vita Mosis
Mut. De mutatione nominum
Opif. De opificio mundi
Plant. De plantatione
Post. De posteritate Caini
Praem. De praemiis et poenis
Prob. Quod omnis probus liber sit
Spec. Leg. De specialibus legibus
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