St. Athanasius of Alexandria – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom w/ Dr. Matthew Bunson Podcast

Dr. Matthew Bunson discusses the life, times and work of  St. Athanasius of Alexandria

Born: 296 AD, Alexandria, Egypt
Died: May 2, 373 AD, Alexandria, Egypt

For more on St. Athanasius of Alexandria and his teachings

Athanasius 

From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI  General Audience 2007:

Athanasius was undoubtedly one of the most important and revered early Church Fathers. But this great Saint was above all the impassioned theologian of the Incarnation of the Logos, the Word of God who – as the Prologue of the fourth Gospel says – “became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1: 14).

For this very reason Athanasius was also the most important and tenacious adversary of the Arian heresy, which at that time threatened faith in Christ, reduced to a creature “halfway” between God and man, according to a recurring tendency in history which we also see manifested today in various forms.

In all likelihood Athanasius was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in about the year 300 A.D. He received a good education before becoming a deacon and secretary to the Bishop of Alexandria, the great Egyptian metropolis. As a close collaborator of his Bishop, the young cleric took part with him in the Council of Nicaea, the first Ecumenical Council, convoked by the Emperor Constantine in May 325 A.D. to ensure Church unity. The Nicene Fathers were thus able to address various issues and primarily the serious problem that had arisen a few years earlier from the preaching of the Alexandrian priest, Arius.

With his theory, Arius threatened authentic faith in Christ, declaring that the Logos was not a true God but a created God, a creature “halfway” between God and man who hence remained for ever inaccessible to us. The Bishops gathered in Nicaea responded by developing and establishing the “Symbol of faith” [“Creed”] which, completed later at the First Council of Constantinople, has endured in the traditions of various Christian denominations and in the liturgy as the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed.

In this fundamental text – which expresses the faith of the undivided Church and which we also recite today, every Sunday, in the Eucharistic celebration – the Greek term homooúsiosis featured, in Latin consubstantialis: it means that the Son, the Logos, is “of the same substance” as the Father, he is God of God, he is his substance. Thus, the full divinity of the Son, which was denied by the Arians, was brought into the limelight.

For more visit Vatican.va

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

ROF#10 – “Defending Human Life: The Early Church and Abortion” – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

Episode 10 – Defending Human Life: The Early Church and Abortion

Mike Aquilina - Fathers of the Church and so much more... 5

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of Christ we know today. Hosted by Kris McGregor

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book. You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources, as well

Also, visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

ROF#9 – Sexuality, Marriage, Contraception – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

Mike Aquilina - Fathers of the Church and so much more... 5

Episode 9 – Sexuality, Marriage, Contraception

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of  Christ we know today. Hosted by Kris McGregor

 

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book.  You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources as well

ROF#8 – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 8 – The Papacy:  The Apostolic Throne

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of  Christ we know today. Hosted by Kris McGregor

 

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book.  You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources as well

Also visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

ROF#7 – The Clergy – Love’s Earthly Form – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

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Episode 7 – The Clergy: Love’s Earthly Form

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of  Christ we know today.

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book. You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources, as well

Also, visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

ROF#6 – Purgatory:  Love Stronger than Death – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

Mike Aquilina - Fathers of the Church and so much more... 5

Episode 6 – Purgatory:  Love Stronger than Death

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of  Christ we know today.

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book. You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources, as well

Also, visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

ROF#5 – Saints in Heaven “The Stones Cry Out” – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

Mike Aquilina - Fathers of the Church and so much more... 5

Episode 5 – Saints in Heaven – The Stones Cry Out

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of  Christ we know today.

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book. You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources, as well

Also, visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

ROF#4 – From the Scriptures to the Bible – Roots of the Faith with Mike Aquilina

Mike Aquilina - Fathers of the Church and so much more... 5

Episode 4 –  From the Scriptures to the Bible

Roots of the Faith – From the Church Fathers to You with Mike Aquilina, makes clear that just as an acorn grows into a tree and yet remains the same plant, so the Catholic Church is a living organism that has grown from the faith of the earliest Christians into the body of  Christ we know today.

 

Pick up a copy of Mke’s book. You’ll find so much more and invaluable references and resources, as well

Also, visit Mike’s “Discerning Hearts” page for more audio downloads and information!

ST16 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran – The Virginity of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Episode 16 – Seeking Truth with Sharon Doran, hosted by Bruce McGregor on his KVSS  program “The Ninth Hour”.   Ep 16 – The Virginity of the The Blessed Virgin Mary,

 

Sharon Doran serves as the teaching director of “Seeking Truth.” An experienced Bible Study teacher, Sharon has a passion forscripture that will motivate and challenge you to immerse yourself in God’s Word and apply His message to your every day life.

 

Episode 16 – Sharon and Bruce discuss the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  How is this possible? What is the significance of Mary’s silence after the annunciation? Why is the Virgin Birth so important?What do the Church Fathers have to say about this?  Where is all this found in Sacred Scripture?

 

“Seeking Truth” is an in depth Catholic Bible Study, commissioned by the Archdiocese of Omaha in response to John Paul II’s call to the New Evangelization as well as Pope Benedict XVI’s exhortation for all Catholics to study scripture. To learn more go to:www.seekingtruth.net

IP#39 Mike Aquilina – A Year With The Church Fathers on Inside the Pages

“A Year with the Church Fathers: Patristic Wisdom for Daily Living” by Mike Aquilina is outstanding. St. Benedict Press has produced a beatiful book worthy of the content within it’s pages.  But better still is the wisdom passed down through the ages which is contextualized and offered to us by acknowledged Patristic expert, Mike Aquilina.  The perfect gift for a friend, family member, or even yourself.  A gift from the fathers of the Church waiting to be unwrapped!

You can purchase a copy here