- Athanasius was a rare genius indeed: his
outstanding intelligence harnessed the logical flow of
words and made of him a most gifted dialectician. His
aptitude for the potamic was of special value in the
struggle against such agile sophists as the Arians.l1 He
stood up amidst the turmoil of contending doctrines as the
gigantic pyramids stand against the skyline. A traveller
promenading on the ancient land of Egypt may feel
crushed by their grandeur. Likewise a Christian,
contemplating Athanasius, this giant son of the same
ancient land, may feel the same impression, with this
difference: that while he may feel crushed by his stature,
he would be charmed and attracted towards the heights of
spiritual attainment which Athanasius set before him.l2
When finally the struggle reached its most crucial
point, and three hundred and eighteen Bishops and other
Church leaders assembled at Nicea to try and re-establish
peace, Athanasius stood up in their midst and crushed the
Arian heresy by the force of his reasoning power as well
as by the strength of his faith. To the vaporous and
mercurial phraseology of Arius, he replied in firm lucid
language, which set forth the Truth as a clear-cut
diamond.l3 - With all these assets and accomplishments, it is
little wonder that Athanasius was the man singled out as
the most worthy to succeed Abba Alexandros as Pope of
the Coptic Church. When grief for the departing prelate
subsided and gave place to the thought of a successor, the
people unanimously reiterated the name that the departed
Pope kept murmuring on his death-bed, and it
reverberated from lip to lip like a magnificent obsession:
Athanasius ... Athanasius!
elle
(Elle)
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